Strange fungi

Todays walk produced an odd assortment of fungi, small brown ones, ones that look like mushrooms but have slimy tops, slimy topped frilled ones and the tall skinny black marked ones, I dont think I would like to eat any but I believe one or two of them are sort of ok.
We had over 17 mm of rain overnight and showers all day and it has finally got cold.
I started this blog on the 2nd of June last years so tomorrow is my last day of my year of walking and sketching but I will keep up with this blog but perhaps not quite as regularly as I have.
I know if you go through you will find I have missed days as well but I have walked and sketched every day of my year, just it was not easy until we got the laptop to get stuff up every day and I am not computer savvy enough to change dates etc.
I think I would miss my regular sketches, the walks mostly happen regularly any way or the dogs would not like me.

How Green

I walked out this morning and thought how very green everything was. So this sketch is the result, bit fast and slap dash although there are bits I really like. get so cross when some of the colours dont translate as well as I would like.
this was done from the top of my walk, looking down to the dam, a bit bluer than it should be and across the valley to the pine forrests, one sort of ok the other not quite right. I will revisit this again.
See all the green grass, you wouldnt think that we are still suffering from the drought, but we need good rains all through winter and well into spring before we can say we are having a good year, and we are still payng enormous prices for hay for the cows, unfortunatly they dont live on grass alone.

two sketches

The shed is the shed next door to the Coffin Bay house, I would say that it was the original shack and I rather liked it. I didnt have time to paint it. although it was a lovely shade of faded green.
the other was done as we were driving home, showing the difference between the green hills and the ploughrd paddock in front.
I havent had time to do anything today as it was 10 hours of driving yesterday before we got home and we had been up for 2 hours packing before we left, then unpacking when we got home, today I have done nothing but shop and put away and wash and the weather is very wintry, blowing a gale and scuds of rain pouring through.
I am supposed to go to beading tonight so the dogs will have a quick walk so long as it isnt pouring still.

Another sea scape

Here is another one of my sea scapes, done on rough watercolour paper this time as I wanted to get the impression of the waves in the sea. I also used the artist quality paints, much better.
Looking towards the National Park.
the fellows went fishing over there this morning as it was too rough to go out in the boat, they caught some mullet and a few small salmon trout.
We had a friend in for morning tea, went to the local market and I bought a couple of things, a knitted tam being one, did some painting and some sewing and watched football. A lovely cold weather holiday day, with a lovely view and a fire burning.

View across the channel

I did this with the little portable W & N Cotman set I have used the postcard set of paper that came with it. I must say the cotman paints dont have the depth that the artist quality have. I can see myself replacing with the artist quality.
I walked this morning, the other way and they are making an awful noise at the boat ramp putting in new pilons for a floating ramp.
We had an enjoyable night last night and the food was terrific.
I think I am getting into holiday mode and we are off home on Monday.

The fish scaling table

I didnt walk far today as my knees didnt like what i had done yesterday. I pass these fish scaling/filleting tables set in strategic spots along my walk, where in the summer families bring their boats ina dn finish off their catch of fish.
this morning we went shopping in Pt Lincoln and this afternoon we are cooking for guests tonight. so I am doing this early.
Beautiful day and the fellows have got their bag limit of whiting so they are pleased.

Beach finds

I have no idea where the button or fabric daisy came from but they were part of the beachcombing this morning.
I have had two walks today and my knees are telling me off. One this morning on my own and one this afternoon with Mary, it was such a lovely day we had to be out in it.
This morning we were part of the Great morning tea in aid of cancer at the Coffin Bay hall. I bought a woollen hat at the auction, the girl who makes them sells them for twice as much so I was quite pleased. They had a raffle a big auction where for such a small community things went for high prices and the children from the small primary school sang and danced so all in all fun was had by all.

Damp morning

I was up and walked even further today asi wanted to get to the long beach, which I did but was so uncomfortable with my hips and knees I wished I hadnt. Well over an hours walk but I did also take time out to do a couple of sketches and this little painting is taken from my sketch, but in some ways I like the sketch better, done quite quickly it does give an impression while the other was worked on a bit.
Rocks maybe better but the trees are not.
The fellows bagged out with whiting and were home early as it had got very windy.

Rocks and trees

I am not at all good at painting rocks, or trees for that matter so here is a practice run of a sketch I did on my walk this morning. It was a lovely morning but began to rain as I was coming home so I only had time for a rough sketch.
Up early and walking and walked further than yesterday again.
The fellows went off with high hopes of getting some King George whiting and so they did, they came home with 34.
We went into Pt Lincoln shopping and visiting.
It is amazing how little time one has to properly paint when on holidays, people are always doing things and wanting you to do things.
I was taken with this dead tree that was leaning out of the cliff with the land and sea behind. Because Coffin Bay is an enormous land locked bay you dont often get an uninterrupted view of the sea, mostly a bit of land or an island in the background.

Coastal Correa

This is one of the many forms/colours of the coastal correa which is found amongst the limestone on my walk this morning, some are almost red while some are this apricot colour and some are paler again.
I am glad I walked for an hour this morning as it rained and blew a gale for the rest of the day.
It was fascinating seeing the oyster boats battling in against the wind and the tide with spray almost obliterating them at times.
I walked further this morning along the little cliffs facing the big bay with the wind blowing straight into me and at times I found walking quite difficult.
The fellows went out fishing but left late and came in early, they got a lot of little samon trout which I quite like but they must be eaen while very fresh, no whiting which is a shame.
Mary and I had the fire going and we embroidered for most of the day. Lovely to watch the rain scuds come by and look across the water.
I was a bit concerned that the smalls washing we had done might end up in the neigbours but we did get them in in one piece although a bit damp but the wind was so strong in between the rain they werent soaked and they are now airing by the fire.
I think from the weather forecasts it is just as well we brought lots of stuff to do.

The Oyster walk

It was cold and windy today, the fellows intrepidly went fishing, and didnt get much but we had plenty left over from yesterday.
I walked twice, once early before the rain and then late in the afternoon. This was done on the oyster walk, the little bits of red are a brilliant little correa bush that was struggling to grow. The walk goes all along the bay and is delightful.
I dont think I do trees at all well.
I spent a lot of the day doing some embroidery.
this will probably be the pattern fpr the next few days.

View from the holiday house

This is the view from the holiday House we are in at Coffin Bay. Down the channel with the other side of the bay in the background.
A wet and drizzly day, we havent done much been to collect the papers and tieid up.
Fellows in from fishing so we eat tonight.

On the way to Coffin Bay

I saw these wrought iron fish and shells on the outskirts of Cowell heading down Eyre Peninsular towards Pt Lincoln on our way to Coffin Bay. I think one is an oyster and one a whiting, one looks like a nautilis but the other fish looks rather like a nasty, a puffer fish.
It was a very long day but this new holiday house, not a shack, looks and is pretty comfortable, although the lap top is set up very awkwardly at lea.st it works. we left at about 7.30 and arrived at about 5.30 to be greated by friends with freshly opened oysters and a bottle of wine. Lovely. We dont have quite the view we used to have but a change is good. We still see the channel but not the bay so walking and sketching will be a must

the horse tree

I am stuffed tonight, I know I shouldnt say that but I am, I have washed, ironed, packed, cooked delivered the cat to the cattery, washed more clothes, packed more stuff. I hope tomorrow we will be on our way, but an 8 to 9 hour drive will see us tired again!
So this is a very quick and not very good sketch of the horse tree, known by my grand children as the branch that leans out to the right is just the right height and springyness to be used as a horse. Most of them are now too big for it but still go and look at it and give it a pat.
I did a very quick walk as I knew I had to do this today. Goodness knows what you get for tomorrow a square bottom probably.

In Adelaide today

I sketched this very quickly while witing for John to buy some jeans at Trims in the city, he was pleased, $30 off them. I was pleased as I managed to get this done in a very rushed day.
Haircuts, while I had mine he went to interview someone, while he had his done I rushed up to see my mother for 3/4 of an hour. We raced in to get his jeans and then down to McLaren Vale for a quick coffee and tandoori chicken and salad on a turkish roll and then on to Willunga where he had another interview. I walked the high street for 1/2 an hour and bought a card at the gallery and 3 books, 20 cents each and 2 chiffon scarves at the op shop 50c each these to use over textiles so I was very pleased with my time. A small sketch done as well.
In to collect some cheese for next week from the Alexandrina cheese factory and through Victor to collect bags of oats for the ponies and home and he has just raced off for more meetings while I catch my breath and throw some washing on before walking and feeding the dogs.
Whew!

Morning walk

This was the end of the valley this morning while I walked, alternate drizzle and light. Interesting to try and convey.
This one was at least done on decent watercolour paper.
I have spent all day trying to cook and the phone has done nothing but ring so the biscotti are overcooked and hope the next lot of biscuits I am making will be ok.
I have been gathering bits to take away, scrabble and a jigsaw incase it rains the whole time, bet it doesnt but better to be prepared. All my paints and sewing and knitting stuff.
Tomorrow is Adelaide and tonight beading.

Tagged

Susan Borgas has tagged me, now I am not at all computer literate so I have no idea how to put up a link that will get you to her blog arts and stuff.
I am not to sure about tagging other people either and I keep losing my blog when I go to look for people, so lets just leave it that I have been tagged and here are 7 things you may not want to know about me.
1 Met my husband when I was 15 and married at 19 and still married 48 years later. Four children and ten grandchildren. we have lived on the same farm all my married life and my husbands family have had it since 1909. These days we dairy if droughts and falling prices allow us. 400 cows which our son in law manages.
2 I am not an artist and am not sure how I got into such good company but thanks Susan any way. I started off sewing and knitting, went to cloth doll making which I still do, and then into textiles and through textiles into sketching and painting. I didnt know what a colour wheel was until 4 years ago.
3 In my time I have spent a lot of time skin diving but gave up when we had to pass an exam to get a ticket! When we started no one was doing it and we only had long johns and wind cheaters to help with the cold, and our southern waters are cold, but very beautiful. How we didnt kill ourselves with so little knowledge I will never know, we gaily snorkelled and strapped on tanks and off we went. We were very lucky as in those days we would be the only ones camping on not so remote beaches which are now mostly national parks.
4 We have also spent a lot of our time snow skiing, wonderful places and people.
5 Arthritis is now not helping me and I am much restricted in my daily walks, especially at the moment with the change in seasons. My garden is a mess and I am sad about that but I did have it open under our Open Garden Scheme for two years, but a huge amount of work in a 2 acre garden for one person.
6I have been lucky enough to go overseas, skiing, looking at ponies, visiting America with my cloth dolls and Japan on "official" visits four times while my husband was the local mayor.
7 I breed Welsh ponies and have for most of my married life, I have been given a life membership and been President of the Australian Welsh Pony and Cob Society and our ponies do very well in the show ring both ridden and led.
As I said, more than you need to know.
This little painting was done after my walk this morning because I cant stand in the cold at the moment, a heap of crows in one of the trees near the newly seeded paddock.

Mothers Day

two very quick sketches done while I was waitng for my lunch at the lovely flying Fish cafe in Pt Elliott.
Not named after a fish but a race horse.
It used to be the kiosk on the beach, now in two parts, an upmarket eating area and out on the deck where you can get fish and chips. We had Champagne, I had cockle soup followed by salt and peper squid. Yum.
So a bottle and the glasses and a sketchy one of the rocks and islands out in the bay that you can see while sitting there.
A lovely day, did a 2 km walk early this morning and an hour on the bed to sleep off the champagne!!

Fairy Penguins in bronze

I went in to get the papers this morning as John is doing accounts and I wanted to see if the local department store had any black high necked wool jumpers as mine has a hole in it, In at 9 am and not open until 10. the things you dont know about your own shops!
As I had to wait about an hour I walked over the causeway to Granite island and when I got over there I sketched this little bronze of 3 Fairy Penguins done by Silvio Apponyi, I hope that is the correct spelling.
Still before 10 so I went to the bead shop and bought some beads I need for another birthday bracelet. WhenI finally got to the shop, new shipment in yesterday, every colour under the sun,EXCEPT Black!!! Not my day.
I have been busy potting up some pansies for winter and walking the dogs, hand washing some jumpers and... well I havent stopped.

Trip to Adelaide

Blogger is being bloggy tonight and I have lost this twice already so I hope I manage to finish this minus one sketch. John had an early morning meeting in Adelaide today so I dropped him off and went to collect my mother and take her for a coffee, as it was still early I decided to go 1/2 way across to the other side of town to get some mohair for the rug I am knitting her from the only yarn shop i know got some wonderful stuff at 1/2 price as it was last of a few balls so was I pleased. My mother was pleased as she got to see lots of trees and houses and the hills.
Dropped her back tired but happy about an hour and a half later to get a call from John to say he should be finished by 12 and go to the city centre. Well the Govt is building an extension of a tram way that no one wants and half the city is in uproar. After going around and around I finally found a park, paid my money and walked along the River Torrens, our muddy little pond which is graced by the name river. So I sketched in the sun, the first is of the river and what I think is a boatshed and the university footbridge in the back ground. The second is of some rather lovely lights that were leading down some steps to the river.
John of course was an hour late, so I had plenty of time.
A long and tiring day but at least I did a bit of sketching.

Part of my garden

I walked the dogs, same boring walk up the house paddock, with difficulty as the newly sown paddock is heavy to walk in, they were very impatient tonight to get home and be fed so I did this when I got back. The glory vine on the pergola is going the most fantastic deep reds at the moment.
I am being rather slow at the moment as my knees and hips are giving me hell, the change in the season I guess.

Grumpy's and a toadstool

The first sketch is of a vague idea of what it was like working over the Grumpy week end, as you know i dont much like doing people.
The second is one of the many toadstools that are now popping up all over the place due to the rain and damp weather. This one was right in the middle of the gateway out to the back gate. An odd white and brown one that eventually flattens out.
I have been tidying and house cleaning as well as tryng to get a few Birthday presents made, beaded bracelets.

Sunday and Monday

These are again my Mambray Creek sketches. the first is again across the Gulf but looking further up. The second is this gorgeous little bird called a Babbler who hopped around the garden with his mates being absolutely silly and the third is of the wind chime by the back door which has a lovely sound, old forks and spoons on an old bit.
At home we had rain in the night about 6mm very welcome.I walked this morning and the sown paddocks are showing where the seedlings are coming up. Looks great.

Friday and Saturday, Mambray Creek

I am home very tired after about a 5 hour drive, some through the busiest bit of Adelaide in drizzle, so am tired, but pleased with myself.
I had a great week end with about 6 other Grumpy women and I walked every morning, scribbled down a few things and then worked until late at night doing textile and related "stuff"
The weather was lovely but I really only had time to sketch in the very early mornings, i had hoped to do more later in the afternoons but time got away from us.
The first sketch is across the top of the gulf from the fence I walked down to at the end of the property and the second is the track I walked showing the very red earth, it is an incredible colour and I dont think I quite got it right.
If you want to know more go look for my other blog in the links.

Pine cone

It is very wet and windy again today. I walked early as I am making an aubergine lasagna to take with me to our Grumpy week end tomorrow. I will be away from tomorrow morning until Monday some time.
Looking foreward to getting a few minutes to sketch the Flinders Ranges while I am there. Mambray Creek is on the flat but the view of the ranges from the farm house is stunning.
All the pine cones have closed up from being so wet, so this one looks a bit odd. Last time I collected them they were all open. Looks a bit more like a warty slug!
I think we have had about another 19 mm, I think John was worried about paddocks washing but they seem to be ok.
I seem to have half my work room with me so I hope there is room in the car for Wendy's stuff as well.

Water

I had a very full day and as I went to walk the dogs a heavy shower was bearing down on me so I went up to gather some pine cones for the fire and turn on the tap to let water into the dam behind the house. The other dam is overflowing so I can do it with a clear conscience. Always know when I am in a hurry, the sketching definetly gets worse.
I am still trying to get organised to go away for the week end, shopped so i can cook tomorrow but John got home later than i expected so I was later shopping and later home etc etc.
A bad day yesterday, the stallion the vet doesnt know what the problem is but it doesnt seem life threatening but we had to put down a little filly who had a broken pelvis. We had been nursing her as there was a chance she would be ok, but she wasnt.
The ups and downs of horse breeding.

tractor seeding

One of the stallions is sick so I am waiting for the vet.
This was done in a hurry and I am not sure that I can draw tractors! Looks a bit as if the tyres are going to fall off.
I have felt rather tired all day today, and the wind has come up, I dont much like strong winds.
I spent a lot of the day trying to get organised for the week end. I dont know if all the stuff will fit in the car!
The last painting was done on decent paper, this one is in my sketch book. It does make a difference.