My grandad

Posted on October 27, 2024 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged artistic, Carpenter, Chapel, Church, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2104, gene, grandad, Life, lucky, MemoryLeave a comment

Describe a family member.

My grandfather was a carpenter. I don’t remember meeting him as I think he died when I was quite young.

He was very skilled and made the lych gate (roofed gateway in front of a church) at the entrance to the local parish church. He also carved the altar rail at the main Methodist Chapel in the town. I imagine he must have been well respected. We also have some wardrobes he made clad in beautiful walnut veneers.

Hearing about him encouraged me to do art. I was told that creativity skips a generation and that I was lucky to have that artistic gene. I also found out I had an artistic cousin that wasn’t allowed to be an artist because her family was short of money, so she ended up working in a factory. I hope she eventually pursued a creative course in life. I feel lucky to have had such an artistic grandfather.

Teapot WIP

Posted on October 26, 2024 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged Art, Blue and white, Commission, Design, Fine Art, Life, Painting, Teapot, Work in progress2 Comments

On the easle today, a friend wants a blue and white teapot painting, (acrylic on canvas).

It’s taken me months to start painting this. I have to have a steady hand. The difficult bit will be trying to paint floral patterns on it and get the lighting correct. Wish me luck.

I’m a single cat lady now

Posted on October 25, 2024 Posted in Cat, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Annoyed, candidate, Cats, Life, Memories, mysogenistic, Poem, Poetry, Politics, unkind2 Comments

Through no fault of my own.

We shared out cats

One loved him more

The others me.

Now they are mine

Cheeky, funny, cute.

Being berated by a foreign candidate

Feels like a slur or insult.

I don’t want to speak

But I do object

To the mysogeny!

Old pears.

Posted on October 25, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Food, Fruit, Gardening, Growth, Life, Memories, Pears, Plants, Sadness, Trees, Watering4 Comments

My pear tree didn’t set any pears this year. I think it was in a sulk because my hubby passed away and I think I neglected it. He used to water the garden for hours but I can’t get the hose pipe round into the main garden.

Moving forward, I’ve been getting help trying to trim back the overgrowth. I still have tall trees but some of the lower branches have been cut to allow more light in. How will it progress? I’m hoping for a wildlife garden but with a few brighter plants to cheer it up, (and plenty of pears again)

Aberfan disaster

Posted on October 24, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged aberfan, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2099, Death, Frightened, Life, Memory, Sad, spoil heap, YoungLeave a comment

What major historical events do you remember?

The Aberfan disaster was the catastrophic collapse of a colliery spoil tip on 21 October 1966. The tip had been created on a mountain slope above the Welsh village of Aberfan, near Merthyr Tydfil, and overlaid a natural spring. (Wikipedia)

I was very young and I remember coming downstairs and hearing the evening news on the television. What upset me the most was that the children that died were my age. It scared and upset me. School children were buried below the collapsed spoil heap. I was very frightening.

Esther Chiltons weekly prompt “Halloween”?

Posted on October 23, 2024October 23, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Esther Chiltons blog prompt, Ghosts, Halloween, Life, South, southern Hemisphere, Spooky, WitchesLeave a comment

Halloween in the Southern Hemisphere?
It’s getting sunnier in the global south. Spring is in the air. Are there spooky ghosts frolicking in the daffodils or their equivalent… The shadows are lifting. Witches must be wearing smart floral dresses… Vampires? No fruit bats. Werewolves. Or Tasmanian devils. Even dragons are different, wise and peaceful. But there are places that celebrate the day of the dead. So the question is how spooky is the South?

Forgot to add a title I’m so tired!

Posted on October 21, 2024October 21, 2024 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Art, Craft fair, Exhausted?, falling asleep, Life, Miniatures, Painting, Sleep, Time, Tired2 Comments

Paintings from the weekend. The central painting was done previously but the rest, smaller ones, were painted over the previous three days. I was happy with the outcome. Unfortunately I only sold one, my excuse? Gale force winds and heavy rain made for a grim morning. Thankfully it improved in the afternoon. But we only had a few customers.

Today? It’s caught up with me! I’m shattered, tired, absolutely knackered. Just fell asleep typing this!

I need sleep

Posted on October 16, 2024 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Busy, Choir, City centre, Group, Life, Music, Rain, Sleep, Storm, Support, TiredLeave a comment

I’m shattered. I went to an art group that supports mental health this morning and was given some help with something I’m trying to deal with. Then a friend rang and I tried to give her advice, but I wasn’t up to going and seeing her. Sometimes it’s hard to take on others problems when you have enough of your own. Finally I went to choir practice in the city centre. I got a lift there and back, but got soaked to the skin as I tried to get the few yards between the car door and the front door. I’ve just dried out!

Helpfulness

Posted on October 14, 2024October 15, 2024 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Car, Caring, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2092, kind, Life, Neighbour, Prompt, SupportLeave a comment

What makes a good neighbor?

Sometimes you need a neighbour to help. Or they need your help. As we grow older you can become more isolated. If you don’t have anyone you might need that support. What happens if you struggle with something? I once had to ask someone to take my handbrake off because I’d put it on too tight and I couldn’t release it. Yesterday I had to park up the hill as all the spaces outside my house were taken. Later when I saw the cars go I walked slowly up the hill to move my car (I had parked outside a neighbour’s house).

I don’t really know him but I was worried that someone was going to park outside my house before I moved the car. This neighbour kindly offered to stand outside my house until I moved it!

Being on good terms with neighbours helps everyone. X

Putting the heating on.

Posted on October 14, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Central heating, Cold, Cooking, Cool, Heating, Life, managing, oil heater, radiators, Time2 Comments

I’m limiting how long I have the heating on each day. I have a timer on my central heating that can be set to quarter hour intervals. I have set it to one hour in the morning, one in the evening and about half an hour at two other times. That way I can get the temperature up slightly for washing up and bathing while I wear warm clothes to stave off the cold.

My oven no longer works and I only use the hob on the top plus a microwave and an air fryer. So I can heat up food, and I have an oil filled heater near me if I’m getting really cold.

Why? My income is too low to pay out as much as when hubby was here. He had a seperate income. But just because I’m a bit cool doesn’t mean I’m uncomfortable. I can cope. Things will change. I will try and manage. I just hope for a warm winter! Not a good idea as the globe warms, but at least my carbon footprint is quite small!

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Life