Stag and thistles

Posted on February 17, 2023 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged Design, Fine Art, Pantomime, Penkhull, Robin Hood, saltire, Scottish, Stag, Stoke-on trent, thistlesLeave a comment

A stag and thistles against a Scottish Saltire. The Penkhull Panto is not having scenery this year except for some smaller A2 panels that I painted a few years ago of various scenes from around the world. I offered to paint something representing Scotland and found various images of Scottish jewellery depicting Stags and Thistles in a semi celtic design. This is my interpretation of the idea. The blue and white of the saltire is a good background to the design. I used two A1 boards glued together for strength (£10) and it is painted in acrylics with some silver metallic pen highlights. I hope they like it.

Out on a limb

Posted on February 17, 2023February 17, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged branch, Growing, Life, limb, Musing, Nature, Thoughts, Time, Tree, Weather, WindLeave a comment

Growing out and up… A long limb of a tree scrambles to escape the shade of its companions. Thinks, I’m not going to be hidden by all your leaves. Give me light and I will grow into a tree in my own right. I don’t need holding up, I will sway in the wind with the best of them! What’s a bit of tension and torsion to a limb like me? I’m only slightly cracked, that split in my bark will soon heal over, I’m not weeping sap. Oi! Don’t you bring that chainsaw near me! I will survive!

Sky this afternoon

Posted on February 16, 2023February 16, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Afternoon, Bright, Cloud, Hill, Life, Photo, Sitting, Sky, Stoke-on trent, Sunshine, Tired, View, WalkingLeave a comment

I sat and watched the sky, there was an interesting looking cloud, but it was too bright to see initially because if the low sun. Then after a few minutes the cloud gradually crept over the sun. We needed to rest as we were on our walk around our local hill. Sitting on the bench I could feel a cold breeze ruffling my hair and I pulled my coat a bit closer. Apparently a storm is due tomorrow so the gusts of wind might be the beginning of it.

Stepping up

Posted on February 16, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Exercise, heart points, Hills, Life, Local, Park, seven thousand, Stepping, Steps, Walking5 Comments

Today’s walk was up and around my local hill. We walked up to the park along horizontal and then steep sections. We had a look round, sat on a bench for a while, then we carried on and walked further than we did before.

Clearly I’m not doing this because it’s part of my life. I don’t need to walk to collect water or food. But I’m doing it for my health, a first world problem.

Anyway it’s more than I’ve done for a year and it’s got to be good for my heart. I now need to build up my distances safely, because after suffering a pulled calf muscle I don’t want to do that again!

Vacant

Posted on February 16, 2023 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #bandofsketchers, At, canalside, Drawing, Felt pens, Imagined, Life, Public house, Sketching, vacantLeave a comment

Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was Vacant. I tried to draw an imagined pub, with half timbers, closed down and to let on a canal towpath. I would love to find somewhere like this. A quiet drink on a Sunday afternoon… Its a bit skewiff because I was holding the sketch pad at an angle. Felt pens.

One last post

Posted on February 15, 2023 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Black and white cat, Cat, Happy, Paws, Poem, Poetry, Sleeping, Tired, tongueLeave a comment

I wish I was a cat

Lying on a bag

Tongue peeping out

No need to shout

Asleep and happy

Having a nap, he

Curves round

Belly upwards

A really sweet cat

Dreaming of birds

Seen through a window

In the sun

On a spring morning.

Golfers elbow, too much phone use?

Posted on February 15, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Aches, Body, clenched, golfers elbow, Health, Pain, phone use, Sore, tension3 Comments

I was recently diagnosed with golfers elbow, and should be resting my arm, but I think it’s partly being cause because of my shaking arm. I’m trying to hold it still but I think that’s causing the muscles on the inside of my elbow to tighten and clench. That being said it hurts when I hold my phone in my left hand, but I would have thought my right arm would be involved too? Anyway I think I will blog more on my pc and rest my arm. Isn’t life wonderful?!

February’s steps

Posted on February 15, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged daytime TV, effort, five thousand, Health, Illness, Pain, steps health, Time, Trying, Walking7 Comments

After several months of little or no activity my brain kicked in and I’ve started walking again. I went from virtually zero to around five thousand steps a day. I think I am finally better after illness and sad times. My health is by no means perfect, I’m having lots of problems with pain, but if I don’t make the effort things will only get worse. Sitting watching daytime TV is not the best use of my time, and I’m hoping more activity will also get my creativity going again.

Red curry

Posted on February 15, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Food, red curry, Sawadee Thai taste, Stoke-on trent, Takeaway, Thai foodLeave a comment

Red curry, rice and noodles from Sawadee Thai taste in Hill Street in Stoke, Stoke-on-Trent.

We didn’t have time for a Valentines meal yesterday so I got this as a takeaway for us with a starter of Thai fishcakes. It was very tasty.

Look up the restaurant in the phone book if you want to book a table or a take out meal. It’s good food and not too expensive even in these costly days.

Bird!

Posted on February 15, 2023 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #bandofsketchers, Art, Bird, Drawing, Fun, Life, Martin Brothers, Sketching, ugly birdsLeave a comment

Tuesdays #bandofsketchers prompt was bird. This is based on the mad drawings of birds I drew as a child. I later found out about the potters the Martin Brothers? Who did salt glazed ugly birds!