Asleep

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He’s still an outdoor cat really. He comes in and snoozes for an hour, but then he goes back out again, on patrol, dozing by the shed, or under the neighbours car. His abscess has gone down now and his eye had opened up again, but he gets into scrapes with other local cats (not our other two). He will always be an outdoor cat really, especially in the summer. He finds places to sleep but they change depending on his mood, on the stairs sometimes, or on our sofa, under the hedge, in the summer house. I love him but wish he was a bit more settled.

Variations

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Editing a digital drawing that I made in Artrage. I used photodirector to create several variations, then incollage to create a compilation of them so you can see the steps I took.

Does it look like a good portrait? No. Its more of an abstract idea. I could try using this on an actual painting, I will have to decide if I can do it as this is a finger painting again.

Who’s this memory of?

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Digital drawing of David Tennant from ten years ago. Drawn at a now defunct website called Sketchfu. I’d come in from work and go and draw on line to relax. I’ve always loved the BBC Sci fi series Dr Who and David Tennant in the modern era, and Tom Baker in the classic series were my favourite Dr’s.

Eye see the world

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A doodle, I liked it, only a simple finger painting exploiting the tools in Artrage.. I might do more to this, but I just left it as it is for now.

I wonder what coming generations will think about how we treated the world they will inherit. Weather forecasts are saying southern European countries will experience the hottest summer temperatures this weekend, up to 48.9°C, about 113°F. About 60,000 excess deaths in Europe were recorded last year from heat related causes. What are we doing?!

So keep your eyes on the world and do your best to cut global emissions. Thanks.

Late

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What time do you go to bed and wake up currently?

Early to bed, early to rise, just isn’t me!

I think my circadian rhythm is out, because over the last few months I’ve gone to bed later and later. Then I eventually sleep for a few hours, before waking up around dawn. Then sadly I look at my phone! Spend an hour or so catching up with videos and messages, before falling asleep again and waking up in the late morning.

I don’t want to be this way, I sometimes need to be up and out earlier, but insomnia and an overactive brain can see me struggling to sleep. It doesn’t help that I have to wear a mask at night to help me breathe. I also do have painful joints and my arm is still very shaky and sore (I sound like a wreck!).

One thing to do is to think the word “the” over and over to yourself. This was recommended by my friend and it works when I remember to do it. “the” is a word with no connotations, it interrupts your train of thought and gives your brain time to disengage (at least that’s what I think!).

Anyway hope you all have a good night’s sleep. Best wishes!

Jessie Shirley’s bone and flint mill.

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A few years ago I did a painting of the bone and flint mill in Etruria. I exhibited it in a small exhibition and I ended up getting four commissions to paint it again!

I had to give each painting a different name, not flint mill 1,2,3 and 4, but slightly different wordings for each.

I only remember this because the photos appeared on Facebook memories. It shows, I think, that I AM a real artist, just because I’m not doing much at the moment. I have paintings to finish, but dear old artists block keeps biting me in the bum. Things I have to do get in the way. Life gets in the way.

I do a yoga class

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What strategies do you use to increase comfort in your daily life?

I’m not good at yoga, I’m not very flexible anymore. So I use a chair for most of the positions we do in class.

I have to use the chair for balances too, I just cannot manage to stand up and balance on one leg. But overall I think its slowly helping my mobility. I don’t feel like I will ever be able to do some of the poses, but at least I try.

I think yoga is about doing the best you can, and trying to get to a calm state of mind in the process. I have to admit I have not studied the teachings behind the practice, but if it lowers my blood pressure and helps me to gain some lost movement, even if only to a slight extent, then I’m all for it.

I ache after classes but I think as I have kept going I have been able to feel more comfortable physically, and it might be helping me mentally.

I don’t like the idea of ‘exercise’ style of yoga, where people force themselves into position and use heated rooms, I think there is more to it than that. What next? Boxing yoga? No thanks.