Sketch fun

I have a collection of bird houses and last night I sat for a while after I had watched the Cricket World Cup, which Australia won and sketched one of them with a few bits of leaves and beetles that I have around the place, sounds weird I know but I often have things I have picked up near my chair so I have things to sketch. A lovely few days weather wise but oh dear we do need the rain. I think every one is sick of the dry dusty paddocks.

A bit of Halls Gap

I really should be more organised but, my 6 days at Halls Gap, plus another 2 getting there and home again, for a wonderful class with Sandy Webster from the US has left me very tired. We made pigments from the earth, and we made a wonderful field journal box and a book as well as other things. I didnt really take advantage as I should have of the lovely scenery and surroundings but I did manage to do two small sketches of the leaves and seeds that were around our class room. I sometimes think I am getting to the end of my workshop days, but then, something comes up and off I go again. I loved this class, I just didnt love the packing up to come home on my own and the 6 hour drive. Now I am home I have done nothing but wash, tidy etc, having been told I may have the Melbourne family over for Easter, and I head off again on Easter Sunday for Ballarat!! So I am tidying one room, and as most of the stuff from there is going into another I can shut the door on. Only trouble is I need to tidy that room up as well. Life is never meant to be easy and I suppose I should think about getting rid of stuff, but then one does need stuff, it is amazing what I have found in my tidying. Any way I loved my few days away, catching up with friends and yet being able to retire to my little cabin and do my own thing as well. Do just wish I didnt get so tired.

Hare?

I think this is more like a hare than a rabbit. We have hares here, (we also have rabbits, a menace) all imported with the early settlers who thought they needed things from home, as well as sparrows, balckbirds and starlings, all of which are really not wanted and in some cases have driven out the native birds. Oh and dont lets forget deer and those horrid foxes, and cats who have gone feral and eat more than anything as well as dogs that in some places have interacted and bred with dingoes. We wont get into introduced weeds but I am happy with some of the garden plants as long as they dont escape as well. I didnt mean to have a spray about introductions, after all we are introduced too. I am sorry I havent been on this blog for ages, but then some people might think that is a good thing! my sketching and painting has taken a back seat, I hope my muse will come back soon but I normally paint in the sun room and summer is not the place to paint out there, it gets too hot. I am sorting out what to take to the Grampians and Sandy Webster's class there (so long as I get there! I hope my shoulder stops misbehaving.)I am looking forward to it but am terrified I will get too tired and not be able to do what I want to do, dont usually go on my own. or for the week but I have no doubt it will be fine, only a week to go. To get back to the sketch I am trying to get animal shapes a little better, maybe its working.Hope everyone has a brilliant week end.