Size matters

Posted on October 1, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged America, Australia, Britain, country, Distance, John O'groats, Lands End, large, Life, Size, small, Thinking6 Comments

I was just wondering how big the UK is relative to the USA. Turns out according to Google it’s 40 times smaller than the USA! (also 32 times smaller than Australia).

We can drive across the country in a day. I could drive for maybe two or three days North to South John O’groats to Lands end, although it has been done much faster. The direct distance is 603 miles, but the road distance is 837 miles. So driving over the limit at 83.7 mph you could drive it in ten hours. But if you drove at just 40mph you could do it in less than 24 hours!

Goodness knows how long it would take to drive across America and I guess it also depends where on the coasts you drive from. America is wider in the north than in the south?

Alien?

Posted on October 1, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Alien, anamometer, Garden, Humour, Life, Plants, Poem, Poetry, Silhouette, Silly, Strange2 Comments

What are you on the roof?

Looking quite aloof!

Are you an alien

Searching for the proof

That human life exists

Among our clouds and mists

What else can you be?

You look odd, you see

Wonder what YOU are?

An an-a-mom-meter!

Gardening

Posted on September 30, 2023 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2075, Garden, Growing, Hard work, Life, lopping, Pruning, time memories4 Comments

In what ways does hard work make you feel fulfilled?

Gardening makes me feel fulfilled, it’s not always easy for me to do work on the garden at the moment. But when I’m a little better I shall try and get out and do some pruning. The buddlea need cutting back once the flowers have finished. The other shrubs that are shutting out all the light need to be trimmed. If necessary to cut some of the lower branches of trees so that we can let lots more light in.

It’s heavy work, especially the lopping of branches, they are tangled and twisted in and out of the garden, overgrowing the fences. Our neighbours are a bit annoyed with us, but we can’t afford a full renovation and anyway the garden is natural, with frogs and squirrels and possibly hedgehogs.

I’m pleased we have such growth, it’s fun to think we have grown such a lot over the years.

Sleeping cat

Posted on September 30, 2023September 30, 2023 Posted in Cat, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Art, ArtRage app, Asleep, Black and white cat, Cat, drawing from life, Sketching, Stylus, Tuxedo cat2 Comments

Sleeping cat. Using Artrage app. I’m having fun using my stylus, much more control than finger painting. This was sketched quickly from life, but the cat moved before I could finishh his paws. The mat is made up, the real one is grey and blue.

Ugh!

Posted on September 30, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Doctors, flu jab, Life, organising, Shattered, Shopping, Singing, tired out, Walking4 Comments

Yesterday I walked into town, which isn’t far, got some shopping and walked home on my own. Then I contacted a firm to sort something out, then we went to the doctors to get out flu vaccine and finally I joined a choir practice for a Christmas concert. Two hours of Loud singing!

That was more in one day than I’d done in six weeks. But I was feeling stubborn and I’m fed up of being off my feet.

But all I’ve done today is fetch the milk in. I’m shattered. My poorly leg and feet are aching, my arm is shaking and sore, and I just want to sleep.

Could it be the result of the flu jab? I don’t think so, I usually don’t have a reaction. No, I think its because I tried to overdo things yesterday. I shall continue to rest today, then attempt more tomorrow.

Pelargoniums and Surfinia

Posted on September 30, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Colours, Gardening, generanium, Hanging basket, Life, Memories, pelargoniums, Petunias, Photo, Plants, Surfinias2 Comments

Oh I do like a good hanging basket. This is one from a couple of years ago, I think it was one I planted myself. The red flowers are pelargoniums although generally they are called geraniums. The purple ones are Petunias which are also called Surfinias. It’s interesting how names can be changed for fashion or trademark reasons.

Compassion

Posted on September 29, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Caring, Compassion, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2074, division, Emotions, rhetoric, Thinking, ThoughtLeave a comment

What’s the trait you value most about yourself?

I think its important to care about people. It means a lot to me. Empathy is important too. Trying to understand where people come from. Sometimes people are hard to get, they don’t make sense. But I still think you have to care.

Compassion is key to that, seeing the problems people are suffering and trying to get to the bottom of why it’s happening. Not blaming them for how their lives are turning out.

I know I cannot aways help people. It’s so hard to explain what I mean. But if you put yourself in their shoes at least there is a chance you can understand their motivations.

I hate rhetoric that describes people in a bad way and that creates a feeling of us and them. It is just a way to divide and conquer. In the modern world there seems to be such a blame culture, where compassionate thoughts could make things better for everyone?

I know I’m an idealist and most readers will find my thoughts wishy washy and weak. But it’s ingrained into me. I make no apologies for it.

Storm Agnes?

Posted on September 29, 2023September 29, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Autumn, dark grey, Life, no rain, not as bad, Poem, Poetry, September, storm Agnes, Weather, WindLeave a comment

Heavy clouds, dark grey

Scudding past,

light and dark

Dark and light.

The ivy waves

in rippling winds

A force is behind it.

Pushing the clouds.

Autumn rattles branches

September ends in gales

But no rain, no lightning

Just the windy gloom

Of a September afternoon.

Midnight snack?

Posted on September 29, 2023 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Aches and pains, Banana, Black and white cat, Cat, Croissant, Decaff tea, Food, midnight snack, Sleepless, three cats, Tuxedo cat2 Comments

I can’t sleep, my bad leg is achy and itchy, I’m hungry because we had tea hours ago. I want comfort food. Sweet but not full of sugar. I found a croissant in the fridge and cut it in half lengthways. I’ve peeled a banana and I’m having a banana croissant. For a warm drink I’ve got a mug of milky decaffeinated tea. Not sure if any of this will make me feel better. I’m also surrounded by three cats intermittently mooching round me, coming up for attention, purring and poddling. 2.38am, aching, possible indigestion and cats. What a combination!

Artist, illustrator, singer

Posted on September 28, 2023 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged Art, Choir, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2073, Fine Art, Illustration, independent, Painting, sales, Selling, Singing4 Comments

List three jobs you’d consider pursuing if money didn’t matter.

Basically I would work for free if money wasn’t an object. I’m not bothered about sales, it’s the joy of getting my hands on paint, paper, canvas or pen and ink.

If I wasn’t creating art I would join a choir that travelled round and just did spontaneous performances of cool songs. Simply to make people feel better. I would do it without pay, just for the pleasure of entertaining people.

All I would need is enough money for food and shelter. Certainly I would try and share with other artists if money were no object. I would set up a small gallery near the coast and talk to people who visited it, but not as a salesperson, but to discuss art and creativity. I don’t enjoy selling, I’m an artist, not a seller. X