Autumn sunlight in Northumberland

Autumn is one of my favourite seasons but feel a bit sad after the harvest is in and all the fields are ploughed ready for Winter sowing. This pic was taken early one morning when the sun was low, the sky was a watery blue and the fields a lovely chocolate colour. I like the old broken gate and wee Archie the schnauzer looking out, he had been chasing rabbits and was ready for home and a sausage for his breakfast.

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.

John Keats

Ode to Autumn

Catching some sun in Rhodes before the Oslo snow arrives ...

Lucky to squeeze in a quick week to Rhodes recently and catch a bit heat. Even though it was the end of the summer there, the colours were bright and vibrant. The picture here was a quick wooshy one while looking out from the room in the late afternoon, not many people out there and the garden by the beach was getting a bit wild, which was kind of nice too.

This old chap was sitting in front of me at the pool and as I'm not very good at drawing people, I decided to have a bash, (but only while he wasn't looking). One funny thing was the angle which his toes poked out at and looked like they were coming out of a strange part of his body.

In the centre of the pool was a garden arrangement, so had a crack at that too, it was a safer option than grumpy boy.



Swirly words, soldiers and seagulls

Working on a new project today with calligraphy ideas and small line pictures based on some of the photos I've taken recently. 

Really wasn't thinking too logically about the project from the start and went headlong into it. As it's on cartridge paper, the finished picture would go all wibbly-wobbly if I add watercolour paint to it now, but have some lovely bright crayons so will add a spot of colour here and there to brighten it up a bit.


Added some colour to the background and the pictures to lift the picture a bit and now thinking about creating a circle image next time. It might be an idea when the snow comes for a Christmas card... oh the snow, better get the furry boots and gloves looked out for that.

And gin to help keep warm when painting..

Searching for treasure on the Flaggy shore, Finavarra, Galway

The lads had a great time filling up their pockets with odd shaped stones and 'gems' from the Flaggy shore in Ireland. We're now building a cairn with assorted rocks from Ireland, Northumberland and Norway, (it's only wee but is growing after every trip).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairn