Warning, Jenny Joseph.

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple

With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.

And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves

And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired

And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells

And run my stick along the public railings

And make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain

And pick the flowers in other peoples gardens

And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat

And eat three pounds of sausages at a go

Or only bread and pickle for a week

And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry

And pay our rent and not swear in the street

And set a good example for the children

We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practise a little now?

So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised

When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

So how many items in the above poem are you practising?!

For some time I have wanted to paint or draw this old woman, so tomorrow I wear purple and buy a red hat.

Inspiration.

Last week at Art Class I was drawing a poppy and other bits.  One of the members of the group was trying to remember the poem about poppies she had learned at school.

With the clues given I managed to establish it was from Tam O Shanter by Robert Burns.

So I then decided to do another Poppy in my favourite media, pen and watercolour.  With the quotation from the poem.

I then sat and read a few more of Mr Burns' poems and really got excited.

"Wee, sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie'

O, what a panic's in they breastie."  To a Mouse.  Robert Burns.

So I started a mouse.

Also on the drawing board, is a tawny owl.


"Sad bird of night, what sorrows call the forth, 
To vent thy plaints thus in the midnight hour."  To the Owl, Robert Burns.


And there's more.
To a Mountain Daisy.
Sonnet on hearing a Thrush.
On scaring some water fowl.
A red, red rose.
Address to the Woodlark.
Oh Bonny was yon Rosy Brier.


I am so excited....


PLUS

My sister in law took this photograph.  And has given me permission to try and paint it.

So far I have drawn it and I think I have got it right!

I had to be dragged out of the shed/summerhoose/drinkingden/opera theatre to eat me tea.

Inspired I am.

Thursdays Tribulations.

Our last morning of Kids Activities at the Lighthouse Museum, this Summer Holiday.  We will be back in October for 'Tattie Picking Weeks.'  Traditionally the schools close in October for the cheap labour i.e. kids to go picking Potatoes.  This no longer happens, kids picking tatties, but the schools in Scotland close for two weeks.  


The picture above is some of the art work that the children have placed into the Disc Covers.


Down in the Exhibition room at the Lighthouse Museum we entertained the kids and their carers.

Amongst the lenses of Lighthouses, exhibited, we helped them make masks.  Every time I looked in the lens direction I went blind.  For about five minutes.  Should I be taking out insurance?  Or just make sure I wear my sun glasses?

Foil sculptures.

And we all had a good time.

On my return we were going to sort more stuff out for the charity shop, but then discovered this toad in the garage.  So he/she was rescued and put outside into the wildflower meadow (lots of rye grass and weeds you dont want.)

Meanwhile, here is a buzzard on a straw bale.  Very common here in the North East, both Buzzards and Straw round bales.

My beautiful Agapanthus.  xxxx

These are the poppies I drew yesterday,at our art class, plus the Ladies Mantle and the blue thingys.  It was drawing only, no painting, so I used pencils and pens.


The problem with poppies is that once cut and brought in they open up, almost as you watch.


"But pleasures are like poppies spread,
You seize the flower, its bloom is shed."


Rabbie Burns wrote this, its in his famous poem Tam O' Shanter.


This set me off .  I have now decided to do a series of paintings with words, based on his poems/songs.  He wrote about poppies, roses, daisies, mice, skylarks, owls, sheep, wowee!


Just adding to Thursdays Tribulations!