Sunday 24 February 2013

Sheep and other matters related. Well sort of.

Quite an exciting few days.  

Scotland is fast becoming overrun with Wind Turbines.  We have them dotted around here, where we live.  I can see two close to Mormond Hill which I can see from the Summer House.  But they are okay when they are sufficiently far away as to be quite beautiful.  

This one was being erected at the side of the road we travel to go to the Broch (Fraserburgh), and being that close to the road just seemed enormous.





The farmer, who's field this has been erected in, had the choice of putting the thing up himself and all the costs involved to get cheap electricity, or selling his field to the wind turbine company for many thousands of pounds, and still getting the cheap electricity.  So what do you do.....


But this erection has changed the skyline.  View from the Broch.

The fields around this edifice are full of sheep. The same farmer hopes they are pregnant.  I do wonder how these ewes will cope with the whirring noise and the shadows cast by this thing.  But then the female of most species is pretty hardy to all manner of upsets to their surroundings.   Hmmm.

Just a quick aside, and sorry no pictures as yet, but the field at the front of our house is full of what will be lamb chops, etc.  I tell you friends, we have had so much entertainment from this bunch as to be worth pounds.  When do they become the brainless sheep you count when you are trying to get to sleep?  This lot, well one will suddenly jump up, all four feet off the ground, then another, then another will do it.  They suddenly set off charging across the field in a line, then stop dead, turn round and charge off the other way.  They have head butting competitions, climb the hay bales supplied to supplement their grub and make them juicier lamb chops (apologies to vegetarians,) leap off on top of each other and then off they go again.  Absolutely hilarious.  Am seriously considering sitting on top of gate and videoing them, tho its still a bit cold up here.  To see big fat woolly sheep that you normally expect to get a DOH/BAA from charging about and just playing is hysterical.  (yet another aside, to see animals which will eventually end up on someones plate, enjoying life is good.)

The other exciting news is the Dawn Patroller has been invited to exhibit his photographs at Cafe Connect in Fraserburgh.  Well it was so exciting he went into panic mode.  Very rare for him I tell you.  But when he takes photos like this, note the sea, why panic?



I have had my exhibition there, alongside a proper water colour painter for the last two months, and sold my paintings.  Whereas the proper water colour painter has not.  Very encouraging.  The DP will be exhibiting alongside another water colour painter.  Exciting int it.

Meanwhile, I was thinking, despite being retired, I still have the weekends.  Which is weird, as when I was a bed and breakfast provider there was no such thing.  Before that when I worked 9 to 5 then yes.  And now its back again.

Last night the DP and I chilled out and watched Skyfall.  The first Bond movie I have actually really enjoyed.  (The DP likes them all, but thats men for you.)

But on my weekend I could just go down the shed.  And paint.


Still work in progress, but I need your help.  On the picture below, there are two amorphous shapes of two more pigs, left hand corner, in the straw, should I include them in the painting or just narrow the framing down to the one pig?




And my angry goose, do you think she/he should be a darker coloured goose than a domesticated one?  (Remember the book, The sky is falling in?!)


Weekends are not good for me, I have realised, I lose the plot being able to do what I want  instead of being on demand so to speak!  Back to counting sheep.



9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hope the sheep have no ill effects from the trubines, we have alot of them here and there are quite a bite of disgruntled farmers, I like the pig and I'm not sure if you should add the others or not, beautiful both ways I think,love the colors, the goose is a beauty white as it is, does it look wild to you, i'm not sure, doesn't have a mean look or angry look about him, lol, our Canada geese put their heads down when they are angry, beautiful images today, as always

Beverley J said...

think you should keep it uncropped, fun to look for the hiding piggies!

rusty duck said...

Oh wind turbines. Bane of the south west also.
Congrats to DP. Well deserved.
What is a 'proper' water colour painter??
On the goose I like the white in contrast to the background.

BadPenny said...

Lovely post Jill. Don't change the goose ! Not sure about piggies.

Had to laugh about the sheep - is Spring in the air to make them jump for joy ?

I'm sure the DP will have some wonderful photos to exhibit.

Marjorie said...

I think the two little piggies in the background do add to the pix. I also think you are a proper watercolour artist. I love your work, particularly your shorebirds.

Marjorie said...

Forgot to say congrats to the DP. I love his photos and hope he does well with his exhibit.

Mum said...

One pig, same goose and didn't DP do well! Hope he gets lots of custom.
Love from Mum
xx

Anonymous said...

I love your description of the lambs' antics. I always remember my husband watching lambs in a field and commenting, "Isn't it tragic that they turn into sheep?" (Or not, as you point out!)

Your paintings are beautiful. I think the goose is wonderfully white, and I'm undecided about pigs 2 and 3. Well done to you and the DP on your artistic/photographic endeavours!

Anonymous said...

Well done DP! :)

I LOVE the piggie pic, absolutely love it's adorable face! I think the other piggies would add to the painting, but that's just me. Not sure about Mr/Mrs Lovely Goose though. You'll know best.

xx