New paintings and regular art updates.
Four leaf clover,
just green and neat.
Splattered with dew or rain
Contrasted against black
How to describe it more?
Thin stem from its centre
Leaves splayed out lobes.
Striped with thin veins
Each curved gently
Upper surface dips downward
Four fan shaped
Instead of the usual three
Lucky?
Memory of the one I found….
List three books that have had an impact on you. Why?
Cosmos by Carl Sagan
Surely you’re joking Mr Feynman by Richard Feynman
Chaos by James Gleick
I’m surprised the books I have chosen are all about various science subjects, are all by male writers and all white American writers.
I don’t have a preference for science books or something written by men, but these stuck in my mind because they pushed the boundaries of science fact books.
Cosmos was written in the 1970’s I think, and is a glorious look at the universe and how it is made up. It might not be the most up to date book about astronomy, and obviously we have learnt a lot since it was written, but it got me hooked when I was young and I have two copies of it in the house.
The Richard Feynman book is an autobiography/humourous book. Feynman was a physicist, but the book is much more than a historical retelling of his scientific work. It ranges from his penchant for safe cracking to his interest in art, teaching, and questioning authority. Along the way he talks about nuclear physics. I have another of his books, which is about QED. Quantum Electro Dynamics… No I can’t explain it!
Finally I have chosen Chaos by James Gleick. Chaos is about Chaos theory, it introduced me to fractals and the Mandelbrot set, an infinite pattern of twirling and dizzying shapes that can be created by using a small set of coordinates that make the pattern repeat. I tried drawing patterns using some of the ideas in the book
All three books are 30 or 40 years old but I think they would still hold the interest of someone coming at them from a new interest in science. They helped me navigate some concepts I would never have come across without them. If you feel like expanding your knowledge have a look.
I’m still trying to keep my gratitudes diary going. I’m on day 205. The idea is you look for three small things to be grateful for. Then you write them down and it turns your thoughts to a more positive way of thinking. I’ve found it hasn’t solved my anxiety or feeling down, but I definitely think it’s helped my mood. I might be in pain, but it helps me take my mind off it.
Today’s three gratitudes? Going out for a little walk in open sandals for the first time since splitting my toenail. I went with my hubby so I felt safe. Secondly, listening to ‘the infinite monkey cage’ on BBC radio 4, thirdly having a pan au raisin and a cup of tea after shopping….
Yes, we have three cats
Hungry, playful, cheeky
Are not their names
Sometimes together
Sometimes apart
Chasing each other
Loving toys
Liking treats
Eating catnip.
Hiding in, under, on.
Jumping, climbing, causing
Fun and trouble
Things, found, battled
Played with.
Equipped with claws and teeth
And purrs and growls
Formidable felines!
Nine lives!
I’m due to see my doctor about anxiety and my hubby has ptsd so I need to find strategies to cope. I think counselling helps but I’m going to try and keep a gratitude diary, where you write three minor gratitudes a day every night for at least 28 days. It helps rewire your brain towards more positive thinking. I’m going to start a little sketchbook and do simple sketches of them. Like the traffic lights stayed on green for me yesterday when I was going somewhere and was late, so that was a little gratitude, I met someone who gave me this idea, that’s a small gratitude, and someone cleared away some flytipping in the alley next to our garden, that’s the third. I will add small sketches to illustrate mine. I think it might help my creativity and give me new ideas, but if it doesn’t I’m not worried because I think it will help me cope. You don’t record big things, just small gratitudes.
Head up, he sees me. Murrup, purr, miaow he says in greeting. Coming in for a bit of food and a drink. Sometimes he sits next to me and reaches his paws out. Just touching my hand on the arm of the chair. He’s saying hello, I’m here. Sometimes he curls up between us and goes to sleep. Then another cat comes in, looks up lovingly. This one jumps up on my knee and starts kneading and poddling with sharp claws. He settles on my leg next to the big cat, he’s medium sized and slightly older than the first. Finally she comes in, claws up into my leg, stretching and yawning, a little nervous around my hubby, dodging his hand but then head butting mine. Three cats, love them all.
Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was Woven. I tried to copy some celtic knotwork but it went a bit wrong. Plus my pen was running out. Anyway I had a go. I used to love celtic art. I may try again. Black ink drawing.
Mallaband-Brown