Faced with glass

Imagine a woman. Dressed as a page boy ready to perform in a play, it could be in the past when women and girls were not allowed to act. Or it could be a recreation of a look design for a more modern TV programme. It could also be a science fiction design. The lines are my attempt to create a feeling of a stained glass window.

Voting

Do you vote in political elections?

Yes I vote, voting is important. If people abstain or spoil their ballots they leave the opportunity for a different party to be elected. In one byelection this week someone won by 6 votes, overcoming the other party’s majority of 15000 votes.

Unfortunately Reform, a right-wing Trump style party won several council seats and a MP position and a few mayoral posts.

Reform is a bit like the republicans in America, they want to set up a Doge department to cut back spending in the UK, make people pay for health insurance (we already pay national insurance to fund the NHS). Our health care is currently free at point of contact, they would take that away.

I’m obviously telling you how I feel, I don’t know how my readers will react. I feel very strongly that people should vote, it lends stability to the country. I also want to honour suffragettes who fought for a woman’s right to vote.

Digital drawing of a woman

Playing with Artrage, it’s been a while, I wanted to create the impression of a stained glass window. I like drawing digitally and I used a stylus to try and control my shakiness. I like this app because it had various pens and the ability to make the colours metallic. I paid for it, but not much and I’ve used it for several years .

Crafts

Portrait of a woman called Carol in our craft group working on some diamond art picture. I enjoy doing small portraits, quickly done, it fits in with my Parkinsons shakes, if a line goes awry I can hide it in cross hatching. I have a small notebook with very pae blue lines so they are not very noticeable. I never want to stop drawing and painting. It’s my life. X

A man?

Describe a man who has positively impacted your life.

One of the reasons I love science is that I started watching “the sky at night” bbc TV programme from an early age.

The presenter at that time was Patrick Moore, later to be knighted. He was an amateur astronomer who popularised science in general and astronomy in particular. This was at a time when most programmes were presented by men. What it did do was help me get into critical thinking and formed an interest in science me.

The reason why I question the query asking which MAN influenced me is the fact that women presenters could be as important. For instance Maggie Aderin-Pocock is one of the main presenters of ‘the sky at night’ now. She has been doing it for several years now and her enthusiasm and intelligence shines through.

Autumn woman

Painting from eight years ago, it came up on my Facebook page. I don’t know if I’ve ever posted it here.

Autumn Woman

When the leaves fall

From under leaf litter

You will slowly crawl.

Gleaming colours

Red, gold, green,

Are soft or brittle

A seasonal scene.

Then mists and fruits

Make subtle colours

And Autumn woman

Finds her full power.

Eighteen

When was the first time you really felt like a grown up (if ever)?

Yes, actually 18. I left school and I was in the real world. I had to leave my old life behind. It was a shock. I felt like I was falling off a cliff.

It’s a long time ago, but I remember fighting to get into college. I had to choose between that and staying in the job I had. It was the biggest decision of my life and I’m glad I made it!

When I was older I thought about life and that your feelings and world suddenly changes. You have rights and responsibilities. You still have support but it’s up to you to follow your own path (if you are allowed to). I realise that I am lucky as a woman to have rights a lot of other people in different cultures don’t have, and seeing the way governments can change, or bring in restrictions, I don’t always feel those rights will be maintained.

I was lucky to grow up and become an adult during feminist times. I hope those becoming adult now continue to have those rights.

Someone knocking at a door?

Someone, a young woman, has been knocking on a neighbours front door for half an hour. Hubby went out and asked her what she was doing (actually called out, the flat is fifty yards away) but got no answer, the woman was actually kicking and booting the door. The flat is above a shop and the woman seemed intent on getting in. Finally we gave up and rang the police. If she had been in distress we would have called an ambulance for her. But it seemed strange behaviour. Clearly after that length of time no one is going to open up. I hope it gets resolved. It’s worrying that she thought it was OK to do it… No shouts or screams, just kicking…it’s stopped now….

Artemis probe

I saw there is an unmanned mission to the moon called Artemis. Its from NASA and its part of a plan to send a team including woman and a person of colour to the moon. Its fifty three years since the first men landed on the Moon.

I looked up Artemis and she was the Greek goddess of hunting, Similar to the roman goddess Diana. I suppose its a good name for it. I wonder when it will happen. I hope it does. I think it’s possible, but I really think it’s unlikely that we will ever go to Mars?