To paint or draw the view.

Posted on July 31, 2019July 31, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Buildings, Possible drawing, Possible painting, Rain, Sun, View, Walls, Weather2 Comments

Sometimes seaside towns are all pastel colours, peaches and primrose yellows or burnt orange and duck egg blues. But sometimes only the frontages are painted, I guess because people don’t have the money to paint the backs, or the weather is generally too bad and it wipes the colour away, washes the walls and the sun bleaches the buildings.

I think I might paint the view but add bright colours? Or I could stick with a muted palette. I have a sketchbook and I’m armed with a marker pen. Will see how I feel in the morning.

Moon and Jupiter

Posted on July 7, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Branches, Crescent, Jupiter, Life, Moon, Photo, Sun, Trees, View, WinterLeave a comment

Well you could barely see them really, but a few months ago , in winter, one dawn I saw the crescent moon and the planet Jupiter. The planet was up on a diagonal from the curve of the moon. Like a parachute blowing out of control in a strong wind, canopy downward and the planet swinging up and away into the morning sky. The branches made it hard to see, hard to locate, and as the wind was blowing the view was obstructed by the swaying trees. Most of the time the planet would be visible and the moon not and then vice versa.

So why am I telling you this? Because I spotted the photo and I wanted to practice describing it. I’ve mostly spoken about the Moon and Jupiter, not about the surroundings. The horizon. Is hidden by the line of shop roofs and tree branches. The sky has lightened but the sun is not up. The position of the sun (down and to the left) is indicated by the illumination on the moon (trust me it was a crescent curved downwards to the left). So that’s it. Not a story, a description.

Summer flowers

Posted on June 10, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Flowers, Garden, Gardening, Poem, Poetry, Rain, Shade, Sun, Sunlight, WindLeave a comment

I’m craving bright plants and flowers,

Summer sun and bright blue skies,

Hanging baskets

Piled up with blousy flowers

Swiss chard and marigolds

Poppies and antirrhinums

Names that scramble on the tongue

But bloom on the ground.

Days to sit on the patio getting hot,

Or in the summerhouse keeping cool

……. Instead? Rain and wind!

Poppies

Posted on May 29, 2019May 29, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Flowers, Forest, Garden, Life, Plants, Poppies, Shaded, Sun, Sunlight, Trees, WoodLeave a comment

_20190519_123501

I realise why poppies don’t flower in our garden. It’s too shady. I’ve been out and looking at people’s gardens and the ones in full sun are resplendent with poppies, ours are short weedy things. I’m going to have to have some of the overgrowth cut back a bit. I do not want to make it tidy or remove stuff for the birds but I’m growing a wood or forest in the garden. Bearing in mind it’s the area where two terraced houses were and their yards we have three cherry trees two apple trees, a walnut, two or three Ash trees, two baby oak trees, a sycamore, an acer, a mountain Ash tree, a pear tree, a eucalyptus, a willow tree, a laurel Bush a couple of Holly bushes and elderberry that are taking on tree like proportions. The walnut is raided by a squirrel which plants them so we have baby walnuts growing. Plus there is a lot if ground cover ivy and geraniums. It’s a jungle out there. I feel very lucky to have the land but I think I will contact our local wildlife Trust to see if they can help.

Sunflower

Posted on May 28, 2019May 28, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Fun, Garden, Life, Micro poetry, Plants, Poem, Poetry, Sun, SunflowerLeave a comment

Untitled50_001

Let your face shine in the sun,

Turning to catch all the rays,

Like a radio telescope tracking the stars.

Your flower, crackling with energy.

How beautiful and regal you are.

Brimming with sunlight,

Gleaming with golden hues.

Sunflower, King of flowers.

Gem of plants,

Strong, bold, liquid gold.

Floating in a sea of sky

Posted on May 21, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Life, Mackerel sky, Photos, Possible painting, Sky, Sun, SunsetLeave a comment

Walked into the kitchen and saw this through the window so had to take a couple of photos on my phone. Then I wondered how it would look if I turned it into a pattern which is the third one.. See photo below.

IMG_20190521_211112

It just looks so alien. I think this is called a mackerel sky? Not sure what the cloud type is.

The light shining off the clouds from the sun was very bright but quickly faded. I do love looking at skies and I’m interested in the mechanics of them. You never know I might paint it.

Sun seeker

Posted on April 11, 2019April 11, 2019 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Animal, Blogging, Cat, Garden, Life, Phototropism, Plants, Science, Seedlings, Seeker, SunLeave a comment

It’s sunny by the sofa and our tom cat never fails to find the sun. As the light moves across the room he will follow it. Eyelids drooping as he naps. Head nodding. Whiskers splayed in the sunlight. Plants display phototropism, bending towards sunlight. Is this an example of ‘catatropism’ (or would that be humans moving towards cats?).

In the case of these seedlings I have to turn them round because they bend each day towards the light. True phototropism. But the cat has also moved again. _20190411_111757

He’s a true sun seeker.

Sunny day

Posted on March 25, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Black and white, Bright, Grass, Life, Negative, Photography, Plants, Sun, SunlightLeave a comment

The sun was warm today although it remains low in the sky. These tall grass heads were back lit by it. The sun was also reflecting on the metal fence. I couldn’t see the image properly as the sun was dazzling me.

I’ve done a few edits to the photo in black and white…

The negative image in particular looks quite alien.

Sunset

Posted on March 16, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blank verse, Earth, Equator, Life, Light, Poem, Poetry, seasons, Sun, Sunset4 Comments

The night draws in again

Sunset and its rosy glow is gone

Eight minutes before the sun set

Light travelling ultra fast,

Eight minutes to shine from sun to earth.

Energy in motion, then lost

Behind the hill

Night infects the light

It’s inky blackness sometimes reduced

By moon and stars

Or reflected light on clouds.

But the dark cannot hold as the earth turns.

Tipped slightly, seasons prevail North and south.

As spring arrives days grow longer

Now sunsets late or never

While equator stays the same

the North and South vary.

Sunset later every day till mid summer

Then decline.

Mad March weather

Posted on March 10, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Britain, Cold, Hail, Life, Rain, Snow, Sun, Weather, WetLeave a comment

One minute it’s snowing, the next it’s cloudy, then it’s sunny and then we have a massive hailstorm. The hail has melted already because the sun has come out again.

That’s the thing about British weather, it rarely stays the same. In some places like Yorkshire or the Lake District you can buy postcards with mottos on them saying things like if you can see the hills now you won’t be able to in ten minutes because it will be raining or words to that effect..

I was going for a walk this afternoon but its blustery and cold. Perhaps if it improves in an hour or so I will go out. March winds seem to be in evidence today, it’s very gusty. In April we should have showers. Then summer arrives, in the past that’s when we used to get lots more gentle rain. Nowadays with global warming it seems we will get very hot weather or big thunderstorms, weather is never boring here, on some days you get all four seasons at once!

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Sun