MS Secret Art Show

It’s that time of year again, the Multiple Sclerosis Trust’s Secret Art Show submission date has been and gone – I only just made it. Why is it that when you have lots of notice for something, you end up doing it at the last minute? I’m a day or two behind at the moment and can’t seem to keep up with the date – so I thought I had a day to do my submission, and then realised I only had til the post left that day! I finished my painting and marched the mile or so off to the post office, only to find that it shut half an hour earlier. So, since the post office doesn’t have a postbox, I then had to march back (uphill) towards home, and another mile in the opposite direction to get to the post box before the last collection. This was Thursday and I still have aching legs! Lesson learnt – don’t leave it till the last minute next year and memorise opening hours of post office! This week’s commission, was in contrast, completed and posted without feeling like I’d run a marathon in the process.

Feline adventures

Our big adventure and relocation to the highlands has also uprooted our two cats, both virgin travelers and very unworldly wise. Since we moved they have been confined to the safety of the croft, looking inquisitively through the window but not in the least bit interested in stepping foot outside. It’s been warm and sunny so we’ve had the windows open this week and the smell of the outside made the cats very vocal all of a sudden – so they were re-introduced to big wide world! Each day they make a wider circle around the house, but are desperate to get in when they’ve had enough. But by way of a thank you, we have been treated with a mouse, and to repay the gesture I’ve had to rescue Pumpkin from the paralysing gaze of two tough looking natives!  Here’s a few sketches of the terrorised twins in their comfort zone.

Bubbles and wobbly legs

What a week – very busy but zero painting, so what am I going to post today? I did manage to do lots of thinking about art during hours in the passenger seat of our heavily laden van. Earlier on in the week a civilised evening drink with some friends turned into a calving session outside on the Welsh hills. Warmed and energised by champagne (drunk to celebrate our friend’s milestone birthday) we watched as a dear little calf was born into a wet wintry world. The heifer had terrible trouble standing up, but she overcame this eventually - a perfectly healthy pedigree Hereford. I was flattered when the calf was named Angela (due to her pedigree credentials rather than her wobbly legs of course!). Once she had taken her colostrum from the bottle, she went straight to the “optics” to help herself – that’s my girl!

I always have my camera with me - except when I really need it! This we taken with my phone, a little out of focus, but you get the idea.....