From a conference window in Melbourne

It is mid winter here, i have been in Melbourne, well we drove over one day, conference one day and home the next, getting over it all. terribly tired. While listening to a speaker this was what I could see out the window. Since we got home it has been very wild weather,wind and rain and high seas. I race out to feed the hens and dogs and race back in, bundled up top the eye balls. Problems with my computer as well and that all wastes so much time. I think it is now working! I look with envy at those blogs from the northern hemisphere with sunny days with envy. More rain and gales forecast for the rest of the week here. Thank goodness for the fire.

Wallaroo

John had a conference at Wallaroo on Thursday, so up at 4 am to arrive at 9am, we got lost so arrived a few minutes late. We had booked an apartment for the night which was lovely, right on the marina with water going past the window, well it felt like it, and moored boats.I got bored with the conference and went for a walk along the foreshore, saw prawn boats, grain silos and the grain jetty and a tug boat. Originally this was also a copper mining town, small cottages and huge holiday homes. It was cold and I only managed this very poor sketch of the tug and silos. I find I get so tired these days and this trip was no exception. We came home on Friday through huge amounts of rain and gale force winds, not quite what we had expected and the actual driving once we got to the main highway was rather a nightmare, and trying to pass tucks almost an impossibility. We arrived home safely, but very tense and tired. I always think I will get lots more sketching done but it was very cold and not really conducive to sitting outside and sketching. I did take some sewing with me and I tended to do that, and sleep!

Another small village in my sketchbook

It is wet and cold again today, but then it is winter. I have added another small village to my sketchbook, I used my inktense blocks this time, they are a little different to use and my sky is a bit odd. John has been picking more olives to pickle and I have been washing, some of it may not dry for days but will get a good washing. At the moment I am watching football and sewing but just dived out to put this post up.

Kokeshi dolls

I have been busy sewing and not sketching. It is very wet and cold so today I started to catch up on a few things, one being this blog. The fact that I couldnt find the sketch I wanted to add some color to is neither here nor there. I have a small collection of Kokeshi dolls, given to girls in Japan on girls day. two are really quite old as my mother bought them when she was in Japan quite a few years ago (they are signed), we bought a couple on various visits to Japan, they are mostly the more normal tourist ones but one is a signed one and I have been given one as well from a Japanese student we had staying with us. I love these dolls and they are such a lovely reminder of our trips to Japan. Not very well done I am afraid as I had to get up and down to sketch them, I think they are more wobbly and lopsided than normal, but I needed to get something done. Off to feed my wet chooks.

From my sketchbook

I have been a bit sore and sorry for myself after my fall, but yesterday we had to go to Adelaide, John to a meeting so I wandered around Norwood Parade, had a coffee and read the paper until he was finished and then we headed over to the hair dressers. While John was having his hair and beard cut and after I had been 'done' I sat out on a very comfortable couch and sketched what was in front of me, the big owl was on a cushion and I added the smaller one and there were also two candlesticks so a small addition to my sketchbook. I am taking things a little slowly, it is my left shoulder that is giving me grief but I am still managing to get done what has to be. I am making pumpkin soup at the moment to take away with me next week, I go on Monday and home on Thursday, leaving John to hold the fort, and feed the animals. He has some meetings and didnt think he should come with me.

Playing with acrylic

I normally use watercolour but I have had a yen to try out acrylics. I am never going to be brilliant at this but rather like the primitive look to it, perhaps I am going to turn into Granma Moses!! Fell over today, not a good thing to do, landed on the good knee and re wrenched the bad shoulder, feel a bit sorry for myself!

Having fun with inktense pencils

Love being able to sketch little houses on a wet and miserable day using pen, my inktense pencils and a water brush.