Walking and painting

Bitterly cold today but I wrapped up well and walked up to Freeport because I wanted to get there earlier than the bus attired. I was to paint a barn owl today but wanted to be finished in time for the 1.30pm bus as was going to see Jean with Tina. Jean had a fall a couple of weeks ago and hasn’t been out since so Tina was taken Communion to her. I managed the walk okay and enjoyed a nice hot chocolate when I got to the studio. One of the samples I had painted was fired, and turned out really well.

I had finished off the dolls, that are now vegetables so took them up ready to be fired with the to bigger ones.

I painted the barn owl, and hope it will be okay when fired.

The pig mug that I painted sadly got knocked off a shelf and broke. It had been the only one they had so Caroline is going to order some more. Will have to get the writing done better next time!

Went to Tesco withTina before heading off to see Jean. We all chatted for a while before the home communion service.

My brother died some time ago now and for a couple of years I sponsored a led on the hospice memory tree.  It had been supposed to be sent to me but that didn’t happen. Then out of the blue a couple of weeks ago I was contacted by a new fundraiser for the hospice to see about renewing my sponsorship. I explained that I had stopped but was happy to make a final donation and the leaf to be returned. It arrived today so I will have it on a photo of Brian.

Weather permitting I will go to Beverley tomorrow, I need more matcha green tea powder!

Breakfast with Angela and onward with the garden

I went over to Bemora with Angela and we had a good natter over breakfast. Made an early lunch for Tina as she had a meeting this afternoon and we watched a Bargain Hunt. I walked round to see Sher early afternoon. She is having to walk more these days, which isn’t pleasing her, but her husband had a large deer hit the car, the deer went off but his car was a write off! So they are down to one car and cannot really afford to replace it.

Back home I went out into the garden and thought I would make a start on the bed nearest to the house, will keep plodding away on the days I feel able to.

Have done a bit of painting this evening, the sweet corn. Not easy to see the detail, I hope the colour of the darker detail is dark enough. Will take it up to the studio tomorrow and I will be painting a barn owl sample. I think at least one of the samples I have painted has been fired, so will be good to see that.

Google photos made a collage which I will add particularly for Tina’s benefit.

Feeling weary again, but at least I am slowly getting bits done.

Rainy and grey

A pretty wet day here today although it did ease off for a while in the afternoon. As it wasn’t a gardening day I set my mind to the greenhouse. Only grew sunflower seeds and a couple of tomato plants last year. What with the knee and the amount of time I spent in Peterborough I really had let things slip quite badly. The squirrels and probably mice had attacked stuff in the greenhouse and the weeds had made pretty good inroads too. add that to me just doing dumping stuff I there out of the way and you get the general picture! So, an hour pretty well spent and hopefully used in te proper way a bit more this year.

The rain eased a bit before I went to see Sarah and David so I did go out and feed the birds. As you can see, quite a few seagulls wait for me to go indoors!

I had still been battling with the jigsaw, and was beginning to think it wouldn’t fit on my puzzle board. So checked, and it wouldn’t. So have packed it away but have kept the crazy edge pieces separate in case I decide to get a board big enough and try again,  but don’t hold your breath!

I will finish with a picture of a dog I see on the bus sometimes, not the prettiest but he is so friendly and well behaved. But I add it because his owner caught me at the bus stop on Saturday and was a bundle of joy talking about me and him (he is about my age) would be seeing World War Three! Luckily he wasn’t catching the same bus as me so it was a short conversation.

Walk and garden

This morning I walked to the sea front and arranged to meet Darren at the cafe at 8.30am. Not early enough for the sunrise but still lovely.

There is a new artwork ner the beginning of the trail, Tina thought I had seen it, but I hadn’t, quite different.

I arrived at the cafe a bit early so sat and took another picture of the sea. An elderly gent going into the cafe asked if I was sun bathing!

Once I had fed the birds and tidied up the tubs and trays that were a mess by the greenhouse I decided to make a start clearing the bed next to the pub fence. I removed what seemed like miles of brambles from the opposite side to the flower bed. I worked for a while before lunch and went out again in the  afternoon.

We had dinner later this evening as Tina was taking an evensong service. Weary tonight so won’t be late getting to sleep.

Bus into Hull

When I was feeding the bird I took a photo of the hellebore which is opening beautifully.

The shopping arrived early today, which was good as I had planned to take the bus into Hull. Haven’t  year, and probably not December either. As the leg is a little better at the moment and I needed some things I cannot get in Hornsea I decided to give it a try. I went into St Stephens first and topped up the toiletries, then walked into the city centre via The Prospect Centre. The unit with all the carnival characters is still there. A lot of different ones. Shame about the reflections but you can get some idea of how good they are.

Went into Lush to get Tina’s bath bombs and then headed for Princes Quay, had to have a picture of the foot bridge I love.

As the buses are only every one and a half hours now I decided to miss lunch and catch the 1.15pmbus. Bought a sausage roll and drink at Greggs to eat on the journey home. The bus driver was early and allowed people to get on early, that was a bonus. There is new artwork painted on the walls at the station.

I did try to do a bit more to the jigsaw, this may be one that I give up on!

A couple of busier days so not too active this evening!

Longer walk and a ridiculous jigsaw!

I walked down the road early on as I had a letter to post, and then fed the birds before going to visit Bel. She seemed more weary today but she had had a medical procedure earlier in the week and had got wet and cold going to the surgery on her motorised buggy. But she was still going to go and get her hair washed and set and her neighbour was getting her fish and chips this evening. One of my memories today wa of two years ago when she came to the pottery studio with me. She still keeps that rabbit on her mantle shelf.

When I got home set off almost immediately with Tina as we were going to have lunch at Freeport. Then we both went up to Pound .Stretcher before Tina went home as she had a meeting, I went into the pottery studio to see Caroline. She liked my sample flower pot and we have booked in a workshop for mid May to give me time for recovery from the surgery. She gave me a large fruit bowl as there is only one in the shop. I will have to think of a really nice design to do it justice.

When I had finished talking to Caroline I had just missed a bus, so as my leg wasn’t too bad I thought I would try walking home, but on the bus route rather than along Polly’s Path. I not only managed the walk home, but detoured nd bought some oat milk in Tesco, so well over a mile which is like a marathon compared to recent efforts! I did sit with my feet up for a bit when I got in, then thought I would start the jigsaw that Bel had bought me for Christmas. It is a shaped one. Sorting the pieces it was hard to tell which pieces were edges and some were so tiny with only one nodule! When I started trying to match some they don’t all interlock just sit next to each other. It is truly ridiculous!

Give that up for today. It seems my friends are determined to test my patience!

Final Traitors tonight, we have really enjoyed it again.

Will finish with a memory from four years ago.

Cupboard clearing and more painting

After Ringtons had been I went out to sort the cupboard of out that used to have our previous gardeners lawnmower in. There are two steep steps into it and I admit that it has just become a dumping place and I can never find what I want! So, as Tina has now entered us for Open Gardens in June I had better get active when I can!

I had an old bathroom set of drawers upstairs so thought that would be useful. No excuse not to go up and down the steps now and actually be able to find things!

I had brought a flower pot home from the studio yesterday to work on an idea for a workshop. I made some pansy templates and drew round all three on the flower pot. I used a fine line felt tip so will be able to check that it will burn away. I have painted the pansies more in dabs than strokes to give some texture. Will be hard to see how they are until fired.

This eveningI have painted the second one of the Russian doll set. I will take the flower pot and the marrow up to the studio tomorrow.

Not long now until the penultimate Traitors!

More painting

I wasn’t feeling at my best this morning, I have been having rubbish nights on the recliner so thought I would try the bed again last night. Gave up on that soon after midnight and went back to the recliner. I think the night disturbance is making me even more tired as I am usually feeling okay once Iget up. But being positive is the mood of the moment so I went to the shop before catching the bus up to Freeport to see what they have lined up for me to paint today. Yesterday evening I painted the first of the Russian door set, I hadn’t marked it very well, the pencil smeared and I changed some of the lines. I really wasn’t very happy with it but took it up to the studio so it can be fired, along with the mug that ai painted at the weekend.

None of the samples I have done recently have been fired yet, so maybe I will see one next week. Had a drink with Rob before starting on a rabbit. Obviously a take on Peter Rabbit. Forgot to take a photo before I started but did take one whenI had done the first coat of brown.

Took a couple of hours,so another one for the kiln!

We have some snowdrops I the front garden!

Had another delivery of bird food supplies yesterday so got that sorted out this afternoon.

I may do a workshop at the studio and it will be a decorated flower pot. So I have brought one home to make a sample. More of that whenI get going.

Feeling weary so will take it easy and join Tina to watchThe Traitors later.

Miserable weather but nice trip out

I have been in and out a bit today, so a bit more walking but in fairly short bursts. I went to post a letter before nine and collected the towels on the way back. It started to rain so I didn’t go out to feed the birds as the seed would have got wet. Angela came to collect me at 9.30am and we went to Eastfield garden centre in Bridlington. We had a nice breakfast then had a look round and then a coffee before heading back. I did buy some new bird feeders, they don last long with the squirrels!

Although it was still drizzly and chilly I went to see Sher, Ihad something for her and we had a cuppa and chat. Then I set off down Newbegin went to the banking hub, and called in at The Factory Shop and then collected my prescription on the way home. I got a some plant pots in The FactoryShop and another bird feeder in Boyes! They are both very cheap shops…..

The rain had eased off so I went into the garden and put up the we bird feeders. I also swept the paths in the walled garden becaus an awful lot of moss had come down from the roof.

The knee isn’t to happy so now that dinner is done and dusted I won’t be doing a lot, just resting the leg!

Off to the studio in the morning, no idea what I will be painting this week.