Melbourne houses

I rather like this and hope to make it the basis for a painting later on. I drew it while we were in Melbourne from our bedroom window. I liked the teir on teir of rooves I couls see.
Today I went to have lunch with a friend and to talk textile stuff. We had a great day and I got some sewing for a banner done. In September we have a decorative arts festival and need to get a few things done for it.
I did draw the view from her front garden while I was there and that is on my other blog withmybootsandsketchbook
I had hoped to see some whales while I passed Middleton as there are supposed to be two mothers with calves but nothing was there, they do move around the area so I guess they had moved a bit further up the coast.
We are hoping for more rain in the next couple of days, we really havent had any for weeks and I even had a sprinkler on yesterday as one of the camellias was looking a bit sad. It is still very cold. Tomorrow it is Adelaide and see my mother then babysit two of our grandchildren.

Cup gum

I was feeding the ponies this morning and saw that the cup gums were flowering so walked across the paddocks to get some of the flowers and some of the seed heads. I was so busy looking at the tree I didnt notice the two kangaroos who were underneath until they stood up and looked at me, by then I was about 6 feet away from them. The younger one then took fright and hopped off while the older doe still stood looking at me until I spoke to her and then off she went.
Unfortunatly they are becoming a dreadful pest as we are not allowed to cull them and there are far too many of them. We have provided good food and good water and as they have a joey at foot, one in the pouch and another in utero waiting to form if one of the others die it means an awful lot of kangaroos, and down here we dont have the droughts and very dry weather of the inland which causes natural deaths. A large problem and to be quite honest they are eating more grass here than the cows, and then we keep on growing more grass and so it goes on.They can move around, our cows cant. They are more and more a problem on the roads too, and make an awful mess of your car when you hit one.
I do like to see them but I also worry about our livelehood.
Enough of my tirade!
I love the cup gums, they have one of the largest flowers of our local eucalypts.

Playing draughts

This sketch is a bit light and dark in places it shouldnt be, but I was trying to get John and the children playing checkers. I need to practice more with people as I am not in the least bit confident , I always make John look odd and dont get his beard right and although the cildrens attitudes look right, especially Evie. Will's hands look very odd, although he was leaning on the table with them more or less like that.
I need time at the moment to practice and it isnt happening. My sister spent about 2 hours on the phone today telling me about what she had found out for my mother, she is seeing the place tomorrow and then we have a month before she has to go in. At least we have a date, not like waiting around to hear and then a day or so to get her organised. just dont know how to tell her that the time has come to move to a more secure place where she will be looked after as we would like her to be. She is very independent but really not now capable of being on her own.
I feel very depressed about it all.
I dont know what happened to my blog yesterday, I lost one did another and then they both came up. The mysteries of the computer.

Evie and Will

These are some of the photos I took while we were in Melbourne. The first one is at the zoo and John is there with Evie and Will discussing the zebra's that are behind the giraffe. I am not sure how these go in order but the next one is of them at the beach looking at a pair of black swans. I tend to be surprised when I see swans in the sea as I think of them as fresh water birds, but of course they dont mind any sort of water. It was a lovely still late afternoon, hardly a ripple on the water. They are so lucky to be so close to the beach.
The last photo I put up is of them playing cricket in the front garden. As the house is in the process of renovation there isnt at this stage much of a front garden but they had a lot of fun, as did their father and grandfather and didnt lose a ball in the process which is some sort of miracle with players of such different abilities. 6 year old Will is remarkably good and Evie at 9 was no slouch either.
I dont think this is the order they will come up.

Grandchildren

These are a few of the photos I took of the children, Will and Evie, the first one is at the zoo with John looking at a giraffe and discussing the zebra's which were hidden at the back.
The second one is at the beach looking at a pair of black swans, I always think it odd to see black swans in seawater, I suppose because I think of them as fresh water birds.As you can see the sea was very still and it was lovely, although this has come out a bit darker than I had hoped.A wonderful place to live so close to.
The third one is playing cricket in the front garden, as the house is being renovated not much is being done to the garden. They had a wonderful time and no balls were lost to the neighbours which I thought was pretty good.
I have had a terrible day as my younger sister is trying to get our mother into a nursing home and she (my mother) is adamant that she is not going, at 93 the time has really come, so I am waiting to know when I go up to try and talk her around. I am not looking foreward to it one bit.

Stargaze ATC Swap

I came home from Melbourne late last night and found these three ATC's waiting for me. Absolutely wonderful, the top one is Patti Culea's in her lovely bright style, Patti runs the Stargaze tome site. The left at the bottom is from Dianne McGrath of Australia and I love this one and the third one is a stunning one from Deb Jensen in America. How did you know that I was a diver? It is fantastic Deb and I love it.
All so different and so well done.
ATC's are artists trading cards, an only be traded not sold and should be the size of a playing card, they are great fun to make and better to receive!
I have cleaned the house and got most of the washing done, now to walk the dogs and think of dinner and bed. Nearly a week away, it was great but tiring lovely to see the grandchildren but at 6 and 9 they are very full on. I took loads of photos so will try to get some up this week.

Treble Cone New Zealand something I fear/painting class

This is the second of my painting class paintings. I found this photo of one of my scary skiing places in New Zealand, Treble Cone. My teacher thought I was taking on a bit much with this and except for saying subtle colours except where the darks are left me to it. I love this sort of painting and really didnt think I would be able to do one like it and I am sooo pleased with it. The little black spots on the lake are ducks.
I have always loved this area on the South Island of New Zealand and felt that although to me Treble Cone is one of the scariest places to ski, (I suffer from vertigo and when you ski there you look all the way down to the lake and I always freak out) I just had to paint it. the shadows were such a challenge, not put in too much, just enough.. Perhaps this could be my version of the EDM Challeng something you fear!