Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Sketchbook play


A couple of new heads, I think they are getting weirder, or perhaps that is what I am looking for, they have been fun but I dont think I am getting any better.
My sandals, for an on line class I am doing, we had to sketch our shoes/sandals, I dont have very many shoes that are not terribly practical but I did find these with a bit more to draw than just a shoe shape.
Another on line class is suggesting we practice for colour and design, I think this is a bit like wallpaper but it again was fun to just doodle and fill in with colour.
Cold and overcast with a bit of drizzle and by the end of the week the weather bureau is suggesting we may get up to 27 degrees, far too warm for the first day or so of September, and we just hope more rain is on the way. The 1 mm we had overnight is not nearly enough.
I am afraid that is the farmers lot, worrying about weather.

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Sunday, August 28, 2011

The reed beds

I did this yesterday, wet in wet, from the memories of the reed beds down by the mouth of the river Murray we were there several months ago and suddenly yesterday needed to get some paint on paper. I think it has come out a bit light but it may be my monitor.
might look better if you click on it to enlarge it and I really must wipe my scanner, that dot is not on the painting.
We had a new foal born this morning, a rather lovely elegant part welsh filly. I think she is about to give her mother the run around as already she is off for a canter around the paddock.
I am aching this morning, not sure if its the weather or the lessening of the meds, it is cool and windy but we are off for what I hope will be a lovely lunch today.
Better get ready or John will be back from looking at a potential new milk tank and I am still in my work clothes! My good intentions of cutting a few more things back have gone out of the window as my wrists are so uncomfortable. Maybe tomorrow.
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Saturday, August 27, 2011

Waiting for..


The top sketch was while I was waiting for John to sort out with our IT fellow what was needed on the new computer. He lives at home so this was his next door neighbours bird bath.
The second one was yesterday morning after I had an early (fasting) blood test and I went to have a cup of coffee at the Anchorage and waited for John as the electrics on the console of the ute had given up and he had to take it to see what the mechanics/electricians thought. It was an interesting morning as my car was in to have the thermostat replaced, and then his car played up.
So cars were going in all directions.
So I am managing to get some sketching done even if they are very quick ones.
I am also doing some textile stuff but nothing worth looking at yet.
Oh and do have a look at my daughters blog, Sarah takes wonderful photos, and so she should as she has great equipment, not like my little point and shoot. Her link is on my Back Valley Seasons blog which is on the side bar here, cant remember probably as my other blog!!.
I will try to put the link up on this blog as well.
Cold and cloudy, John is fishing. I have cut back stuff in the garden think I might just go and read a bit more of Jean Auels latest book I got yesterday the fire is still tempting to sit by.
Still some aches but if I take things slowly I am managing well.
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Thursday, August 25, 2011

Heads 10, 11 and 12


Slowly, very slowly I am getting some of these done. i doubt very much if I will get to 100 but you never know.
At least I can draw these quickly at night when I am tired.
A stunningly beautiful day today and there were whales around, so look at my other blog to see photos.
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Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Junk Mail fun


Here are a few pages from my Junk mail class with Carla sonheim, it has been such fun.
I cant scan the full two page spreads unfortunately as you get a better idea of what we were doing, connecting lines across all the pages basically.
I have enough pages to make another one,a nd possible another one as well!
We have had some lovely weather but I have been so busy with this!
I have some around the farm photos on my other blog ( see the side bar).
Back soon I hope, I havent had the use of my computer to download stuff for a few days as John is getting a new one so he has had mine. I will be glad when we are back to normal!



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Monday, August 22, 2011

Three sketches from yesterday


Yesterday John and I dorove for just over 2 hours to the back of Angaston in the Barossa Valley and met with members of the Waterhouse Club, which is a fund raising and expeditioning part of the Adelaide museum. This one was a geology look at a creek in which some small and enigmatic fossils have been found.
The Waterhouse Club functions are always well done and fun. So after we had all assembleed at Moculta we headed over towards the River Murray through bony hills but stopped before we got down to the plains, This was serious Red Gum Country, our red gums are huge and old, it was also wombat country as well and their burrows were in along the creek we were following. An interesting and long walk which with my non active weeks was a bit tough and not seeing well made getting along the creek bed very interesting and I stopped and sketched just before we got to the fossil.
I dont think these have scanned very well but there was an interesting red gum on the other side of the creek, lots of different textures and wriggly old roots and I sort of managed to sketch it. The second one is of the creek itself which at this point had water in it and the third sketch was another very old red gum, half dead but with the most interesting bark and markings on it. It also had a hive of wild bees in it on the other side!
We were given a lovely lunch, (late) but...
We had another over 2 hour drive home and so didnt manage to get to the copper mine the others were going to but instead had a lovely drive home through the hills with all the prunus trees lining many of the small villages and along the side of the road.
A stunning day and lovely country to drive home through, although we were both very tired after our over 3 hour walk and the drive as well.
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Saturday, August 20, 2011

Head No 9

I have no idea what I did to his ear, so disregard that!
I am still gessoing ans playing with my junk book, so cant show that yet.
A fairly busy couple of days, just doing my thing. eading abnd sewing a bit and generally trying to do things at my own pace.
Nearly had a red kelpie pup, neighbours who shouldnt have dogs let theirs onto the road this morning and some one dropped it in asking if I knew whose it was but I dont really want a pup, and not one that is skin and bone, any way, said neighbour arrived at the back door asking if I had seen them and swooped.
I will go and get one from the pound. I dont really want a kelpie, they dig.
Lost our first foal, didnt get out of the bag, these things happen and I often think that there is a problem when that happens, I also think it was breach.
Sad, but a part of farming any animal.
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