So now two days without a walk. I will surely seize up. Joints will become rusted up......
Down to the shedudio. The DP brought down some of the paintings I want to hang.
He then disappeared to Kinnaird Head to look, in vain for Manx Shearwaters.
Not that exciting are they.
By the time he returned I had worked out what I wanted and where.
From the left, "We do Not like to be beside the seaside." "No room, no room." and "All together now."
The three images of Kinnaird Head Lighthouse. With a Mountain Hare beneath.
Perhaps a bit of info about Kinnaird Head.
Built for the Fraser family, this fine 16th-century castle was altered in 1787 to incorporate the first lighthouse built by the Commissioners of the Northern Lighthouses.
Now part of the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses. I have been very involved with the Lighthouse over the years. Vice chair of the Board of Trustees no less. No longer. I may well do a post about it some time.
These three are still a bit wonky. But you have "Siesta -Oyster Catchers", "Redshanks Sheltering, " and "Posing."
And of course, me being me, still a bit of a mess. But progress.....
The Lighthouse on a lean is Rattray Head.
I have more to hang. I have the labels to do. I have cards to make. Visitors feel they should buy something, so a card at £2. Easy peasy. Their conscience sorted.
Tomorrow the DP and I are off to an Art exhibition and having lunch out. I hope to then walk......
The rain has stopped.
Good old British Weather.
As predicted torrential rain, high winds and cold enough to switch on the liquid gold central heating.
No walk today.
Instead I spent a happy hour with a friend and fellow artist. Marie Buchan. Marie has very kindly offered to take in my donated painting to Cornerstone, along with one of hers.
Flamenco dancer. Ace isnt it ?!
Marie lives by the sea in a beautiful fishing village of St Combs.
Although, obviously, today was not sunny as in these pictures. Still beautiful though.
Marie, I and another artist, Mary Torrance who also lives in St Combs will have a mini trail covering us all when NEOS (North East Open Studios) is on in September. I am the most difficult to find being in the middle of nowhere!
Being an artist is a solitary life so it is nice to meet up and chat as we are all singing from the same hymn sheet, albeit in different approaches.
As this post is mainly art I will reply to Gail's questions. My signature is on the bottom right of my paintings. justjill 2013 in this case. The photo is a bit slanted but I can assure you thats where it is. Labels. Well if it is an exhibition I do the labels, laminate, chop and affix near the painting. In this case the label is attached to the back. Some exhibitions do a catalogue but one still has to have a label affixed to the back.
So tomorrow. What will it bring? Snow?
A far better day weather wise today. Although tomorrow will be wall to wall rain and high winds.
So - today. The DP finally got round to sorting stuff in our garage, which has never housed a car. Then off to the tip, two trips. I purposely kept myself away as I knew I would be saying, "Not that !" but if it has been in the garage for some years......... We have a lot of paint. The tip person advised the DP to put soil or sand into the paint to solidify it and we could then take it to the tip, otherwise NO. Fortunately we also have a large bag of sand , why I know not, so can follow the instructions.
After lunch he went off to Troup Head.
The high cliffs of Troup Head provide a spectacular setting for Scotland’s only mainland gannet colony. There are also thousands of kittiwakes, guillemots and razorbills, along with several other species, including puffins. You may even be lucky enough to see porpoises, minke whales or dolphins offshore. Please take care on the cliffs. RSPB.
One of his photos. Which will probably be a painting. I love Gannets. I have just donated one to a charity, Cornerstone, for them to auction.
This is titled, "Shall we dance? Yes if you get off me foot."
Always be aware it is often the title that clinches the deal......
This is another,
Title - Chocks away.
I went for my walk in the afternoon. I did the .59 of a mile, albeit with some struggling.
And a lot of controlling the breathing leaning over the railings, which are at a perfect height for so doing.
The Gulls were having great fun waiting for the waves to come in and then riding them out again. I so love Skurries (Herring Gulls) for their so obvious enjoyment and having fun.
Only one 6 Spot Burnett Moth today. Slight difference in colour too, to the ones I saw before.
Tomorrow weather foul. No walk. Visiting a fellow artist and more fine tuning the shedudio. Bring it on.
I love watching birds. As does the DP although he goes out at dawn, hence his 'Dawn Patroller' pseudonym =DP.
He leaves the house around 5 a.m. The images from his mornings walk.
Oyster catcher.
Sedge Warbler.
Whitethroat.
A Norwegian Cat. It lives up the extinct Formartine and Buchan Railway line which is a wonderful wildlife corridor. And would you believe some people want to bring the trains back here.....
Dunnock, in our spinney. Our spinney consists of pine trees. And Holly which has lots of berries coming along nicely for Christmas..... The birds all seem to be getting enough grub(s).
My bird watching as you all know is mainly on Fraserburgh Beach.
Today was chilly, windy and rainy. Rather stupidly, after I had had my hair done, I went for a walk.
As the tide swept in the Herring Gulls moved out.
Came back again.
And off again.
Came home. Far more peaceful. Watched the big brother Blackbirds 3 of them feeding their two siblings.
My hair do survived as did I.
Just about to boot Sith off the bed and get into it. Goodnight. Better weather tomorrow.
I used to say, "Walk! I don't walk, I was born with wheels!"
It is only as I grew older and bits started to drop off walking was the only exercise I could do. Then I found I enjoyed it.
As I can cope well with the flat it has to be the Esplanade for my walk. Once it is finished and I subside back into the car I cannot describe how happy I feel. Unlike when I started.
Every day/walk is different. Well it is the same walk, the same place, but the view changes. Here you see the Kessock Burn entering the sea. It sculpts the sand and changes the view.
What is happening on the sea changes too. I missed taking a photo of one boat that either takes people for a look see or to go line fishing. There are usually Lobster boats like this one.
And this one. There are two smaller ones also.
The Gull gang also changes, often down to the seasons. Mainly Skurries (Herring Gulls) at the moment. With a Lesser Black Backed Gull today.
The larger Black Backed has gone off to different places. So you become aware of the seasons changing.
I draw and paint a lot of sea birds and never seem to tire of it. I am always looking for the humour pose.
Today I did the full .59 of a mile and was rewarded by masses of 6 Spot Burnett moths between the sand dunes on the Path of Doom ( so called as I never thought I would make it to the end but do so now.)
Coming home I had a big grin.
Due to the (lots of) work going on in the shedudio we had neglected our lovely sitting out area. So my grin got even bigger when the DP returned with a new table and chairs for the patio outside said shedudio. He had been to B&Q prices were ridiculous. This lot purchased in Home Bargains cost just over £20, for the set. Single items started at more than that in B&Q. No brainer.
Yes, thats Sith's tail.
Happy Day.
Wind again. Although tomorrow the wind drops. I will be walking tomorrow...
My exercise today was down the shedudio.
Supervising the hanging of more paintings.
The three paintings are from a series I did of Kinnaird Head Lighthouse. Kinnaird from a different view. So here you have 'Through the Lighthouse Keepers Cottage Garden Gate.'
'Through the Buoys.' And finally ' From the Best Seat in the Cafe'. I also did one 'Through the Lighthouse Keepers Cottage Window.' Which was sold. Also one of the Lighthouse lit and with a beacon on the roof for the Queens Jubilee, not framed as yet. But I have a set of mugs which I had the paintings put onto, must get them displayed too !!
While we are on Fraserburgh, as thats where Kinnaird Head is. I had a question re the Kessock Burn. It does rise quite a way away and there are other waters which go into it so it probably is the 'mighty River Kethock' referred to by John Cranna. All I know for certain is that the water quality is tested regularly as I had a long chat to the chap who does it! And it is fine.
Despite struggling with gnarled fingers I managed to sew up the covers on the cushions, all of which had been washed, threading the needle took some time.....
There are two of the chairs above, also scrubbed. Floor swept too.
Then I collapsed in a heap and did some bird watching.
The young Great Spotted Woodpecker was back.
The young Goldfinches have now cracked it as they are feeding themselves.
This weekend has been the Glastonbury Music Festival. My 3rd daughter and a friend have been there. Yesterday they saw Jeremy Corbyn.
Fantastic. She will be heading home back to being a Working Mum of two. Well done her.
Then the shedudio will be done..
Very windy today. With that and the fact I had taken the once weekly tablet which warned about not driving till you felt you were okay I didnt drive to the Prom for a walk. Of course my imagination filled out and I was thinking I was whoozy...... But actually I was fine.
My mate and picture framer returned with the hooks and perline. So we had a ceremonial hanging. First up. 'All Together Now.' Doubly proud of this one as I took the photograph from whence the painting. It still makes me laugh.
Every flat surface now has the offcuts of the floor vinyl on. The cushions for the chairs and covers all washed and put together, ready for me to find the needle and thread. Not long before I can start painting again.......
Bit of a walk round the garden to see what the efforts of the gardener had resulted in.
Just shows he can do it.
A hard lesson. Talking, which I do a lot of if encouraged, i.e. listened to and get laughed at in the right places, is bloody tiring.
This afternoon was a meeting for the Fraserburgh Arts Group, for which I am secretary. A very good meeting with everyone there reporting back on success after success. We have a fine list of raffle prizes donated by local businesses.
Our idea of involving the local community which is all groups, scouts, guides, schools, mental health groups etc etc decorating Bunting with the theme 'Our Town' is progressing really well.
We will have a guest artist and a guest photographer.
All the nitty gritty of entry forms etc is in hand ( me).
After which the DP and I went onto the Prom. I could barely put one foot in front of the other! But I managed the short walk. To the Kessock Burn and back.
A beautiful day. Strong winds earlier which were beginning to ease after 3 p.m. when we got there.
Not many people, or dogs, so the Gull Gang were having fun.
I have now had three of the Accrete D3 tablets and no taste of chalk. And no sign of any other side effects. Although I do not read in depth side effects in case I imagine them.......
The once a week bomb I am taking tomorrow. Half an hour before breakfast. Stay upright. I have not even glanced at potential side effects for that one. Once a week??? What the hell?
Later in the day today my lovely friend and framer came and fixed up the hanging rails in the shedudio. Recycled.
Next is the hooks that fit onto the rail, then the Perlin (?) which is a plastic cord with hooks on. No I dont understand it either. Once its done I will show you, but from this rail I can hang my framed paintings.
As the DP and I were eating our evening meal the gardener turned up 3 days late and proceeded to do the much needed weeding. I am having serious thoughts about my garden non service and if it does not improve......
Hey ho . I am tired.
