Poplar tree

This is the poplar tree in the house paddock. Looking dry and the leaves have gone brown with just tinges of the butter yellow it should be. It is also looking as though bits are dying and there is a split in the middle instead of its normal pyrimid shape.
I have done a lot of deep cleaning, so to speak, not my whisk over the top and didnt get very far.
The plumber was out to fix a blocked drain, we hadnt worried too much about the washing water going into the garden with the drought but the loo was threatening to block too so the septic had to be looked at, all ok thank goodness and all fixed now.

Fuchsia gum

These very spectacular gums are from Western Australia and are found on roadside plantings through Victoria. they dont like my deep sandy soils tho.I drew/painted this one from one of the trees around Longeron College near Horsham where we were doing our fibre forum.
Yesterday was a day of shopping for food, trying to see what bits of the garden I could water and tidying up. I still have a fair bit of unpacking to do.
I walked early this morning as I had to go in for a blood test, arrived before 8 am to find I was 7th in line! So quite a wait.

Back from Fibre Forum

I am home from a fabulous week at Horsham, but didnt get much time for sketching. this was done at about 6.15 am with the sun just coming up enough for me to see the outline of the Grampian mountains on the horizon. I walked early every morning, it was lovely out and the sunrises were spectacular, some mornings earlier than others and it was a bit dark at times but breakfast was at 7 and a lot of mornings I was in our class room by 7.30. Really not a lot of time to just sit and sketch.
I arrived very tired but there. My box making tutor Glen was very understanding, as I was not exactly with it on Monday but we all made a box that day to get an idea of how to actually make one. then the decision about what sort of box to make for our major project. I decided on a Japanese style with a folded hinged lid and two small box drawers and 3 compartments, one with a sliding drawer. I was not sure if this was something i could do but in the end at the end of the 5 days, there it was complete and lovely.
I will put a photo up on the back valley seasons blog but will also try to sketch it up.

Queensland scenes

I hope I am off tomorrow, John found some pills that have stopped the running to the loo every few minutes and I immediatley felt better, so have sort of packed, and do a bit of house cleaning and a bit of lying down, we will see what tomorrow morning brings. Do have a lovely time at Orange Alison and be careful.
the house was one I saw at maleny and sketched over lunch and the other one is across to tin Can Bay from Margots kitchen window. sorry about the capitals, i dont feel up to changing them!

Surfers sketches

these are a couple more of the sketches I did while I was away, the fellow in the big hat was sitting there reading with the ibis standing next to him. I was in an art gallery looking through the window.
I went down with a violent tummy wog on wednesday night and couldnt move except to get to the loo at all yesterday. I feel slow but a bit better today, have just had some dry toast and tea to see if it all stays where it should. Damn nuisance as i have so much to do.

sketching people

The first one was done in the airport waiting for the plane on our way out of Adelaide, it was delayed for an hour due to fog in Sydney. The second one I did yesterday on the beach, trying to catch attitudes and shapes, no features.

Home

I am afraid that all or almost all of the sketches i am going to put up are black and white pen sketches. I managed to find a few minutes each day but trying to paint was impossible. I de
arly love the friend we stay with but every minute of the day is organised! Here are the first two taken at random. A quick sketch while waiting for them to come in from a surf, and the surf was so washing machine like they didnt surf for long so not much time there, the first is along the beach from Northcliffe and the second is of banana palm fronds.
we had a wonderful time but without access to a scanner not easy to put up anything but photos and they went on the other blog.
Any way we are home but in Adelaide tomorrow, haircuts and see my mother, and on Easter Sunday I will be away at the Horsham Fibre Forum for a week, probably no computer and no scanner!
Home and washing on, bread being baked, dogs and cat and us fed, some unpacking done. We managed a long walk on the beach this morning, I did manage to walk every day and swim most days, but the food and drink rather got to the diet. Last night Moet Chandon champagne and all the sea food we could eat at the Marriott per favour of a very good friend, a wonderful ending to a great 2 weeks.