While working in the garden I kept having thoughts about Japan

 It is quite a long time since we were last in Japan and I love the very stylized trees and gardens. I went searching for my lantern to see if I could put it in the space by the back door but I had forgotten that I only had the top and not the bottom of it.
So instead I did a few sketches of things as I remembered them.
We have been very busy re doing parts of the garden, the more manageable areas, a lot of the rest will just have to be let go as it is all too much.
As usual pots are playing a major role in what I am doing. I do find it easier and now I have sewn up the shade cloth over the paving by the back door and that is up and my little water trickle is going and the windchimes have been re done I feel much better about what is actually the main entrance to the house.
After all only salesmen seem to come to the front door and I cant open that any way (too many indoor pots are taking advantage of a nice sunny area)!!!
We are having lovely Spring weather, although the sprinklers have come out today as we have had no rain for over a week and the sun has been quite warm. My deep sand tends to dry oput rather fast once we are into October.
It has been a joy to sit out under the sprouting (and flowering) glory vine and watch the birds and enjoy the blossom and the flowers that have all suddenly decided to come out.
A nice place for a coffee and to read the paper.
Then get on with a bit more hard work.
So not a lot of painting or sketching being done but something I havent felt able to do for such a long time, and it is very satisfying.
I am just not looking forward to really hot summer days, or wind, or flies!

Lady in the red hat

 Here is my supposedly better painitng of the lady in the red fhat, her left eye needs work but I dont think I will bother.
I dont do portraits and this one looks nothing like her photo.
If any thing it is colder today, snow on the hills(not near here though) but hail and rain and miserable.
I did go out and pot up a few geraniums this morning and scared the ponies with my umbrella.
I had to check on the foal with the stitches in his head, he looked ok apart from having the mark of Voldemort on his head. Why did they call him Harry Potter.
I am going back to the fire some new meds I am taking have upset my tummy a bit.
There is always something.

More from my sketchbook

 I cant remember if I put the boats in before! If I did I am sorry  but here they are again.
then the base for my portrait, I will put her in later, and more flowers.
Today it has warmed up, we have installed my water feature by the back door but still lots to do.
My knee has been playing up and all my GP could say today was go swimming! Huh, I told him I didnt have the money to sign up for a gym , or the time, or to buy a wet suit to go swimming in the sea, I asked him if he could imagine me trying to struggle into a wet suit with a gammy knee.
Sometimes men have no idea.
So I have bought another knee support and hope this may help.
I need to walk more.
He also asked if I was depressed, I said of couse I was with the way the farm was having problems but no I did not want pills.
I shall go around singing and laughing to myself and every one will think I am mad.
No honestly, things are not brilliant and I have had to go back up on the cortisone but at least I am now not in the pain I was last week. It was stupid of me to think I could drop down a mg when I did.
Tomorrow I hope Max and I can go for a long walk, this morning we slept in, daylight saving is mucking up when I wake up, what was 6.30 is now 7.30.
Thank you to those who listen to me moan!

From my sketchbook

these are some of the watercolour samples I did, sone with ink first and some just placing the colour on the paper.
They were fun exercises in the use of the brush and quickly getting an impression down.
I did a lot of these as I was trying first to see what things looked like before I put it onto good paper.
Not quite such a busy day, cold and damp and thank goodness for the fire.
I was really worried about the mare this morning but she seems bright and eating although there are a couple of things I am still not happy about.
I did buy something to supplement the foal with if I have to but as all the crew are at the local show and they help run it they havent been around.
We didnt get to the show as I am still aching all over and John has a badly swollen knuckle and hand which may be a re occurence of his gout problems.

It was my birthday, a short post

It was my birthday yesterday but as half the family forgot it and I was at the last day of a 4 day painting class and was so tired I could hardly move, the fact that a very favorite mare was up in Adelaide being treated for something, toxic but what it passed in a blur.
I even had to cook dinner!
I wont go into it all but the mare is now home and I hope going to be ok.
These are a couple of my not terribly good paintings, the first a 15 minute quick exercise and the second a not terribly good exercise in? I cant remember. I find boats very difficult to paint.
Oh but John did give me a gorgeous pair of earrings he found in Darwin, now that was a plus as he very very rarely buys me jewellery, he says because I make so much my self.
A frantic trip to Adelaide today to collect the mare and foal, traffic was horrendous and road works every where, and it is school holidays, I just want a drink and bed but I had better make dinner first.
Really just to say I am in the world of the living and havent disappearedd.

Meat tray stamps

 I had cut up a couple of small meat trays to take away with me, didnt have time to do anything with them while we were away but when I came home I drew these two 'rock art' look alikes and printed them in my book.
So much fun to do, simple and easy.
I have a flat out week next week with painting lessons from Monday to Thursday which I think I am looking forward to, I havent had time to think about it!
 Tomorrow my great grandson Mason has a 4th birthday bbq lunch and P comes to stay (she is to do the lessons too) in the evening.
I think I am more or less organised.
Up to Adelaide this morning, these 3hour round trips do get a bit tiring, especially as it is school holidays and the driving at times is appalling.
Caught up with friends from WA and had a late lunch and collapsed infront of the tv to watch the AFL Grand Final, the team I favoured won but it was a close fought match.
I have made a casserole for dinner, now to wait for it to cook.
Off to do a bit of handstitching.

From my sketchbook

 The top one was trying to get on paper my impression of the dry creek beds and sandhills we were flying over on our way to Darwin, done in the plane while the landscape below kept on changing. So I had to remember what I had first put down before I filled in the pieces. I would like to translate this into a painting. I will see how I go, my translations dont seem to look as nice as my sketches.
The second one were of the little things I saw around E and W's garden, the bells, hanging lanterns, water lilies, windchimes, water features and bird cages (they were for decorative purposes only, no birds in them.)
We have had 2 hot days, now we are back to cold and wind, with a little rain. Not a terribly pleasant day.
I do feel virtuous though as at least I have dusted and vacuumed, I would like to wash the floors but not in this weather, they will just get muddy.
I have to go into the surgery to have my annual (now I am over 70) drivers license check up, a pain as my usual GP is away, and I have to see another and have an ecg as well. I will be glad when it is over.