Life drawing and a leisurely walk

 I didn’t have a good night and wasn’t really in the mood for the life drawing workshop, but did go and I enjoyed it. We started with 5 minute sketches, then ten minutes and a a couple a bit longer. He was obviously an experienced model and when the timer went immediately took up a different pose. Some were quite challenging but I settled into it. I will post four of the later ones as the first ones were pretty iffy!

It was relaxed and I sat next to a lady who hadn’t done life drawing for a while like me. We may meet up again if we both sign up for the next one that has a tutor.

After lunch I took a slow walk to Dunkeld along the river path, I had a present I needed to buy and although I was weary need to keep getting out if I can. Took a picture from the bridge but from the opposite of the road so the bridge was in it!

Walked back even more slowly through the village, had a quick drink and then went to Blairgowrie with Tina to do the grocery shopping. We did get some low fat Greek yoghurt so I can try to make the blueberry bagels again!

Maybe some embroidery this evening.

Quite a busy day

 This morning I went to Blairgowrie with Tina, we were going to the charity blueberry picking but called in at The Nest on the way. I got another embroidery, but it is very delicate so I will do this one t home a the light isn’t good as the knitting group. It says esy, okay for complete beginners. I beg to differ those thin bcods in the kit need to be embroidered down, nd gold twine and seed beads It is only 5 inches square.

Then we went to the farm. The owner allows a variety of charities have sessions of taking donations from the public wanting to go and pick blueberries. Tina was going to be a steward to show people where they were allowed to pick and I was given my punnets on a string which was round my neck and went off to pick, I did give a donation. We had a particular row that we could pick from on both sides. But not on the adjacent ones. There were bramble bushes in some places so I ws a bit scratched.

I picked over a kilo, and that made the string round my neck quite uncomfortable, but it is quite a lot of blueberries.

I had a walk round the farm, lots more bushes in poly tunnels.

When the sun was out it made the drops on the grass really sparkle, but it doesn’t on a photo!

There were from workers cottages, but imagine they are rented out now.

I don’t know where the water came from that came down the large pipe near the back of this picture, but the stream was very clear.

After lunch I decided to have a go at a recipe Tina hd been given for blueberry bagels.

I have never got into such a sticky mess. We bought full ft yogurt which was very thick, practically solid

And it just did not mix well with the flour. I used extra flour to get them it into six balls, but got completed in ever more sticky mixture. There was no way my finger was going to make hole in the middle, but I did try! So nothing like bagels but we have eaten them, a bit doughy but edible. Maybe I will try again with low fat yogurt As I have plenty of blueberries!

Had a busy spell in the garden with Tina. Should have taken photos. They moved the cars and we set about cutting back the bushes which were getting seriously out of control. There was also ivy coming out from under the bushes and working its way over the ground! I am not sure how long we were out there, but well over an hour and the two empty garden bins re now filled to the top and we had to keep pushing the contents down. Quite enough exercise for my hips and me, so feet up name maybe, or maybe not some embroidery.

Taking it easy

 I did go out this morning to have my hair cut. But apart from that and the usual household chores, I finished the jigsaw with Darren.

We haven’t got one standing by, maybe borrow one from the library.

I have done sone embroidery, not something I can rush at. Will have to get something else to do when I finish it.

I started trying to draw a building from a photo, but gave up after three attempts! I am much better at drawing the actual things than work from a photo. So I moved to safer territory.

Going to see a modern take on Macbeth at the arts centre this evening which will be different.

Blueberry picking in the morning so hope the rain clears up.

Jab and dam!

 I checked the trees and plants before going to catch the train to Pitlochry. One of the bonsais is looking autumnal and the sunflowers in the pot were laying on their sides. So I picked them up and have tried to tie them to a bolt in the wall. They are forming flowers now.

At Pitlochry I had to go over the foot bridge, not a bad view from there.

The ticket inspector on the train didn’t reach me and I was going to buy my ticket on board. There were no ticket machines so could have just made my way into the town but I went into the ticket off to buy my return ticket. The nice gentlemen asked if I was going back today and then printed me a single ticket home. Perhaps he was surprised at someone going in to pay for the ride they had just had, but I wasn’t arguing. I was well early for my RSV jab so had a drink and went in quite a few shops. Took this picture on the way to the  community hospital.

I didn’t have to wait long before getting the jab, but took a picture of the lovely wall hanging while I waited.

On the way to the hospital I saw a sign to say there was no vehicle chess to the dam, but I wondered if it was a short enough walk. I asked a couple of local people and they said I could walk there. Took a lot of pic and a beautiful day for it. I did check with several people en route as there were no signs to follow. After I had been going for a while a couple told me it was about another fifteen minutes walk. Probably a bit more at my speed!

Loved this bridge, it di move when people were walking over it.

I walked down the road from there and once round a corner the dam came into sight.

It was interesting being the side where the fish ladder is.

I made my was across the dam to the visitors centre, the small building at the top of that picture.

I had a sandwich and cuppa in the visitors centre and had to buy this tea cloth, it makes me smile.

I walked back the way I came and resisted more dam pictures. I passed the very impressive theatre.

As I neared the hospital I noticed two signs to the information centre, one was a river walk. Very pretty views.

As the trees cleared I realised it wasn’t the visitors centre in the town,, I had walked back to the dam! The climb to get back to the cafe I had eaten at was very challenging for me. I took photos of two lots of steps, but there were a couple more after that!

I was back at the dam and had to walk up quite a steep hill to get back to the town. By the time I was back at the station I was pretty tired and very achy. This artwork wascon the platform!

I flopped for a while when I got home.pandora was glad of a lap.

I have done some jigsaw but nothing strenuous.

Bit of a mixture

 This morning I pulled out some drawers from my bedroom chest of drawers that had stuff in, toiletries, stationery, and small boxes of stuff packed when we were moving. The intention was to reduce the ‘stuff’ drawers to two so that I had somewhere for towels etc. That is ongoing but think I will be able to do it.

I went outside to pot some plants I carried home from the garden group yesterday, some London pride and some tall grass. I didn’t have a lot of compost left and nor did I have a pot pig enough for the grass. I did pot the London pride.

I bought some wide, waterproof trainers a while ago but cannot manage to do laces now so Tina suggested getting elastic laces. They came yesterday, I threaded them okay but could not work out the knot thing as an ordinary bow doesn’t hold. Tina did one ant tried to show me but try as I might I could not do it, very frustrating, Darren did the second one!

As I needed more pots and compost I suggested we go out, have dinner and got the stuff I need as it meant a trip to Perth. B&Q first, got pots nd some seed trays.

We had lunch at Dobbies and then had a look around. There were some very sorry looking Chinese lanterns but no reduced. There was nobody around but I I saw a member of staff near the checkout and asked her about them. She walked back through the store with me and said I could have one for half price. She told me to tell the lady at the checkout that Pat said I could have it for half price, and did!

We did cal in at a discount shop before coming home. I did a sketch of the rescued Chinese lantern before going out into the garden.

Tina had bought a cheap picture frame to see if it would be suitable fore something she was doing, she needs a different size so she gave it to me. I popped one of my sketches in it.

I went out to pot the plants, I couldn’t push the holes through in the big pot so ended up emptying a pot I had to put the grass in. I will need a drill for the new pot!

Potted the Chinese lantern as well. It was the best one there.

I ordered a second hand book about making bee houses, it came today and in perfect condition.

I needed some milk so went round to the shop. Looks like rain might be in the offing, although it looks brighter out now.

I have made my hip more painful than usual doing exercises to make it more flexible!!

Off to Pitlochry tomorrow to have a jab at the cottage hospital.