Geese & Goats...

There hasn't been a lot of painting lately due to other commitments, but over the weekend I managed to complete this little watercolour of some geese.  Not how I had it in mind, but that's OK it was just good to be painting again.

The reference photos for this were taken on Good Friday at a place down the road from us called Miller's Ark, which had lots of baby birds and animals to be stroked and held.

 Some got a little too familiar...

...that's not lunch, kid!

Next on the easel, a duck...

Look What I Found!

I've been clearing out a few cupboard spaces this week and found among my stash some items that I made a while ago which would probably be happier being used rather than hidden away in a storage bag.  First is this beach top, knitted from a fabulous yarn which is like J Cloth fabric.  I followed the pattern exactly which means it is way too small for me so is untouched and new.   I love the fact that when washed this just springs back into shape, no ironing or blocking required. 

There was also this crochet lace collar - very pretty indeed, made from cream coloured crochet cotton and fastened with a mother of pearl button.

Both of these are going into my Etsy shop - go have a look!

Behind our house are some farmer's fields which have just had the barley harvested.  Every year, a few days after harvest, the geese come to feast on the scattered grain left behind.  They must have some way of finding out, either that or they send scouts ahead to check the landscape!  Yesterday morning when I walked the dog, there must have been about 200 geese in total, sitting in groups like this one.

They are quite wary as even though my dog was completely oblivious to their presence (unlike previous years where he thought it great sport to chase them off!) they began to leave as we progressed along the side of the field.

Although the appearance of great flocks of geese heralds the end of summer, I do love to see them, especially when huge flocks fly honking over our house at low level when dusk falls.  Magical!

Happy New Year!

Here's hoping 2013 will be happier, healthier and a whole lot drier than 2012!

We've just been to feed the swans - but it was full of New Year's fairweather walkers with the same idea.  These pictures are from last week when we had the place to ourselves - it was drizzly and cold but lots of fun.

The swans got  a bit above themselves though, cheeky devils...

...but in the end I had them eating out of my hand!

It makes me laugh when you hear everyone trot out the same old wive's tale about swans breaking your arm with a peck or a wingbeat.  The worst we came away with was a gentle nip when fingers were mistaken for bread and a muddy webbed footprint on one shoe.

We're off to eat some delicious roast lamb - hope your New Year's Day is fun, peaceful and hangover-free!

Interesting........

As you know, one of my daughter's favourite occupations is feeding the local bird population.  These days she tends to do this on a Thursday with her careworker, but last week this expedition was rained off.  So we went this morning to visit Fleet Pond instead.

Amongst the usual swans, mallards and Canada geese, there were some birds I didn't recognize at all. Luckily I'd had the forethought to take the camera along, so snapped a few pictures for reference when we got home.

Apparently they are Egyptian Geese, although are actually more of a duck than a goose.  Not native to the UK, the population here originates from escapees of parks and ornamental ponds.  Unusual and quite attractive birds and they have a weird mooing quack which sent my daughter off into paroxysms of laughter, as you can hear on  the video - if it loads!

I did take the camera along to the Fleet Carnival dog show this morning too, but as my dog was terrified by the crowds and loudspeaker system and lasted about ten minutes on the perimeter of proceedings before being taken home, there are no pictures of his shame.....

Got It!

.....the photograph that is, not a goose! This morning the geese were back on the fields, but most of them were already flying off - no doubt due to another dog walker coming from the other side.


However, there were still some left waddling about next to the playing field........


....'Hello......what's all this?'


The geese were fairly unconcerned, I think they remembered him as not being much of a threat....


....silly geese, he hadn't had his breakfast yet this morning, so was up for a chase!



Not that he had any chance of catching a goose - they are far too quick for him and just took off in a leisurely fashion without even making a honk.


It did make for some wonderful photographs though - I always feel very privileged to own a saluki as when you see them in action it really is something special. I rarely have my camera with me though or if I do, he is far too fast for me to snap anything other than a speck in the distance. Today I was prepared for once and finally got my reward.

Just in case anyone is worried, no geese were harmed or even slightly traumatised...they just wheeled around in the sky and landed the other side of the hill to continue grazing, while Clovis trotted off to sniff some rabbit holes. Then we went home for breakfast..........


....yum! I love the summer holidays and having the time to cook - these are blueberries from the garden!

I'm preparing a giveaway - seems about time for another one. He just needs some legs.........

A Grand Day Out & Some Wild Geese

Yesterday we spent the day in London, visiting the National Gallery to see their Fakes, Mistakes & Discoveries exhibit. I took my camera along, but was not very good at getting any photographs as I was too busy looking at everything! We passed through Trafalgar Square as the gallery is at the top - on the 'spare' plinth there is currently a huge ship in a bottle which I thought was pretty cool. The bottle itself must be about 10 ft long and I would love to know how it was made.


Stacie posed in front of the fountains......

Then there is a very large gap between photographs! The exhibit we went to see was very interesting, many paintings that had been discovered to be fakes or even a genuine article that was nearly discarded as a fake. Some lovely paintings had been 'improved' by restorers over the years - one seductive lady had had her nipples painted out and her expression made far more demure by some prudish Victorian! Luckily the present day restorers have managed to bring her back to her original condition.

After that, we took my daughter to see the Van Gogh paintings - she has developed an interest after watching that episode of Dr.Who! I absolutely love the wing where the Van Gogh's are - I'm practically running to and fro inbetween my favourite paintings of all time - Stubbs' Whistlejacket, Monet's Water Lilies, Renoir's The Umbrellas, Delaroche's The Execution of Lady Jane Grey, and so many more. Stacie was transfixed to see the Sunflowers in real life - apparently that was the best part of the day.


I couldn't resist buying a Van Gogh finger puppet.....perhaps if I wear it while painting I'll get some inspiration......he has both his ears here, so obviously Van Gogh from a happier time!


On the way home, walking across Hungerford Bridge, looking down we saw on the South Bank this lady painting on some enormous canvases on the ground. Lovely work - I wonder what she will do with them when they are completed?


Also saw this 'city' made entirely from painted bricks - not too sure what the display was in aid of, something to do with Brazil! It was a lot of fun though.

Since they harvested the barley in the fields behind our house, large flocks of geese have come to graze on the spilled grain.



It's wonderful to walk along and see these big birds in such numbers, honking quietly at our passing.


I've got a bit of a confession though - since seeing a labrador go crashing through these geese last year and making them all fly away in a spectacular fashion, I keep hoping my dog will do the same and I will get a fantastic photo. No such luck - he is totally uninterested.


I just have to wait until they fly away by themselves, which isn't nearly as exciting to watch but still pretty good.