Half way home

Posted on October 11, 2019October 11, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Daydream, England, Hills, Homeward, Journey, Life, Sunshine, Travelling, Wales, Welsh hills2 Comments

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We’ve found a place to stop for lunch when we are driving home through the hills of North Wales. Its about halfway or a little less. Before you come back down the hill into Wrexham and cross the border into England. On a sunny day its good to stop for a refreshing cup of tea and maybe a scone or a salad.

With all the rain we have just had I wish we were back up in the hills. Bathed in sunshine, watching fish in the pools.

It’s a pleasant daydream instead of watching water run down the glass of the living room window. Hearing it patter onto the window ledge from the guttering, spattering the plants. Letting moss grow on next doors roof…..

Sunshine, that’s what I need. Xx

Rainbow is here!

Posted on October 4, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Colours, Llangollen, Photo, Rain, Rainbow, Sunshine, WalesLeave a comment

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It’s turned up! I think it’s because I deleted about 80 pictures. The colours are not as intense as I saw them, but cameras and eyes work differently. If I had taken this on film I would have used iso 400 film (I don’t even know if they make it any more). It would have enhanced the depth of colours.

Welsh mountains (1)

Posted on October 2, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Driving, Holiday, Holiday snaps, Landscape, Life, North Wales, Photos, Snowdonia, Sunshine1 Comment

Driving towards Betws y Coed from Llanrwst on the A470 in North Wales. The mountains of Snowdonia in the background. We were travelling South West after coming off the A55 at Abergele and driving along a senic route because of traffic jams and roadworks on the A55.

I woukd have taken more photos but it was too beautiful to remember to take my phone out. I wasn’t driving for once so I had a proper opportunity to look at the world. These are cropped to cut out the windscreen and stickers because they just add clutter. Some of the details at the sides may be missing but at least they look picturesque.

Old portrait

Posted on September 21, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Art, Breakfast, Commission, Contrast, Design, Life, Pink, Portraits, SunshineLeave a comment

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This portrait of a friends three children must be twenty years old or more. All I have as an image is an old photocopy of a photo of it….which is why it’s blurred..

The three children were having breakfast when the photo was taken. There was strong sunlight shining into the room. The main colour was pale pink but the pin board behind them and the deep shadows made a good contrast.

I’d like to share a photo of my painting but I haven’t seen it for years. I used to do a lot more portrait painting but I guess now selfies are the fashionable thing they are less likely to be commissioned.

If you would like a portrait don’t hesitate to contact me.

Sculptures

Posted on September 19, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Animals, Art, Birds, Design, Plants, Sculpture, Sunshine, Trentham Gardens, VisitLeave a comment

There are various sculptures in Trentham gardens. Each time I visit there seem to be more.

From fairies to birds, animals, plants.

The original sculpture in the gardens is Persius and Medusa. A gory sculpture of Persius holding the gorgons head. The body of Medusa is draped over the column he stands on.

Later additions are several wire fairies holding dandelion heads, the seeds are floating into the air. Then there are snails sculpted onto plant leaves and a hare twisting round to look out of tall grasses. The latest ones I’ve seen are a huge kingfisher sculpture and a tree trunk that has been carved into the shape of a frog. I got lots of ideas of things to add to our garden from this visit.

Flower photos today..

Posted on September 19, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Beauty, Colours, Flowers, Garden, Plants, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Sunshine, Trentham, Trentham GardensLeave a comment

We went round Trentham Gardens at Trentham, Stoke-on-Trent, late this afternoon, and at the far end of the garden past the tea shop and the children’s play area are a series of colourful and interesting gardens, a bit like at a flower show. In fact some of them were show garden winners from previous places like Tatton Park. There are an allotment garden and sensory and secret, plus other styles of gardens. Best of all there was still plenty of flowers in them. It made for a very pleasant walk around the gardens. Relaxed and interesting.

Day out at Rudyard

Posted on August 26, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Bank holiday, Day out, Fun, Lake, Miniature train, Monday sun, Rudyard, Rudyard lake, Rushton Spencer, Sunshine, Water6 Comments

Rudyard lake, Staffordshire, on a bank holiday Monday afternoon. There is a miniature railway on one side of the lake that takes you up from a little station at Rudyard, which is just next to the railway bridge I’m the way out of the village. It then runs for about a mile and a half. It follows the track bed of the Great Central railway which was removed several decades ago. It heads off to the top end of Rudyard Lake where it ends at a halt and the footpath carries on to another village a few miles away called Rushton Spencer I think?

They had a miniature steam engine and a miniature diesel train pulling the carriages today. We got off at the first stop called the Dam for a lunch at the cafe, then we got back on the train and travelled to the end of the and back to the station.

The only bother was the parking. But someone was leaving so we snuck in a space. Definitely worth a visit and not too expensive.

The lake.

Posted on August 6, 2019August 8, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Creative writing, Lake, Life, Short story, Spooky story, Sunshine, Swimming, WaterLeave a comment

The lake looked inviting, the sun was breaking through the clouds and the water was still. Gentle ripples from the slight breeze disturbed the surface.

No one else was around. She had been sitting on the sun terrace and had fallen asleep in the hot sun. Now she was awake and hot. A paddle in the water would be nice and cooling. There was a sloping beach at one end of the lake. She put on her sandles and walked round the edge of the lake.

Walking over pebbles the water rose round her ankles then her knees. Blissful cool water lapped around her.

She stood quietly for a while then started to splash the water up to cool her face, arms and body. It felt so good that she slipped down into the water. Kicking off her sandles she started a slow breast stroke out towards a wooded island a few meters off in the distance. She knew there was a bench in the shade there. Her thin skirt billowed out behind her and she felt relaxed and like she was floating in space.

Then it happened. The skirt snagged on something, weeds? She was a strong swimmer and didn’t think it was a problem. She swung round to pull at her skirt. A hand grasped her wrist and she felt herself being pulled down…..

Sleeping? I should be!

Posted on August 1, 2019August 1, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Hot, Mountain, Painful, Sea, Sunblock, Sunburn, Sunshine, UV6 Comments

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Much to my surprise the sun beat down on us today. And not being very sensible after the horrendous rain we had over the last few days I forgot to put sun block on. Also as a consequence of traipsing up a mountain and then alongside the sea I got more than my fair share of sunlight today. I’m usually so careful. So I’m hot and red and rather uncomfortable tonight. That’s why I’m blogging. X

Goodnight x

Seaside

Posted on July 31, 2019July 31, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Children's cries, Fun, Holiday, Life, Poem, Poetry, Rain, Seaside, Sunshine, WetLeave a comment

The cry of gulls

Smell of fish and chips.

Hotel guests slamming doors

Cars blocking roads

The memory of candy floss

Mint flavoured sticks of rock.

Crying and laughing children,

Sandy beaches and pebbles

Then a sudden squall

Rain bears down on us,

Winds blow strongly,

Retreat to the hotel,

Soaking clothes drip.

Ah, a proper seaside holiday.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Sunshine