Tag: Life

Lockdown being lifted?

Posted on Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

DSC_2531

I’m going to keep my distance and still wear a mask.

The latest in the UK is that from Monday six people can gather in a garden as long as they keep two meters distance. You can even use the bathroom as long as you thoroughly clean the toilet and wash your hands.

So that will be everyone running round looking for barbecue charcoal and burgers. Buying beer. Drinking, hugging, having a laugh. It’s already happening near us. A closed public house has people meeting in their beer garden. Hidden behind a fence, but you can hear four or five people laughing and joking. No I’m not against fun! Please don’t think that. But there are a lot of vulnerable people about…

One, asymptomatic or presymptomatic person meets five friends, they share a beer or three. The next day he visits his mate and the mates elderly parents in their garden. Then he pops down to the shop for some food for tomorrow’s barbie. He doesn’t bother about keeping apart, he’s relaxed because he’s been able to meet friends and relatives, different people on each day.

Barbecue day arrives, the sun is shining, but our friend feels under the weather. He’s got a bit of a fever and a dry cough. His partner is cooking breakfast but he can’t smell it. He decides to dial 111 (our health telephone line), and is told to book a test. He needs to drive himself to the test center, which is forty miles away, or they will post him a kit out. Eventually it arrives, but he’s too ill, his partner has started feeling under the weather and they are worried about their parents.

Track and Trace can’t find out all the contacts because of the number of people involved.

So I’m keeping a distance and wearing a mask. It may not be much of a defence.

Stay safe

X

Flowers

Posted on Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

IMG_20200528_184443

A few flowers from the garden today. The flowers are starting to develop, the big summer plants are a bit swamped with ivy and scrubby bushes and so we have cut back branches and peeled ivy off trees a bit today. Only what you can do with a pair of secateurs and a small pruning saw.

We need to lay some pathways, and where a spring has erupted in the garden we are going to put a few pebbles to simulate a stream flowing down under the hedge. We live on a hill which is a very old Volcanic plug. The water percolates out further up the hill and we think because that was built on a few years ago it might have got diverted down towards our house. I don’t know….

Gold finch on the feeder.

Posted on Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

IMG_20200528_104259_597

I tried to zoom in on this goldfinch but the colours are really bad. It’s got a bright red head and yellow flashes on its wings. I tried to enhance the colour and exposure but didn’t get very far. If I try and enhance the red the whole picture goes red. So I can only post these images.

There were also blue tits, house sparrows and blackbirds feeding this morning.

I misidentified it as a zebra finch. It is actually a goldfinch

X

Artrage and photodirector

Posted on Posted in Cat, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

IMG_20200528_015014_306

Drawn in artrage oils and edited in photodirector changing the colours and style.

This is what I mean about playing with are, yes this is a scrappy sketch, but it’s my scrappy sketch, amended and changed how I want. I would love to illustrate a book using a style like this. I could imagine creating pictures about a crazy cat in a children’s book.

I was once offered the opportunity to illustrate a book but the publishers woukd only allow the author to use an in house illustrator. I was very disappointed as I think I could have created a different atmosphere by working with her. Oh well….

Steps holding the pear tree up.

Posted on Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

DSC_2663

We have to put a piece of wood under one bough of the pear tree but in the strong winds last week we had to put step ladders under the other limb. Surprisingly there are lots of pears setting on it. It may be that it’s because it’s more horizontal and fruit does tend to set (develop) on horizontal branches. Thats why some fruit trees are tied onto walls. Is it called espalies?

The cherry tree behind it is also covered in fruit. Looks like it might be a bumper crop! The bush/tree cut in step shapes is an old evergreen we have had for years. It grows slowly and I practice topiary on it. The rest of the garden is very leafy. I’m going to have to get someone in in the autumn or winter, to cut things back slightly and let a bit more light in.

Time for a cool glass

Posted on Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

FB_IMG_1586648514293

Thirsty, I really fancy a cool glass of juice. But I don’t have any in. So a glass of cold water with some ice will have to suffice.

I had to do some shopping today. I was pushing a trolley and people kept scooting past me. Two meter distance? it seemed that people were not that bothered! I get in and out as quickly as I can. There is the problem of using touch screens, I walk round with gloves and a face mask, but have to take the gloves off to put my pin in! I could try ordering on line, but apparently there is a three week wait for slots!

X

Is anyone else washing their shopping?

Posted on Posted in UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

sketch-1590528781495

Is it strange to wash my shopping? I get in and wipe each item over with washing up liquid. It’s making my hands sore, but I think it’s important to do it. Sorry about the little sketch but I didn’t want to advertise what groceries I buy.

Anyway, I know the coverings might be perfectly clean, but my argument is that you don’t know who has handled them.

X

Last day of this challenge.

Posted on Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

_20200526_214733

Ariel birds! These were visiting our bird feeder today. I only got a glimpse so I added the flying one from a photo. Can’t tell you what these are they are all I could draw, but the one on the feeder was a bluetit. But I couldn’t get the details quick enough….. This is the last of this challenge. This was day 38. The last of the current challenge. We may be moving on to a list of prompts every other day to keep going….

I have to say this has made me look at things differently and made me realise I can draw a lot of things, although my straight lines are a bit wobbly!