Passion flower

Posted on September 1, 2021September 1, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Autumn, Friends, Gardening, Lilies, Passion flower, Plants, Story, Surprise, Time, Very short story3 Comments

Suddenly there was a passionflower in the garden. She didn’t know where it had come from. Could it have been planted there by a bird? A squirrel? She knew she hadn’t planted it… At least she thought she knew…

A week later she was pottering in the yard. A beautiful lily caught her eye. Again she racked her mind, thought back to spring? It might have been in a bag of bulbs she had bought? It was early autumn. Too long ago to remember.

Over the next few weeks new plants appeared in her borders. Beautiful flowers and plants. Expensive plants. The gate was locked at night, and she only went out occasionally in the day. Was she being stalked…?

The revelation of who was doing the planting came late one Friday evening. She was having a drink with an old school friend. As she sipped her red wine she told her about the plants popping up in the garden.

Her friend blushed and smiled. Oh dear, she said. I’d better tell you. My garden is full, too full. I decided to spread plants out to my friends gardens, you, Jackie, Maude and Sisley.

Well it started as a bit of a joke, but once I realised I could push through the hedge down the bottom of the garden? Well I just kept coming back. I hope you enjoyed the plants? I should stop!

Don’t you dare! I love them. I was spooked, but now I appreciate the surprise. Thank you. Keep going, its fun.

Walk

Posted on July 31, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Creative writing, false memories, Friends, Imagined, Life, Thoughts, Together, Walking2 Comments

You took my hand, held it tightly. Dragged me up the hill to the viewpoint.

We stared across the tree tops, across the views of hills and valleys. There were old houses and modern warehouses where there used to be fields. It’s gone, you said, our youth and the beauty that was once here.

Remember when we had strength? When hills were virtually flat? When colours were bright and gaudy.

The trees were shorter then, we could see further. We used to hold hands and more. Now, we are lost, can our hearts stay forever together? The hill is steep nowadays. But we walk hand in hand.

Socially distanced choir

Posted on July 5, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Choir, Clay Chorus, Friends, Fun, Music, public singing, Singing, social distanceLeave a comment

We finally sang as a choir tonight. We were socially distanced. Each of us had a chair placed behind a CD. Two meters apart. We did some stretches and vocal exercises and suddenly we were singing together in reasonable harmony. We even sang in parts, soprano, tenor, alto and base. It was lovely! No zoom where all you can hear is yourself and the choir leaders. We started quietly but by the end we had some volume. Hearing each other gets the camaraderie going again.n

Next stop, singing in public at a canal day this coming Sunday. I hope we all stay well and the weather improves!

Today’s portrait session 9.4.21

Posted on April 9, 2021 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Art, College, Friends, Painting, Pictures, Portrait, portrait session, Sketching, Watercolour, watercolour sketching8 Comments

Today we were playing with lighting effects, either with the light from a lamp, a phone or the screen light. I decided to try and use watercolour (mainly blue and brown) and a couple of extra colours depending on the backgrounds. The paint set doesn’t have a black, which makes it interesting trying to get dark enough colours…

I have short legs

Posted on March 27, 2021March 29, 2021 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #100daywalkingchallenge, Challenge, Exercise, Feet, Fitter, Friends, Helping, Legs, Miles, Steps, Tired, WalkingLeave a comment

I just checked my step counter and it came up with this for March. But I do have short legs so it’s not as impressive as you might think. Plus this is steps not miles! Anyway I’ve surprised myself. I think I’ve done 55 days since starting the 100 day walking challenge with my friends. I think I’m slowly getting fitter. My average walk is around three miles. I’m tired and aching, but I will keep going barring injury or illness. Still over 250,000 steps is not bad going for someone who was basically sedentary before that. Yes I was doing a few walks a week , but I think doing this has helped enormously. X

I am a lightweight!

Posted on March 10, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged #100daywalkingchallenge, Busy, car repair, College, Exercise, Friends, Life, online forms, Short walk, Support, Tired, WalkingLeave a comment

After days of walking decent distances the last two have been a bit of a disappointment. Yesterday I walked uphill though, and got my heart points in. Today it was only because I had to deliver the car to the garage for repairs and walk home via a cafe for a takeaway breakfast, go and help a friend with an online form because she was struggling with filling it in, and this evening going shopping in the local supermarket to collect essentials like milk and bread. During the day I also took part in a lecture that overran somewhat and was busy trying to catch up with household tasks. I have got to do a couple of observational drawings to catch up my weekly quota. I will try and post the results of them later. Still got to wash the shopping (yes I do that) and consider working on an editorial illustration that we have to create for college thus week. But now I’m sitting down with the cat on my lap. Might have a quick nap!

Long distance call!

Posted on January 17, 2021January 17, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged artistic pals, Chat, fifteen years, Friends, Life, Old friends, TalkingLeave a comment

I’ve just spoken to someone I’ve been friends with online for the first time. After fifteen years we just spoke. It was lovely. I am so pleased we could chat. I didn’t realise it was possible.

Maybe it was an inconsequential chat, but I think we both were pleased to

have talked. I introduced my hubby to him. It’s good to have long distance friends. Perhaps I will ring Australia next!

2011

Posted on January 12, 2021 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Art, Drawing, Friends, Landscape, Life, Memories, Pub, Riverside, salts Mill, Sketching, Ten years agoLeave a comment

Visiting my friend in Yorkshire in 2011 just after he moved their. I can’t believe it’s so long ago.

In fact I remember the day we’ll. We went to sit by the river at Salts Mill and called in a riverside pub. We were looking over a cricket pitch and the wooded hills in the background. It was a hot sunny day. I love sketching instead of just taking photos….

Five minutes and counting

Posted on December 31, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged 2020, 2021, Friends, friendships, Life, New year, thanksLeave a comment

I don’t show my face here very often, but I had to say Happy and Healthy New Year to all of you out there who have followed my blog. Thanks for the friendly comments and the thoughtful wishes.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

What shall I do?

Posted on December 31, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged 2021, Friends, hugs, Life, New year, Relatives, Thinking, Time, wishesLeave a comment

Another ‘almost’ lockdown, a world in turmoil. I just want to ignore it. I can’t stop the world and get off. I want hugs. I could do without being the ‘sensible’ one. I want to just do so many things, go to a gallery, sing in a choir without being on zoom, visit my family, deliver Christmas presents. See my neice and nephew. Visit the seaside… Go on a train….

I wish all of you the chance to do things you really want to do!

Happy New year when it arrives for you!

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Friends