New paintings and regular art updates.
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.
My friend just sent these photos, they are his model VW van next to a couple of my paintings. They made me laugh! I haven’t seen them for a few years so it came as a nice surprise to receive his message. I’m chuffed aswell that the scale works. I want to go somewhere for a trip now.
What countries do you want to visit?
As a non flier, and someone who isn’t keen on ships I’m rather limited to where I would like to visit. I have been over the Channel on a ferry once and visited a few countries, but things like the Herald of Free Enterprise sinking put me off the idea, and going in a very long tunnel? No thanks.
I’ve enjoyed visiting Wales, I still do, but I’ve only got as far north as Carlisle in England and not even into the Scottish Borders. The thing is Scotland is a big country, there are Highlands and Lowlands, and all the beautiful lochs. The biggest mountain in the UK is Ben Nevis, and that’s in Scotland. Also the summer days are longer there as it is nearer the North Pole (not much closer) but it does affect the day length. And you are more likely to see the Aurora Borealis in Scotland than anywhere else in the UK.
Scotland had it’s own kings, and King James the sixth of Scotland became James the First of England when Queen Elizabeth the first died. There have been other famous Scottish Royals including Bonnie Prince Charlie.
I would like to visit the capital one day. Edinburgh is renowned for it’s yearly arts Festival, and it together with Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness are it’s main cities.
Scotland has world fame for it’s Whisky brewing and many fine Scottish Malts are distilled on the mainland and also on numerous islands about the coast.
I’d like to paint the scenery and visit some of its famous landscapes. I’m sure I could spend a great deal of time exploring. Maybe one day we will visit.
You’re going on a cross-country trip. Airplane, train, bus, car, or bike?
When I was young I could cycle forty miles in three hours (including hills). We once did a hundred mile reliability trial in five and a half hours, we used a tandem. The one we rode on was two bikes welded together. One of the chain wheels was on back to front so a pedal unwound and fell off during the ride.
After I sustained an injury we got a car because my bike was damaged in the accident. It went in to be fixed and the shop lost it! I don’t drive much or very far now. In fact I travel less than I did when we cycled. Most places we go to are only a few miles away unless we go on holiday. I drove less than a thousand miles last year, so I guess my carbon footprint must be low.
No, I don’t use the train. If you go anywhere from Stoke-on-Trent on the train it’s hard to find one that comes back late in the evening so you either can’t spend a long time away or you have to come back the next day. We are also bypassed by the West Coast main line I think…. Bad for a city! Bus? Yes sometimes, but it depends again if there is a bus back and the routes keep getting changed or cancelled. And planes? Are you kidding…. Too scared.
We are just back from a day out to the Black lion at Consall forge near Cheddleton, Staffordshire. It was a singing social. A group from our choir decided to take a minibus and just enjoy the day. We saw the steam train that runs through the valley, people kayaking on the river next to the railway. Walked over the canal that also runs along the valley below the pub and lots of singing, under a gazebo at the pub and also in the minibus. More photos to follow, but I had a bad night’s sleep again, so I’m going to have a nap!
Nothing nicer when you are travelling to stop off for a break. In this case we were on our way down to Falmouth and stopped off at Tewkesbury Abbey. My friend who runs Ivans_uk_tours.com provided a picnic hamper full of goodies. I want to go on another trip like this. Its great not to have the responsibility of a long drive and to have an itinerary sorted out by us but undertaken by someone else. I kept saying it was like having a butler!
Ripples in the sky
Blue and white
Stripes like the side of a fish
A mackerel gliding
Swimming over us
In cold beauty
Or a doves wings
Flapping in slow motion
Stop and go animation
Leaving white shadows
across the sky…
I haven’t been around much for the last three days because I had travelled to Cornwall in England because I was graduating from Falmouth University after studying for my MA in Illustration.
We travelled down with @Ivans_UK_tours because I’m struggling to drive any great distance. We must have done around a thousand miles by travelling to Cornwall and back, plus driving around when we were down there. I would not have gone but I decided it was worth it. I’m glad I did. A hectic itinerary was well organised by our tour guide, Ivan Dale. We had real fun and it was am overwhelming experience. Especially seeing Dawn French who is Chancellor of the University.
Any drive out towards Chester means a stop off at Snugburys Ice Cream centre. It’s a lovely little group of farm buildings set back off the A51 in Cheshire. We stopped to also check about the Road Closed signs we had seen along the road. We had a couple of delicious ice creams and found out that there was a diversion up ahead that would take us down a tiny narrow lane for a couple of miles
The only fly in the ointment was that when we sat down to eat the ice cream in a lovely sunny patch by some hanging baskets of flowers the wasps arrived. I made a swift retreat round the corner to a shady spot but hubby was fine.
We did take the detour, it was long and very narrow, unsuitable for HGVs but we arrived safely.
I looked at all my book cases and realised how eclectic my reading must be. I’m not sure exactly how many booked I have but I gave up counting after I reached over 1000.
Sci-fi, science (biology, chemistry, physics) novels, biography, art, graphics, illustration, history, old books, new books, even magic Eye books from a couple of decades ago.
Can your reading be too chaotic? I’ve got a book about chaos theory… There are a few cookery books and travel books. There are books that were Christmas presents, birthday presents, and ones I bought for my college course. Too many? I don’t know….
Mallaband-Brown