Tag: Life

Doodling digitally

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Oh I do love swirling things about, colour, playing with shapes, to me this is fun. Like creating a painting, but digitally.

Subtle changes of colour and shading add depth, adding the alterations together give an idea of metamorphosis. All these can be created from a few apps.

I don’t know what digital art is out there, except for pictures created by David Hockney of digital portraits and the woods close to his home when he was living in Yorkshire a few years ago. I went to see them exhibited at Salts Mill in Saltaire, Yorkshire.

I think that digital art will progress and change. I look forward to seeing it.

Llandegla fishery

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Up in the hills between Ruthin and Wrexham in north wales is a little fishery called Llandegla. Its almost at the top of the hill  before you get to the top then drop down into Wrexham, on the road, on the left hand side ( there is another fishery further down the road on a side road).

There’s a cafe and camp site for small caravans in the grounds of the fishery and the opportunity to catch fish if you want (Vegetarians look away now).

We had lunch there, hot smoked trout with new potatos and mixed leaf salad, which was delicious.

I kept up my habit of sketching, and did a few pictures, one of them I gave away because a boy there was interested in doing art.

So day trips continue, where will we go tomorrow?

Rain

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It’s a bank holiday Sunday and normal service has resumed (it’s raining) whether the weather on bank holiday Monday improves again? Well the forecast says it will.

So anyway I thought you might like an interesting fact?

Raindrops are apparently not teardrop shaped! I guess we think they are because they speed by so fast, persistence of vision (the way our eyes track things) mean that they blur together so they look long and thin….Like, er, teardrops….. or raindrops trickling down a window as they smear themselves against the glass, wetting and sliding at the same time.

So what do raindrops really look like? On slow motion cameras they resolve into little oblate spheroids….Like little tangerine shaped water droplets, that’s because air resistance squashes them up slightly in the direction of travel.

Trouble (or not) is that I’m sure people will carry on drawing them as teardrop shapes because thats how they look to us….

X

Seaside

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This is a new footbridge at Rhyl. The bridge can lift up on both sides of the footpath so that boats can navigate the lower area of the river. The footbridge is at the west end of Rhyl just near the blue road bridge and next to Rhyl’s bike hub where you can hire bicycles.

On our visit the sun was shining, but it was quite windy. The river below looked quite muddy and because the river is tidal the water was rushing out towards the sea.

The structure is interesting, the footpath seperates around a central mast and you can see down to the hydraulic rams that can lift up the two halves of the bridge. I haven’t seen in operation but I imagine it looks spectacular.

 

Familiars

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Cats are said to be Familiars, aloof but linked to their owners, and disdainful of fuss from anyone else. My experience is that I can make friends with most of them, if I can work out what sort of sound they like.

Years of being owned by cats teaches you that they respond to different noises or looks from the person trying to befriend them.

Noises: churring, purring, chuch-chuch sounds seem popular with cats, I’ve practiced making purring noises since we first had a cat. Then miaow, or prrup sounds, with kittens or shy cats I try and sound like a little cat crying, it’s sometimes difficult to get high pitched enough. But hit the right note (quietly) and a shy kitten may become more friendly.

Looks: If the cat stares at you don’t stare back. slow eye blinks are the thing, close your eyes and keep them shut for a second. Cats do the same thing and it makes them feel less threatend.

Gestures: If you want to stroke a cat just offer it the back of your hand or a finger to sniff, dont try and stroke it unless it starts to rub its head against your hand. Don’t lunge at it or try and pick it up. Cats are small animals and can feel intimidated.

Also try not to make loud noises which will startle the cat.

If you see your cats tail wagging/waving it might be getting annoyed or excited and wanting to play, just be careful, a paw may take a swipe at you and cats have sharp claws! Also be wary of the tooth and claw situation…..ow!

Cats like fusses, being stroked, if they are enjoying it they may start kneading you with their front paws, but beware a cat having its stomach stroked or tickled might kick out with its back legs while grabbing you with its front paws and biting ….

I’ve learnt from experience that you have to move your hand away carefully, pull I away and you can end up badly scratched.

Do: treat a cat with respect, try and make friends, enjoy the love a cat can share with you.

Don’t: shout at it, pull its tail, insist on picking it up if it doesn’t want you to.

Storm

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The sky was clear earlier, just a few clouds skudding past as the sun set, the sky deepening in azure blue as the night arrived. But now, less than two hours later, the wind has picked up the leaves that had fallen early because of the drought. The storm is blowing around the house like an old steam engine, puffing and panting, whistling and roaring. I could imagine gouts of flame shooting out its boiler.

One minute all is quiet, then gusts blow down the chimney, the air in the room cools and stirs. The cats have come in to seek shelter, yet they are restless, torn between comfort and agitation. Nose to the glass looking out at the chaotic movement of the air…

The traffic noise is amplified by the wind. Unseen cars blur past in a loud buzz, like bees scattering from a hive seeking food at breakneck speed.

Still no rain in this gale, tiles rattle but not from raindrops, this storm is selfish and does not want to share its water. Jealous of allowing the land to drink. Will it rain? Perhaps, maybe wet the feet of the trees.

I think of the poor and destitute. Wrapped in an old duvet or plastic bag for shelter. How will they cope with no roof to protect them? This storm is the first of the season, big bulky winds rattling plastic sheeting, tearing it from cold bodies.  Why are they unhomed, unheeded, unheated, uncared for?

In a land due to celebrate the centenary of the end of the first world war, in a land that was fit for hero’s, we have gone back to the maelstrom of survival of the fittest and devil take the hind most.

My safety from the wild wind is their loss. I grieve for them.

Old Brown furniture

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These photos do not do the wardrobe my grandfather made justice. I had taken photos of the handles and lock but not of the lovely thick walnut veneer thst covers it. The doors have two slices of veneer onbyhem so th a the pattern is in 4 quaters.

Grandad was a wonderful carpenter. He did work in churches and made lych gates. I dont know if I ever met him, because by the time I was old enough to know him he had passed away and grandmother had remarried.

I think though that I got a lot I my artistry from him. The wardrobe is old and scratched but still loved and used. I think we should all use old furniture, you don’t need to go all modern, refurbish it if you must, but save your money, and the planet!

When insomnia strikes

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My ears whistling that high pitched whistle again, last night it was sussing like a weathered shell held to my ear. Plus it’s gone cold  all of a sudden, the chill has reached my ankles, my knees, got up to get the duvet to snuggle in, then I was too hot…

Snoring from my partner doesn’t help, it builds up gradually, not too loud, but when you are trying to lie quietly it creeps up on you, can you sleep before it reaches peak snore?

So I go back to bed, snuggle under the duvet, elbow my partner in the ribs so he turns over, blow my nose to relieve the whistle…5 minutes, 10 minutes….no, pick up my book, turn to page 44 and start reading. It’s a science book, Richard Feynmann QED, trying to understand light waves or particles, quanta…..dozed offf…….zzzzx…CAT decides to jump up to get warm next to my back,,uh….drsf ,,gnnnh…she wakes me up running over my face!…..awake again I seek solace in my computer, check emails…write this…..no midnight trumpish tweeting where’s the coveeffee,,,,Gnnn, coffee,,decaff,,hot…….

Being me….

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I’m writing this because I haven’t really explored who I am. What my beliefs are and how I fit into the world of WordPress.

If you do follow me on the book of Face, or the instant telegram, you know I love posting original art, and I’m also quite opinionated when it comes to what’s going on in the world.

I am quite left wing. I don’t believe in the death penalty, I think all races should be equal (although they are not) yet! I think that people should have the right to use birth control, there are too many people and not enough resources. I do not think that 80 men should have as much money as the poorest half of the Earth’s population.  I try to be kind and polite and do not appreciate people trying to get the better of each other.

I am stubborn, and can be obstinate, I do try and listen to the other side of the argument though. However I sometimes push an argument hard and I know that can irritate people!

What else? Well you know I love art and all sorts of creativity. I’m trying to set up as an art business, but that’s not really what I am. I want to paint even if it doesn’t make money.

It’s your choice whether you follow me or not. I’m exploring poetry but I don’t pretend it’s good, and I don’t normally write prose. I’m surprising myself with how many ideas I have!