I like snakes

Posted on June 24, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Animal, Corn snake, Fete, Fun, Life, Lizard, SnakeLeave a comment

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Facebook just showed me this from a year ago. I had visited Hartshill and harpfields organisations summer fete and they had a stall with grass snakes, a boa constrictor, lizards and tarantulas. They were all well looked after and I got to hold this corn snake. You can feel the muscles tense and relax under its skin.

The first time I ever held a snake was in juniot school. Everyone else was scared and thought they would be slimy. They are not. Their skin is smooth and warm. Just because they are cold blooded does not make them cold animals.

I always ask to hold snakes if they are on display on stalls..

Making again

Posted on June 20, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Chinese lacquer, Design, Fun, making, Making props, Painting, Penkhull mystery playLeave a comment

Today was all about making and painting things for the Penkhull Mystery Play this year. I reused two boxes from previous plays. I was asked to paint them black and then to use gold and yellow paint for the decoration.

The idea was to create boxes which would look like they had been decorated with Chinese lacquer. I didn’t know whether the idea would work, but it seemed OK.

Other work to do include sticking paper plates together to make them strong enough to be passed between 50school children and painting two large papier machè birds that represent the birds on the willow pattern plate.

One box has a landscape on the top of it, the other has a circular coin like shape on the top.

Pirates of Penzance

Posted on June 19, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Chorus, Cinema, Comic opera, English National Opera, Fun, Humour, Music, Opera, Pirates of penzance, SingingLeave a comment

sketch-1560973460669 Last night we went to see the Pirates of Penzance. The comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan was a live broadcast from the London Coliseum by the English National Opera shown at cinemas throughout the country.

The story is about Frederic, a pirate whose nurse took him to the sea to learn to be a ships pilot. Unfortunately she mistook the word pirate for pilot so he was indentured to be one until the contract ran out. The story starts when he is leaving the pirates. He tells them his duty will be to stop their piratical reign when he is free of them.

Later he meets a daughter of a Major General who he falls in love with. As the opera continues he is caught in a dilemma, whether to persue the pirates or rejoin them.

Many memorable songs made up a wonderful night out. The song ” I am the very model of a modern major general” and ” A policeman’s lot is not a happy one”.

I won’t give the end away. But it is very enjoyable. The twists and turns of the plot hold your attention. Excellent.

Sleeping cat

Posted on June 19, 2019 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Alien, Bed, Cat, Chair, Fun, Humour, Masters, Sitting, Sleep2 Comments

When I got up this morning one of my cats was sleeping on my chair. I stood and watched him for ten minutes till he woke up. He saw me standing there and gave me a look as if to say “no chance” so I went back to bed for an hour! Cats have such a personality for small animals. I find myself constantly talking a sort of baby talk to them! Making up different names and stringing together noises they might like. In fact I begin to think they are alien invaders who have us in their thrall. Until of course I get fed up and pick him up and move him!

Music and singing

Posted on June 18, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged A capella, Blogging, Choir, Education, Enjoyment, Fun, Learning, Life, Music, School, SongsLeave a comment

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I’ve been to a choir workshop on Sunday where we learnt songs and short pieces over a four hour period, then tonight I was learning songs for the penkhull mystery play which is being accompanied by Clay Chorus, a choir I’m part of. I’m a member of the cast of the play, so I might not actually be singing all the songs but it’s good to learn them.

It is quite tiring doing so much singing. It takes concentration and the ability to listen closely to your fellow choir members and the choir leader. We learn a capella so we often don’t have any accompaniment.

I also went to a concert on Saturday night and later today I will be watching a live broadcast of the Pirates of Penzance at our local cinema.

Music can transport your mind, calm stress, but also excite and enthral. Music can be raucous, noisy, loud, rhythmic and ugly. It can also bring tranquility and peace.

I think music should be taught more, to all ages and abilities. It should not be elitist and should not be for the privileged few. Music broadens the mind and the senses.

Holiday sketches.

Posted on June 14, 2019June 14, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Chalets, Drawing, Fun, Life, Lodge, Scribbles, Sketching, Trees, Urban sketchingLeave a comment

Some sketches from our short break. Including two doodles when it was to wet and dark and the TV was on the blink. My hubby reading, a sketch inside the cabin, a drawing of Fountains Abbey in the rain, the view out of the window, and finally trees which I coloured in.

Sketching keeps me occupied and gives me something to do when I want to be artistic.

It doesn’t cost much to draw, you can use a biro and the back of an envelope. You have to try and stay dry but it’s good to get out and about.

UK urban sketchers annual event, Sunday

Posted on June 10, 2019June 10, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Drawing, Fun, Life, School, SketchingLeave a comment

Who knew so many people would get together and draw for three days in mostly very wet conditions. Here are a few more photos of the event on Sunday in Hanley.

Art is important, it is creative, it shows us new things, new ideas, new ways of looking at things. It helps understanding of the complex as well as the simple.

I think it should be compulsory to do some sort of art at school (well I would), but nowadays the core curriculum seems to have shrunk without the breadth of knowledge of the past. In the meantime dumbing down seems to be the norm.

Ah life, so strange. Thank goodness for art.

Cat stairs

Posted on June 6, 2019 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Cats, Fun, Kittens, Life, Micro poem, Play, Poem, Poetry, Stairs, StaresLeave a comment

Cat, stares

Cat, stairs.

Black and white kittens

With white mittens,

Golden eyes

Glint in the light.

Bouncing about,

Jumping with energy,

Playing tail chase,

Pouncing on legs.

Cats on stares

Cat stares

Golden eyed

Then yawn.

Yesterdays sketches

Posted on June 2, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Drawing, Etruria festival, Etruria Industrial museum, Fun, Life, Sketching, Urban sketchingLeave a comment

Just a few, sketched while at the Etruria festival. There was a giant chess board which I drew with a black sharpie, a few people were playing the game, but it seemed mainly young children walking across the board.

I was trying to draw the trees round the back of the museum. The trouble was there were too many leaves. One of the drawings is of the flint mill chimney and part of my husbands head. The other is of a couple sitting and drinking tea. I didn’t want them to know so I kept having to look away when they looked towards me.

Canal festival at Etruria.

Posted on June 1, 2019June 1, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Barges, Boats, Bubbles, Canal, Etruria canal festival, Fun, Life, MusicLeave a comment

From bubbles and paradise gardens to bubbles and canal boats. Etruria festival whuch started today and continues tomorrow was abuzz with fun and frolics. There were human fruit machines and storytellers, lions and bonzai. The place was having fun.

You can go and see the flint mill in steam, buy candyfloss and look at the Sculpted Steel blacksmith. I’ve taken photos but not too many. Just enough to give an idea. Good to see Etruria artists and their stall. I’m a member but things have been a bit busy lately.

Anyway it’s on again tomorrow.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Fun