New paintings and regular art updates.
Where have they gone? Photos to accompany my blog? I’ve had to delete some pictures again because I running out of space and pictures take up more memory than writing. So if you find a post that refers to a picture that isn’t there any more, apologies. I could increase my WordPress plan but I don’t think I can afford it but I don’t want to stop. Have a good weekend x
List 30 things that make you happy.
Flowers
Sunshine
Icecream
Shade
Trees
Cats
Purrs
Music
Space
Symphonies
Radio
Television
Films
Documentaries
Food
Hugs
Painting
Gardening
Photography
Friends
Family
Honesty
Oceans
Mountains
Peaches
Home
Swimming
Art
Singing
Astronomy.
Today was quite a quiet day. After yesterday I’m glad. I did have someone knock on the door asking if my garden gate led down an entry to the back of the next door houses. They had bought a house two doors up and wanted to get round the back?
I had to explain the entry was further down but since the shop on the corner has bought the land where the alley was you now have to go round into the next street and walk along a narrow path by the side of a garage to get round.
I have also been waiting for some medicine so I was pleased to get a text message to say it was ready I started to get ready to go out I realised it was 4.25 pm and they shut at 4.30 pm so I will have to wait until Monday.
Tomorrow might be more interesting. Fingers crossed.
Old building in Stoke Town centre. The paint and layers of wood have been deteriorating for years. It’s like some fancy abstract painting. As the weather attacks the surface, more of the lifts. Part of me would like to see it in good repair, but my artistic side sees it as a painting.
In the Olympics tonight Andy Murray and his partner Dan Evans were up against an American duo in the Quarter finals of the men’s doubles tennis competition.
Having won through against adversity in the previous two matches (winning after 5 match points against them and 2 match points in the following game) Murray and Edwards came through a five, two deficit in the second set to win two games back. Sadly though, and despite an almost miraculous comeback they eventually lost.
Andy Murray has been playing for years. He won the men’s singles finals at Wimbledon three times and has also previously been Olympic champion too. I think he is 37. Recently he has had back surgery and has a prosthetic hip. He had physical problems to overcome over most of his career. Perhaps this is the right time for him to finish his tennis career. But he will be sorely missed.
Black and white tree doodle I did a few weeks ago. I really want to go back to drawing #bandofsketchers prompts but life’s been a bit up and down lately. Black and white was today’s prompt.
Slimy algae
On the lock wall
Only revealed
As the water flows
Out of the lock
Through large wooden gates
Made to be moved
When you use a windlass
To raise the sluice gate.
A way of travelling
Up and down hill
In a boat or a barge
Through summer fields.
What would you change about modern society?
Something needs to change. As the world gets more complicated, resources diminishing, people may be becoming more selfish?
But is that because we see so much more of the bad things going on in the world? It is only since film and TV and then the Internet that we have been able to see wars and conflicts in real time. We are not always sheltered by time or censorship of terrible events. Computers give us access to horrendous content that could change the way we think. But statistics show that in some countries crime has decreased considerably over the years.
As countries seem to be heading towards populist, right wing agendas, perhaps we should look at the ethics of news, bring in compassion and empathy. We could go back to religious rules, like turning the other cheek, enacting laws so that the weapons of war are not easily available, or working against theft and violence. But it doesn’t have to be a religious interpretation. Not all of those rules make sense. Why not work with humanitarian or humanist ethics? Listen to world courts and follow their precepts.
If compassion and empathy were taught in school we might not change the current situation but we could change our futures or our children’s futures.
The yard my cat was in. They clearly were trying to look after him. I’ve been round and left a note explaining he needs medication daily for the abscess under his chin. Left my number. When I checked where the yard is today I found there is a gate we could have gone through. What do people think about me going in and grabbing him if he goes there again? The other two photos are of him in his carrier while I was waiting to see the vet. He’s eating and drinking but very quiet. (last photo, asleep).
I’m watching a film called Yesterday starring Himesh Patel, Lily James and Ed Sheeran. The premise is that a failing musician has a bike accident when all the power goes off in the world for 12 seconds. He wakes up in hospital and when he gets out he finds out that none of his friends have heard of the Beatles (a 1960’s and 70’s pop group).
The story continues to tell the tale of his life and integrates Beatles songs into it. I don’t want to say much more, but it’s great to hear those old songs again. The hairs on the back of my neck were standing up as I watched the film.
If you want to see something funny and life affirming on a wet Sunday night this is one worth watching.
Mallaband-Brown