I don’t go out much

How have you adapted to the changes brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic?

I still wear a mask when I go in shops, especially supermarkets. I rarely go out except to try and walk a bit to keep myself fit. Sometimes the world seems like an alien place and I feel like I have walled off the world. I have stopped visiting many friends and don’t like going in pubs or places where there are a lot of people. I still have covid testing kits and I try and remember to test once a week, mainly when I go out to choir practice. I have not had covid19 (yet) and I do hope to continue to avoid it, but I think people are forgetting about it, and really it’s not surprising because it isn’t in the news headlines any more. But millions died and millions more have been disabled by it. I’m not going to put my life at risk if I can help it. Stay safe x

Planning

Now’s the time to order our hanging baskets for the year. The lady that puts them together asks me what colours I would like. Usually I don’t specify what theme I want but I’m definitely going for a rainbow theme this year. I think because there are so many different flowers and shapes and colours that would really brighten the yard. Last year was mainly red white and green so I bought in other flowers to broaden the spectrum.

Going out of the back door and seeing all this colour lifts my spirits. I usually order them and then collect them 6 to 8 weeks later. It’s a bit expensive but I have never been able to grow baskets as beautiful as hers. The summer arrives and I bring the baskets home. Then we have a riot of colour until late Autumn.

A struggle

What are your morning rituals? What does the first hour of your day look like?

Get up and make a brew so I can take my medication. Have a wash. Feed the cats, make breakfast, eat it, stick porridge bowl in the sink to soak. Clean teeth, put on clothes, struggle with that because my arm shakes and my balance is bad and its difficult with a frozen shoulder. Struggle to pull on my shoes, sit down in my chair and probably go back to sleep for a bit. Put the radio on to a talk station. Try and decide what I need to do, start watching daytime TV to avoid the world for another day!

Sounds really boring! I don’t really have rituals, my mornings are quite mundane.

Sunset

Sunset was Sundays #bandofsketchers prompt. As we arrived at our holiday destination one summer I was amazed to see what appeared to be a tall beam of sunshine above the setting sun. I found out later that it was a sun pillar. I think its a phenomenon where sunlight reflects off ice crystals in the sky? A bit like sun dogs. Can’t find the photo to work off so tried to remember it…

Sketch set

Went for a meal out at Sawadee Thai taste in Stoke tonight. While we were there I decided to sketch us. I had to imagine my self portrait, and they are all a bit scruffy as I just drew on a bit of old card I had in my bag, each sketch took a couple of minutes. Apple is the Thai lady that runs the restaurant.

The food was delicious, we had red curry with sticky rice and some pad Thai noodles. Not expensive and good company.

Delamere

Third painting. I used the reference photo less and added leaves on the left hand side that were further towards the centre than was on the original photo. The lady who lent me the photograph told me this was taken at Delamere forest, which I think is in Cheshire.

I tried to emphasise the blues in the background to give it a distant feeling. Then I emphasised the reds and greens to ring them to the fore. The leaf litter was fun to paint trying to shape it and add light shining through the leaves onto the ground. It’s a small acrylic on canvas.

Two paintings done

As part of the Art Fair today I completed the three small paintings that I started in our Art group meeting recently. I think these are five or six inches square. One is called Autumn and the other Coast. I enjoyed doing this as it kept me occupied. It was a quiet day, I think there was a big event going on in the town, but I sold three small paintings for a small amount of money, by the time I’d paid for my table it was £10 in total for the day, but at least I enjoyed painting, much better than sitting quietly and getting a bit bored!

Seclusion

Thursdays #bandofsketchers prompt was seclusion. I was secluded for about 20 hours when my phone battery started to overheat. I took it to the phone shop but it was closed, but I went back later and got a replacement. The pattern on this is meant to be a design for a phone case. Just taking something positive out of a difficult day x