New paintings and regular art updates.
In one of the hothouses in the walled kitchen garden at Rode Hall. Yes I have gone on about it but it was an interesting visit. Vegetables were displayed as if they were in a competition. Onions balanced on flower pots, old gourds piled up and drying. Bulbs were sprouting. It must be spring soon!
Two views of a hill in Rode Hall. One turned upside down to make it look like a reflection in a lake. The white in the grass on the photo is a carpet of tiny snowdrops. I got such a lot out of going out, although I was surrounded by a lot of people which made me quite nervous. I’m glad we went. It was a spur of the moment thing after seeing a video about it on Facebook.
One of the stained glass church windows at Odd Rode, it’s opposite the exit from Rode Hall. We came out of the Hall Gardens because the queue for the tea room was too long. The church was open for refreshments. We popped in and were made very welcome. The church was designed by Gilbert Scott. The same architect designed St Thomas Church in Penkhull. Sorry I forgot to make a note of the name of this church. We called in for scones and coffee. Very nice and friendly.
This question from an American friend made me laugh, then think. I guess the answer is that some of the subjects I take photos of are picturesque. That is to say, fit the ideals of what a painting should look like. But I guess I cropped this to improve how it looks, and I chose to take a photo of it. I saw other views that I could have photographed that would not have looked as nice.
Rode Hall is a small stately home on the borders of Staffordshire and Cheshire. It’s on a lane running between two major roads, one of which is the A34, which is in England.
Each year they hold a Snowdrop walk at about this time. The weather today was cold, crisp and bright. The various varieties of snowdrops glowed in the sunshine.
We had a very pleasant walk along a pathway to a lake in the grounds below the hall. Then back along the path a short way and up the small hills around the grounds of the hall. Finally we visited the walled kitchen garden with glass houses full of award winning vegetables.
I took lots of photos and I will post more on other blog posts. It wasn’t expensive. The only thing was there was a massive queue for the tea room but we ended going off and getting refreshments at a local church.
While I was writing this morning all three cats came upstairs to see me. This is one of the boy cats. FURRY NINJAS, pounce on anything. It’s fun to watch them all interact. You can catch them eyeing up the warmest places to sleep. One of them will move and another will take its place. A noise from a cupboard? A cat is washing, or snoring! Life with cats is fun.
Sitting here- pondering what to do about college work, I never seem to get a minute to myself. I couldn’t sleep, I’m either too hot or too cold or someones elbow is sticking in my ribs, but because I woke up and started typing, now hubby is up and ready to go for a walk! For heavens sake can’t I get a quiet moment to myself?
I’m seriously thinking about single beds! you know you are getting older when you think that comfort outweighs companionship. No more knees in your back, or elbows in your ear, or your shoulder being used as a pillow.
No I’m not doing college stuff, I’m just trying to chill for half an hour. No doubt I will go back to bed soon!
Using predictive text
To write each line:
I have attached
Just to let
To be getting
I am looking forward
He is a good idea
I have a few questions
Rise of the Leopard print
Not literally a bit like
Get the legs in the right direction
Since todays work was very late
I’m a little bit worried about
Unfortunately we will be OK?
I spoke about doing a painting of Georges the dolphin a few weeks ago and yesterday I got a chance to take a photo of the painting which is acrylic on canvas. I forgot how much I loved painting this. I think he was a bottle nosed dolphin. They have upturned mouths that make them look like they are permanently smiling.
I think I looked at a photo of a dolphin to know where the fins were but the rest is imagined and the landscape is based on the south Devon coastline.
Reflections, I see you
Like a glass of fizz
Blown bubbles
Or looking through a window
And paperweights can be glass
Bottles may pop
Alchemy of sand
Melts into liquid beauty.
Mallaband-Brown