New paintings and regular art updates.
A mess of branches
before they were covered in green.
When air was cold and blue,
when stems bore ice.
When it was cold at night.
It was chill, and the moon shone,
through miriad twigs.
When night lasted
in the cold darkness,
from early dusk,
to late dawn.
Now the sun rises early
the heat rises to meet it,
I wake up late and fall asleep
late,
in the warm morning air.
This is the first day of spring, but it feels like mid winter. Our house isn’t that well insulated and if it gets cold it stays cold, high ceilings means that the heat rises and warms the upper part of the room before it gets to us down here on the floor. The wind is gusting from the north and whistling through the gap round the seal in the front window and kitchen. We had new windows put in, but I guess they were cheap, all we could afford. The front door slams when you go through it because they measured it wrongly, so the top sticks out more than the bottom, giving it a very strange cant.
The North Wind cools the house, rubs the heat away as it pushes past the walls. Out kitchen bathroom extention only has thin walls. It really needs an insulating layer outside, but instead ivy is taking over and a wisteria has been planted at the end. Plants don’t keep us warm, but the blackbirds like to nest in it.
Now I’m cooking our evening meal, the heat from the oven adds a little to the warmth. I could microwave the food, but the gas cooker gives a bit of extra heat.
One day it will be warm outside, the leaves will grow, and we shall have spring and summer. X
I went out with Urban sketchers today and was at an old farm near Eccleshall to draw. I took a few photos. I need to take good pictures of my drawings.
The day was grey, overcast with great rushes of wind that you could hear soughing through the trees. Starting far way you could hear it rushing and pushing the tree branches. Rooks were flying and calling in the air, scooting about and apparently enjoying it. We even saw a murmuration of Starlings flocking in the distance.
I sat on a white metal garden chair, strong but cold. I ended up folding up my scarf to stop my bum going numb with the cold. Within a few minutes I was shivering and then I got used to it although my hands started to go numb with the chill. Luckily there was hot tea available. It was very kind of the artists that live there to let a crowd of about twenty urban sketchers come round and draw everything from trees to stone dogs.
X
I am so tired, I have had a bad cold, and I keep falling asleep now. Dozing, sleeping, nodding. Too tired to keep my eyes open. I wish I was fit and well. OK its not serious, but I’m not doing things I want to do. I want my spring back in my step. My mojo back, my twinkle back in my eye! So I will try and sleep earlier, get some shut eye, keep warm and comfortable. Sorry to moan. I’m fed up, I’m sorry. Might write a bit more later. X
Oh what a week! My stats are down because I haven’t been writing much here. That’s because I’ve been ill. And that’s because someone in our panto cast decided to come in with a bad cold and proceeded to cough and sneeze over the rest of us. So grrrr!
I’ve finally started to feel a bit better today, taken a couple of paintings up to a local gallery and come home. Phew, I’m tired now!
Ladybirds sleep,
Tucked in the crook of a branch.
Butterflies hang dormant,
asleep in shed roofs.
Frogs start to spawn
ignoring the cold and ice.
Plants hunker down,
below the ground.
Fish are deep in the pond,
torpid, sleepy, quiet.
Where are the bats?
Hibernating in a loft,
huddled and shivering,
waiting for warmth.
Last years temperature was 21°C
Today it is 3°C…….
Cold garden
chilled fingers,
icy wind,
frozen nose….
We are living through a bad patch of weather. A couple of named storms, then more rain. Now the forecast is for snow and ice or hail. Watching the news tonight there are towns on the river Severn which are flooded. The flood defences that were put in to protect properties next to the river in one in a hundred years storms have been used many times in the last few years. At the moment the county of Shropshire is affected. Shrewsbury is badly flooded in places. Bewdley and now Ironbridge (heart of the industrial revolution) are in danger. In two places Red, danger of death, warnings have been issued. The defences are being overtopped. That means people who have refused to move out are in danger.
Our society makes things worse by building on flood plains, laying concrete and brick ‘features’ and parking spaces in our gardens, not maintaining the countryside and removing trees and hedges. Even in the light of all the floods we still want HS2 (a train line whichmeans people will be able to get from Manchester or Leeds to London about 20 minutes more quickly. In the plans for the train line ancient forests will be dug up and villages demolished or cut off. All for the massive cost of over £100 billion! Maybe we should spend that on greening the environment instead.
Now I’m waiting to see if it snows. Whatever happens I hope for respite for the flooded areas.
I hate getting colds, but it’s that time of year….
So my sister visited and showed me a website that does something similar to the adult colouring books you can buy these days.
Now I think I’m addicted! It’s certainly taking my mind off the cough I’ve developed. It does mean I’ve wasted a lot of time doing nothing. But I need a rest. I’m hoping whatever it is, it doesn’t develop into anything worse. In the meantime, back to colouring.
X
In months my garden
will be aflower,
floral fancies,
blooming anew.
But sadly now
the sight is of grey hue.
Cold sprigs of twigs
leaden coloured,
deadened stems.
Give them some sun,
some warmth
some food?
Then they will improve their mood.
I wait and cry
with many a sigh,
Looking around
For colour on the ground.
Daffodils and Tulips
Crocus and Snowdrops.
Then Bluebells and Violets,
will stir the air,
colours will flare!
Brighten the world,
set bees abuzz,
and waken my love,
of nature.
I thought it was cold. Now it’s snowing! It hasn’t snowed in months. Since last year… Cars coming down the hill with hazard warning lights on. Luckily not slipping or sliding. The flakes are huge fluffy things. In an hour two inches have fallen. And the silence, the quiet that you get when snow falls. It muffled everything. Makes the world seem less busy. Now I’m going to put the heating on… For a bit…..
