Harmony with Bats

Sitting, whilst evening transcends day, sipping a cool glass of white wine as birds retreat and bats swoop, flit, is special - calm and relaxing;

a time to share
a time to reflect
a time to feel joyous for all that has gone before;
the character building ups and downs of a life -

definitely a time to relax and reflect with a cool glass of white wine

Queen of the Pixels

This was my favourite hibiscus, so flawlessly yellow.
It has since died.
Because this hibiscus is from our first days in Spain,it evokes nostalgia, excitement and the sense of adventure that beginning a 'new life' brings.
But ... there is more!
this hibiscus inspired 'The queen of the Pixels' (a character in my book Violet Jell.
A book needs a queen, or similar, and this is how my thoughts and photographs entwined to create her.



I used this photograph, which I rotated. I cut out the part I wished to use and placed it onto a transparent background in Photoshop.
I drew in her silhouette face, popped on her small shoes and pulled forward her hood to shroud her.

And here she is - returned resplendent to her hibiscus throne.



For me, that my illustrations each encompass a part of my life gives them a deeper meaning, as a part of me lies there, too.

Sheep Recipe

More fun ... a remnant from a 'woolly' life in Ireland.














Sheep recipe

Full, fat, woolly fleece
rolled to shape.
Ram in four blackthorn legs,
scooter ears,discoloured acorn face
complete with mechanical baa
in varied pitch.
Multiply by forty or fifty
and place on verdant green
smooth hummock-hill.

There leave your flock of sheep
to safely graze the
pasture opposite your eye;

to butt and race wool-wobbling
daily rituals, whilst you,
behind confining window,
perform a daily ritual;
watching them.








** And today marks an occasion - my book 'Violet Jelly' is now for sale on amazon.com - so I hope that many 8-80 years, plus, will read it ... for fun! **

Oddities

This is what I love about life and the unpredictability of fun; that it is certainly more crazy than any fiction.

My Spanish neighbour insists that one of his small 'rescued' dogs, Yani, has a degree from Oxford (cap, gown and all) and that its reason for trotting down the mountainside to visit me is to study for a degree in English.
Yani is delighted to have such an excuse to avail of the fuss and garden soft furnishings!

More summer, or all the year round, madness - I turned from tidying something into a drawer to type in my email user name only to find that it had been done for me (incorrectly, I hasten to add). I looked away from the screen to find Rupert, my black cat assistant, sitting innocently at the side of the keyboard intimating that it was nothing to do with him and that had it been so there would certainly be no errors. At least I think that that was what he inferred.


'Rupert the Panther' taking time out from computing to play with 'Sean Cuddler Kitten'

Back to earth and sanity as I discover the need to redo sixteen illustrations that are in the incorrect resolution.
Life.

On the Horns of a Dilemma

Easily, I can visualise that phrase. To me, it is a brilliant assemblage of words. So much so that, having explained the meaning to my grandson, I asked him if he could draw a 'Dilemma'.

And here it is .... for sharing ....



He explained that it has to be insect like in order to see all around, that it can transform and that it has fire at the base of its right leg.
All in a day's play for a seven year old!

Hope you enjoy it.

Newcastle City Library

Well, I made it, ran the workshop and managed the podcast - thanks to a fantastic team of librarians.

This library is amazing in itself - an inspiration. All glass and many floors, it is littered with seating areas, places to relax, read, take in the city views (pigeon perspective).

The stars were the children, who produced words, pictures and storyboards, each so individual; each mind and imagination a unique treasure chest from which to create.
A truly enriching and humbling experience .... which I am to be fortunate enough to repeat in the future.

And, I return to find, so much original weaving of words and pictures to delve into on my favourite blogs.



Contented!