Catnip

I saw some catnip for sale today, I usually get the cats catnip toys, but this was a bag of shredded plant material.

Basically the cats loved it. They all rolled about and snuffed it. One of them started chewing my slipper…while I was wearing them. He even chewed at my trouser leg. He also started playing and chewing my straps on my sandals. He ended up rolling round on his back where he’d scattered the catnip on the carpet, he had got underneath the towel I’d put it on and spilt it on the floor.

Now? He’s sleeping like a baby like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth!

Panto tonight! ❤️

The Penkhull panto was on tonight (and Friday and Saturday) and I really enjoyed it. It was strange being in the audience, but I got a chance to see the whole thing. It was written by the director who is also one of the cast. Jennifer Whittaker-Vyse.

They didn’t use my Scottish panel in the travelling scene (where Robin heads to Scotland to rescue Maid Marian, when she had been sent there by the evil Sheriff). But they did use the ones I painted a few years ago, including the houses of Parliament, the London Eye, the Eiffel Tower, the Pyramids, Sidney Opera House, and The Statue of Liberty. So basically the cast pretend to walk as the boards are carried being them. I think it didn’t quite fit the theme? Oh well. I got a thank you in the programme.

Overall it was a good show, silly and fun, with modern and ancient action. The pixies seemed to be rapping? As in all productions there were a few tiny fluffed lines that turned out to be hilarious! The lock Ness monster showed up too and people enjoyed singing along with the songs.

The best thing is there is no sponsor, so no advertisements shoe-horned into the production. There were cheers of ‘it’s behind you’ and ‘oh yes it is, oh no its not!’. If you don’t know pantomime check it out on Google or Wikipedia. Loved it!

Myth

Sunday’s #bandofsketchers prompt was Myth. Oh what to do? I am in love with gryphons, unicorns, winged horses and many other things, but as my most recent study was about dragons, I chose to draw one. I started out with three pens held together to try and create a triple image, but the middle pen had dried out. So I finished off with two. If you look carefully you can see the outline of two other eyes below the ones I have outlined. Then I coloured it in with metallic felt pens. I might do more to it but this is good enough as a sketch.

Keeping warm

Oil heaters to help keep warm

Supply some heat through the storm

With a heating radiator seized

These give off heat and I’m pleased

To keep comfy, snug and warm

They really work like a charm

But how I wish we didn’t have

A draughty house like a cave

That doesn’t really rhyme, I know

But poems about heating are low

On my list of things to write

Especially when the bill gives a fright!

A choice of light and heating?

Or having food for eating!

Merry Christmas /Holidays

Have a happy Christmas

A joyful day for you and me

May all the world be happy

Round the Christmas tree.

I hope you get the things you need

To help you get along.

No matter if you celebrate the season

Maybe even sing a song

Or not, and do something else,

I wish you every happiness

For this year and next

All year long. X

North America

So yet again I didn’t know what to draw. I tried to remember the shape of the North American continent (including Canada) and to draw it from imagination. Then I remembered when our teacher would use a roller to print out the shape of the United Kingdom onto our school books for geography class. Maybe American children had something similar to use for history or geography? So that’s what this drawing is meant to be…#bandofsketchers prompt for Thursday.