Saturday, 27th February 2021 - A Sign of Spring

Two weeks of sage tablets. I was able to admire the brightness of the moon after a group of hot flushes. They aren't working.

I have planted out poppies but still not got around to getting my beans in. Maybe tomorrow.

I know I should be grateful for all I have and I am, but sometimes it doesn't stop me from feeling damn right down in the dumps.

We had to stop our brisk walk to enjoy the gambling lambs. 

A Sign of Spring

Charcoal
 

Friday, 26th February 2021 - February Gold

What a glorious day. I need room in my greenhouse to plant French bean seeds. Out have come some love-in-the-mist that have been overwintering. Now they are adorning the flower beds. 

The temperature is rapidly falling so I have the wood burner alight and a bottle of Prosecco in the fridge. How English of me to mention the weather twice in one post.

These were a gift from a friend. She has them in clusters in her garden under the trees. Thank you. We have put it in the diary to plant some in the autumn.

February Gold

Pen and Watercolour

 

Thursday, 25th February 2021 - Artist's House

I went for a very long walk with Leelee this afternoon. We passed by the house of Dinos Chapman, an artist I discovered today.

Artist's House

Watercolour

Wednesday, 24th February 2021 - New Vista

Some trees have been taken out at the bottom of the garden. I am looking forward to admiring the view and watching the sun rise from my bed in the morning.

While making cauliflower cheese I was able to watch the arrival of a new lamb at Albans Barnyard via their lambcam. Many more to come. How exciting.

New Vista

Watercolour

Tuesday, 23rd February 2021 - Bath Time for Action Man

An open door and the sun were too much to resist. Tim mended a hose blockage. Herbie and I played outside with diggers, watering cans and Action Man.

A visit to the greenhouse revealed my sweet peas are coming up. 

Bath Time for Action Man

Pen and Watercolour

Monday, 22nd February 2021 - Abstraction Squared

 I am banking on the fact that the benefits of doing yoga have outweighed the amount of time I have been on screen. Playing with Herbie is very restorative.

This afternoon Zooming with my art committee where we decided that a May exhibition will have to be online.

This evening an art class Zoom. I lost all sense of time and space with my paints. 

Abstraction Squared

Watercolour and Ink

Sunday, 21st February 2021 - Decomposing Ferns

 My yoga was meant to calm me. It didn't reduce my dislike of clearing up hedge cuttings. 

An hour or so in my studio was marvelous studying colour and doing my homework.

We drank chilled white wine and Zoomed with friends. Boris is rolling out his 'roadmap' tomorrow. We may be meeting elsewhere and not through our screens.

Spiral is still keeping us entertained in the evenings. Eating a tomato based curry was not the greatest option when there are bodily mutilations in front of me.

Decomposing Ferns

Watercolour

Saturday, 20th February 2021 - Cyclamen to Calm the Nerves

Harriet and I cleared some detritus from in and around the pond. Herbie played with worms, a ladybird, a centipede and a woodlouse.

Cyclamen to Calm the Nerves

Pen and Watercolour

Friday, 19th February 2021 - A Sack of Children

The sap in rising. Time to cut the hedge before the leaves make it heavy. I was clearing the cuttings. My bag for debris got filled with grandchildren. 

A Sack of Children

Pen and Watercolour

Thursday, 18th February 2021 - Blue Sky

This morning Zoe put me through my paces. We did Yoga Burn and Booty Challenge. 

My sister came for a walk with me this afternoon. We had the joy of blue sky.

I took a mug of tea into my studio and got lost in art contemplation. I love my messy space.

Blue Sky

Watercolor

Wednesday, 17th February 2021 - Pears with a Blue Bowl

I drove through Cranbrook today on a necessary trip to get my prescription. The shops look very sad. Some are up for sale. Others had empty windows. It looked like a film set. Not a real living highstreet.

We are having a binge on Spiral Season 3. I must go as I cannot write and read subtitles simultaneously.

Pears with a Blue Bowl

Pen and Watercolour

Tuesday, 16th February 2021 - Thank You Flowers

Harriet needed to go out. Hetty, Bella and Herbie came to play. I had Lego that I was saving for a rainy day. Today was just that.

Thank You Flowers

Pen and Watercolour

Monday, 15th February 2021 - Sketch

This afternoon I think most of Benenden were out. I have never seen so many people jogging and walking. I spent a lot of time trying to avoid being drenched by cars and vans going through puddles.

Zooming in the evening with my art class is much more enjoyable than I imagined it to be. It is good to chat with other arty types. We were doing still life thumbnail studies and sketches.

Sketch

Watercolour and Ink

Sunday, 14th February 2021 - Mother-To-Be

Tim and I planned a romantic walk in the sun taking sandwiches and wine. Once I had put on my Valentine wellie socks the wind was biting and the clouds were thick. We settled for a walk.

My money plant is having babies

Mother-To-Be

Watercolour

Saturday, 13th February 2021 - Hazy Jane, Clockwork and Punk

I have stayed in today lured by baking and the warmth of the oven. 

I got lost in my studio today. I was looking for a drawing. In my hunt I came across painting books that needed perusing. I did find what I was searching for eventually.

We are continuing with our adventure with Spiral. You can't wander off to fill your glass of wine as the pace is so fast missing a chunk of subtitles may mean losing the plot.

Hazy Jane, Clockwork and Punk

Watercolour

Friday, 12th February 2021 - Daffodils

Tim and I took Herbie for a walk over ice and snow. Herbs was on my back (I am strong) where he sent his instructions about what Grandad should draw in the snow. The artistic interpretations of tractors, combine harvesters and a crane were enthusiastically received.

The snow is melting in the garden revealing daffodils. I picked the horizontal ones. The stems were frozen.

Friday night is Zoom night. It used to be pub night. 

Daffodils

Watercolour

Thursday, 11th February 2021 - Variations of Black

The plans I had for today will have to wait until tomorrow.

Variations of Black

Watercolour

Wednesday, 10th February 2021 - Blue Sky

This week I am doing a week of handsfree yoga to heal my cranky wrist. So far so good. No planks but plenty of bridges.

Mingled amongst the snow showers we found some blue sky.

My attempts to photograph a snowflake failed. I wobble too much.

Blue Sky

Watercolour

Tuesday, 9th February 2021 - Ready to Sledge

I went up into the loft and came down with bags of ski clothes. We layered up and went sledging. What a great way to spend a couple of hours. 

Ready to Sledge

Pen and Watercolour

Monday, 8th February 2021 - Lesson in Abstracts

Being Monday Herbie and I prepared for the week ahead by making pizza and a loaf of bread. 

An afternoon walk with Harriet and the children was fueled by Humbugs and childrens joy of discovery. What an adventure we had in the snow.

Tonight me and my fellow students were put through our paces by Caroline via zoom. Here is the results of our lesson.

The first three are an abstracted button

Green Button

Orange Button

Blue Button

Below are thumbnails with mood.

Sunday, 7th February 2021 - Darcy

I was not the only one up umpteen times in the night to look out the window. Nothing to do with hot flushes. It was the anticipation of snow.

Our wishes were granted. We have snow. Plenty of it.

It wasn't a hot and brooding Mr Darcy that descended upon us. Storm Darcy has been cold and windy. 

A walk took us through woods that were blanketed in snow. Each and every branch, twig and plant were enveloped. It was beautiful. Until the East wind picked up and threw icy needles in our faces. 

I had a great time with the grandchildren. Our garden has a multitude of snow creatures. We have snowmen, pigs, cats and ... well .....balls.

Darcy

Indian Ink

Saturday, 6th February 2021 - Checking for Leaks

The garden is needing some major attention. There is pruning, weeding and clearing to do every where I look. I attacked a small part today. There are emerging daffodils, cyclamen flowering under the trees and snowdrops waiting for the snow. 

Checking for Leaks

Pen and Watercolour

Friday, 5th February 2021 - A Vase of Spring

A friend gave me a recommendation. Amazon have delivered 120 sage tablets. In two weeks time these are going to remove my sleepless hot flushing nights. 13 nights to go.

We took advantage of the warming sun and rambled with Harriet and the grandchildren through muddy fields and woods. What a glorious day.

My afternoon was spent at the computer collating the artistic talents of The Weald of Kent Art Society latest challenge in mixed media. Now beautifully presented on the website https://www.wealdofkentartsociety.co.uk/blog. Take a look there is some lovely work.

My weather app says we are in for snow on Sunday. Are we? 

We are watching a couple of series on TV. After half a bottle of prosecco I am rather confused as to which one we are watching.  They have sort of merged into one murder mystery. I think I should go back to All Creatures Great and Small at least I can follow the plot.

Vase of Spring

Charcoal and Watercolour 

Thursday, 4th February 2021 - Grey Day

Thank goodness I have a positive husband. 

I have downloaded MapMyWalk app that tells me all about my walking exploits. 

Grey Day

Watercolour

Wednesday, 3rd February 2021 - A Bridge and Steps in the Woods

Herbie and I made Biscotti. He tasted each ingredient apart from the flour and eggs. They are far too delicious and I have eaten many, too many. I gave him a tray of flour to play with his diggers in. What a fool thinking it would be restricted to the tray. We had an extremely well floured kitchen by the time he was returned to his mother.

Cranbrook proved a huge frustration. The bank is closed. My QR code wouldn't work in Coop and they didn't have any daffodils. The afternoon was saved by a two hour walk with my sister. Thank you for sharing your time with me.

This evening a glass of rose and All Creatures Great and Small was the perfect way to end a Wednesday.

A Bridge and Steps in the Woods

Charcoal and Watercolor

Tuesday, 2nd February 2021 - Posting Letters

Sir Tom Moore dying is very sad news. Even sadder that he died with coronavirus. Goodbye Sir Tom.

Herbie helped me write a card to congratulate a new baby arrival. The stamp got stuck on in the correct place and the right way up. He also wanted to send one to Andrea and Lucy. They both look after him when he goes to Preschool. We took a walk to make our letter deliveries. The weather is still pretty disgusting.

Posting Letters

Pen and Watercolour

Monday, 1st February 2021 - Blue Bowl and Tomatoes

I had a terrible night of hormonal disturbance. I have had enough now and would be happy to go into peaceful wrinkly old age

I experienced my first Tabata workout this morning. It is meant to be 20 seconds of exercise with 10 seconds of rest. I think she forgot to include the rest part. Blimey I felt invigorated for a short while.

We had loads of fun playing with Herbie and his cars today. There were some terrible catastrophes that needed immediate attention. 

Brian Cox joined me in my studio. He isn't good looking. He has an odd voice. But I love the way he talks to me in his amusing brainy way.

My zoom art class was cancelled this evening. On the plus side I have another week to do my homework. 

We have started watching Spiral after many recommendations. Having subtitles it gets my complete attention. 

Damn I overworked my bowl.

Blue Bowl and Tomatoes

Pastel