New paintings and regular art updates.
Tuesdays #bandofsketchers prompt was Sugar. I could have drawn granulated sugar, but I chose to draw liquorice allsorts. They were my favourite sweets. I would peel them apart, eat the sweet stuff first then finish it with the liquorice afterwards. Felt pen drawing and black fine ink liner pen.
It’s cloudy again tonight, any sunlight has been stifled by cloud. I’m looking forward to a good, colourful sunset. But if we get that it means we need high pressure and less clouds. That means the sky will clear and heat will be lost so we will get colder weather and frosts. At the moment we are getting gusty winds from the south and scattered heavy showers. It’s knocking the old leaves off the trees. I hope it does clear up, apparently the Taurid meteor shower is due.
Anyway when did this blog turn into a weather forecast? Hmm, must think of something else x
Russian missiles continue to bombard the Ukrainian infrastructure. They are being used to damage and destroy power stations and water works. The Ukrainian population are being asked to accept regular power cuts so that there will be enough power for hospitals, and drinking water is becoming increasingly scarce, with people queuing to collect enough water to survive, and where can they get food. With the damage that has been done to the buildings in the country it means that as winter begins to bite in Ukraine the population will have to try and cope in such dangerous situations. I hope that they will survive, we have not forgotten the fact that Russia continues it’s cruel war on its Western neighbour.
Moonlight like ice, glinting frost, I wish we had cold weather. Walking round a frosty graveyard looking at ice crystals on bushes and grasses. Little pawprints trailing across the lawn, glittering as a stray moonbeam passes through wilting leaves.
A gravestone sits sideways to all the other ones. Because it’s occupant was said to be the local witch, wise woman, healer, giving remedies that were beyond the wit of man? Perhaps that moon shone down on her once, on her cottage surrounded by herbs, witch hazel, foxgloves, woody nightshade.
Don’t move, just listen, hear the rustle of bat’s in the belfry, feel the crunch of ice under your hand. Its All Hallows Eve. Perhaps this is a dream about Molly Leigh, the Burslem witch.
Yesterday in a garden centre, at the end of October we found this passion flower still in bloom. Its amazing how warm it has been over the last few weeks in Britain. Lasr week it was about 23° Centigrade in London and 19°s where we live. About 5 or 7° higher than usual. In some ways that’s good because we haven’t needed to put the heating on much. But it is unnatural. Apparently every month this year has been hotter than previous ones. Animals are not getting ready to hibernate, will they have enough food or energy to survive if the winter gets very cold. Who knows, it’s worrying.
Only one lot of trick or treaters called round tonight. One of them had a pumpkin on his head that was lit up with LEDs. There were three boys and they were soaked to the skin because it was raining so heavily. We gave them fifty pence each because I don’t usually get sweets or candies for Halloween night. I have to say they seemed a friendly bunch so I didn’t mind it, but it’s not my most favourite festival. I actually prefer Carol singers, and I encourage them to sing a couple of verses because often they come round and sing one line of we wish you a merry Christmas and expect to get money for it. I guess I’m a bit like Scrooge! Oh dear!
Using a digital filter can steady down analogue drawings. The splodginess of felt pens can get blurred out and the line work becomes more even. I used photodirector to change this drawing. I used the ‘effects’ AI filters and I think I used filter number five on the landscape choice. Somehow the top of the pumpkin looks like a bat….
Hungry an hour earlier, because the clocks went back. It’s 4pm but it feels like 5pm. My stomach remembers the ‘real’ time. Eventually things will settle down, but then in four months time when the clocks ‘spring’ forward, I will be hungry an hour later! I’ve never suffered from jet lag, but it must be ten times worse. I remember as a child that when the clocks changed in the summer I could not sleep, because it was still sunny! I used to sit on the windowledge and read my book behind the curtains until the sun set.
I carved this pumpkin cat last year for Halloween at Etruria Industrial Museum. It is meant to be a black cat if it was lit at night. I think they used battery tea lights for safety. I think I carved three or four with different designs. Memories of a more cheerful time. I should say be careful carving out pumpkins. I thing I cut a finger slightly while I was doing this x
Phew! Negative test. Just got a sore throat and runny nose. Plus hot and achey. Probably a head cold. I will do another test tomorrow just to be on the safe side. If I have caught it then me and my hubby will have to stay in till its gone. In that case I might have to order food in on line? I can’t expect to get someone to go shopping for me. It is, I guess, a first world problem.
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