A fine line

I am up and doing a bit more today but there is a fine line between doing not enough and too much.
I am managing to do my exercises, and I have cleaned up the kitchen, men really dont seem to have any idea about what a kitchen should look like.
I still have a lot more cleaning to do but as my knee started to ache I stopped and stuffed a couple of doll bodies and Tabby and Millie and her John came to see me so we talked and I sat and it was very pleasant.
I now have to repair darling, who was Tabby's doll and Millie now wants her looking better, Darling has sleep eyes and plastic head and arms and legs but a soft body. I think I can fix her up. She is over 40, how time flies.
I have been watching the many birds that come by my window and although these are not correct as far as feather or colour they are a similar shape, I just wish I could paint birds like Genine does on her blog, but these are the best I can do.
My eyes are not feeling terribly good either so I have been switching between glasses, so took the opportunity to try and draw them.
I have come to the conclusion that I am not terribly good at any of the things I draw and paint but it does give me pleasure so I suppose that is the main thing. Perhaps if I had been encouraged to draw and paint as a child and teenager but now I am in my 70's it is probably a bit late!
It is still cold and every so often it drips a bit, a wonderful spring. I just want to get out and plant a few more things I have in pots before it gets too hot.
I have loved looking at the snow in the north of the UK but am glad I dont have to cope with it. Some of the photos on blogs have been stunning. Helen Cowans for one if you can find it.

I am so bored

I am drawing birds, the knee op is ok but having to do minimal walking for 3 days is driving me mad, at least it is almost over, I hope.
The knee has been a bit stiff but not terribly uncomfortable. I am certainly walking better but having to sit with it up makes for a pretty uncomfortable bottom and back!
Just to say I am in the land of the bored living and hope to be back with a bit more of interest shortly.
Thanks to all who have asked how I am, now you know!!

quick sketches at Bamborough

I didnt have a lot of time to do any sketching while I was away but these were two I did, the back of stables and the hills beyond. I had hurt my knee and was abandoned by every one while I took a while to sort my knee out.
I didnt have any colour with me and so this is taken straight from my sketchbook.
I have the knee op tomorrow so that will be a long day as it will be done in Adelaide, sometime in the afternoon.
We had a wonderful week end, very long days of driving over and back, 11 hours the first and 15 on the last day and I am still getting over it.
It was terribly hot but now we have some rain and it has cooled down a bit so I feel sleepy.
John has had meeting after meeting.
Sarah bought a filly, a lovely Welsh A which she wont even let me have a leg! and R who went with us bought a Welsh B filly and a mare and foal. We brought home the two fillies in the float.
I really didnt need any more ponies but there were a couple I would have loved in my paddock.
Lovely area, looking good after about 10 years of drought and it has hardly stopped raining.
One never has time to do things quietly and spend the time but we did go to the Japanese garden and it was just lovely to see the country looking so good. Although we did go through rather a worrying number of flying locust swarms.
There are a few photos on my other blog here.
I cant settle at the moment, lots I should be doing but I think tomorrow is hanging over me, silly to worry but the older I get the less I want done to me.
I have painted some faces, perhaps I had better start stuffing them and getting on with the small dolls.
I will be back I hope later in the week.

Waterlillies

This hasnt come out quite as I had hoped it would, but it still looks a bit watery so I think it will do for a quickie.
I have had this at the back of my mind for ages so it was at least nice to have a try at getting it onto paper.
I have had never ending problems with this going away for the week end, we want to take a float with us and so far I am having problems working out what to take as one has electric brakes and I am not sure what that entails and finding out has been interesting. All sorts of variations on a theme.
Yesterday I just about did my back in again while driving my car over to Tabbys' another long saga, it went in to have the arial fixed and in getting it up on the lift somehow they made a mess of my shock absorbers so they didnt work. Having just had a physio appointment I needed another one, our roads are not the smoothest at the best of times but now!!
Tab was coming back from Perth and poor Gabby was there looking after things and found a foal that wouldnt drink so she rang Sarah who went over and got it warm and on a bottle, I went over to help Gabby until Tab arrived home, I am pleased to report that all is now well and the foal is drinking on its own.
Lots of things going on and as I leave early on Friday morning and wont be back until late Monday, we hope, no posts until then.
Have a great week end.

Evening light

I have had such a busy few days and this week and the week end wont be much better. I did this as a wet in wet and then added the land, it hasnt scanned quite true but was fun and quick to do.
My visitors left, I tidied and did house work.
On Saturday I went to a basket making workshop at Port Adelaide put on by the art gallery and the tutors were some of the women from the APY lands, see more on my other blog.
Yesterday we went to an art opening of a friend of mine, she does lovely primitive paintings and some how I bought one! I cant get it until next month but I love it.
Sometimes I wonder if I shouldnt play around with acrylics as they can give such vibrant colour. I seem to want colour in my life at the moment. (I wonder if that cataract is getting worse!!)
I some how seem to have problems settling to anything, I think the impending knee ream out is probably worrying me.
I will be driving long hours this coming week end and bits of me are still hurting although I have hopes that the physio I am having on my hip will help.
I know John is worrying about the length of time I will be spending in a car.
I have done very little in the way of presents for Christmas and that too is worrying me, I have spent all my money on a painting!
Very wicked, but I am making a few doll bodies that may turn into angels, I will see how I go.
We continue to have the most wonderful weather, mild and damp, although I am watering again as the damp wasnt quite damp enough. Despite that the garden is still glorious and full of colour, the best in about 25 years I think.
Enough of me for the moment, it is getting late and I have another body to stuff.

Dog Rose

I have had a very busy but enjoyable few days. I sketched this tonight, it is warming up quite quickly and the roses will be finished soon.
Some news, we managed a few Champion ribbons and got most successful Exhibitor, Best foal and I think most successful mare at the big Welsh show over the week end. I went on the Saturday, a long 2 hour drive there and back and a long day in the sun so I didnt go on the Sunday, spent the day cooking, again, and tidying up the house.
Our judges arrived late, tired and sun burnt but pleased to be here, to eat a lasagna and salad I had made and followed by berries and ice cream and then bed in that order!
Sarah showed them around on Monday all the ponies here and then all the ones at Tabby's. We knew how tired they would be as they only arrived from the UK on Thursday and Friday respectively.
I had a specialist appointment and I am now booked in to have an arthroscope in Adelaide, day surgery, on the 25th of this month, a bit soon but it does mean I can go to the sale in New South wales before it happens.
Yesterday was a full day of sight seeing, the wild life park, some shopping and our glorious coast. They didnt want to do too much as they were tired but we all went out to dinner last night as it was their last night with us and Tabby's birthday.
They were a fun lot of people and I hope enjoyed what we had to show them.
Bit hot and bothered and I think John has dinner ready, his night to cook, I have been doing it for days!

On my coffee table

Sorry this sketch is so faint, sometimes I have problems getting some colours to show up much, especially when I have used pencil. If you click on it it should show up a bit better.
It is a small arrangement and the yellow iris have been flowering superbly.
If I have time I will paint but I still have the family here after the week end and this week is going to be busy.
they leave tomorrow, I head up to Adelaide for a Melbourne Cup lunch, we do this every year and some of the girls I only see then so although expensive it is fun.
I hope to get beds changed and the house cleaned on Wednesday, back to Adelaide for the craft fair on Thursday and then our big All Welsh Show over the week end and the judges stay with me for a couple of days.
I hope I am still moving by the end of it all.
I have pulled a barrow load of forget me nots today, and got myself covered in them as well.
We had another shower of rain last night, heavy for a while and then very cold overnight and now it is warmer and humid, with a possibility of more rain to come. Strange weather.
I did plant out a few more plants I have had in pots so I need a bit more rain although finally the ground is nice and damp.
Not used to a house full and especially not 11 year old boys! Still they are pretty good, but Jake who Will loved is now getting a bit too old to play with successfully.
This Haiku is by Ransetsu.
Out of one wintry
twig, one bud,
one blossom's worth
of warmth at long last!