My Shedudio Open Weekend.

Queues round the block - NOT.  Hey ho.

Just a taster.  The DP has now found the adjustments necessary on my camera so it doesn't take four hours to upload a video.  Have yet to try it - you should get more of the shedudio tomorrow once I have tested it.  This is one of the old settings so I will carry on regardless with the days events and hope it uploads before I lose my patience.  Not easy.

No visitors at all. BUT...drum roll.  While I was down in the shedudio I was watching the birds.

A first for our garden here.  Long Tailed Tit!!!!  And there were a pair.  And they came back again.  The DP is not happy.  He did not see them.  I phoned him to say they had been so he came down with his camera and sat, and sat.  Gave up.  Not long after they returned, oh dear.  But he should see them in the next few days as they are obviously now familiar with where the food is.

Also a returning lovely bird.

Lesser Redpoll.

In between bird watching I carried on with my painting of the handsome Dyson.

Hoping I do not make a mess of this one.....

Here he is and also visited today.

My shedudio is open tomorrow and Sunday afternoon.  One things for sure, I never get bored, even if no human visits.

What I did and what I am going to do.

During my sorting (making a total mess) of the shedudio,  I found some solar powered outdoor lights I purchased for almost nothing from Lidl some time ago.  I followed the instructions until it showed a diagram of the on/off switch.  This is encased in rubber so how you know when it is actually on or off ....?  Anyway I pressed it a few times and then left.

Later that night the DP was watching out for an aurora.  Which everyone else saw.  But we got this.

Well impressed.

This morning I finally got to grips with registering for NEOS.  This stands for North East Open Studios.  An annual event.  

Every year Artists in the North East of Scotland open up their studios.  I have exhibited my work as part of a group for NEOS.  

Then in 2015 I went solo in the shedudio.  It was great fun, although tiring.  With my health issues I never thought I would do it again.  But - I have been talked into doing it again.

Hence the big sort out and the desperate search for a joiner to insulate and board the interior of the shedudio so I have a proper hanging space.

This afternoon saw me visiting my favourite cafe at the Dunes Golf Centre.

Well, any excuse.



I met my fellow artist Marie Buchan.  Do check out her facebook page, Marie Buchan Artist.  Her studio is in St Combs just up the road from me.  St Combs was a fishing village. Marie's studio backs on to the beach.

Mary J Torrance is also in the village of St Combs.  She paints and is also a sculptor. We 3 are the only artists in the Fraserburgh area that are to be part of NEOS this year.  Marie and I were plotting various strategies to get people to visit our studios.  The area we live in is often called 'The Hidden Corner'.  North of Aberdeen ?  Stagecoaches.

So I may bore you over the next few months.  

I just hope no rat appears during that week.

On the Home Front.

As we were to have a planned power cut from 9 a.m. til 4 p.m. we were to go out for the day.  However the weather was so bad, gale force wind and driving rain, I just couldn't face it.

The DP had lit the wood burner.  Once lit we do not need the central heating on.

Outside continued to blow and rain.

The woodburner did not just keep us warm either.  I put a mug full of water into pans and we had cuppa soups with our lunch and a coffee in the afternoon.  

We have frequent unplanned power cuts due to the strong winds bringing down power lines.  It may be this maintenance done today will lead to us not having so many - and they are usually at tea time !

  However I am going to purchase a kettle to sit on top of the stove.  Now I know the pans work we can have proper soup too.

It wasnt so bad being at home and I got lots of things done - which didnt need the computer !

Electric back on 3.40.

Pat - Daniel Smith Watercolour Ground.  Google it.  I think I got it from the SAA.

This was done the same on a larger canvas.  Good Luck.

Birds in the North East of Scotland.

Every evening this happens.  As darkness slowly gathers the Starlings begin to line up on the wires.

The wires bow down almost to breaking point as thousands of starlings gather in preparation for roosting.  

Then the magic begins.

The dance before bedtime.

Painting the sky.

This morning we woke to this.

And these two, also dancing.

Big Daddy and Little Daddy.  Sadly we did not snap them as they rose into the air with claws and wattles rattling, but they did, and then pretended nothing had happened.

And sloped off.

Later, I braved blizzards and visited the Loch of Strathbeg for the Wild Art Weekend, where our group were portraying birds to the best of our ability.  Sadly the weather had put off everyone else, so no-one was there to see our display.....

No, not this one, 

Or this one, it was supposed to be about birds wasn't it?

Ah, there we are.

Saturday!

My day off!!  House cleaned. Tick, washing done, tick, ironing - pardon? 

Told myself in no uncertain terms that I was NOT going to plan more Pirate Activities, or do the posters and contact the press about Kids Activities at the Lighthouse, or read the minutes and reports for the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses, plenty time, meeting on Tuesday,  NOT going to sign the Wednesday Morning Art group up for the North East Open Studios, have til the end of the month,  NOT going to sort through paintings to exhibit at the Library, AND  the Loch of Strathbeg, end of week they are required, or clean the shed, sort the frames out, sort the mounts out for the next exhibition, well NOT TODAY.

So Sith

and me went down the shed.  (He isnt the best companion, as methinks he complains too much.)



Heater on, smelly candle lit, music on, clean water in jar, away we go.

Hmm, I do seem to be obsessed with Oyster Catchers at the moment.  Two on the go, one lot on a sunny, sandy beach, where I think they all look like the men of old, trousers rolled up, paddling, with a hankie tied at four corners protecting the bald spot.  

The other lot fleeing an oncoming,  or should that be incoming, storm.

But - I may just be giving up on the feathered lot and am more and more fascinated by the woolly lot in the field across the road.

As I open my curtains in the morning there is usually at least one winking at me .

And no, its Pork tonight.

Silly Sheep in Lonmay.

Entertainment rural style.  That's eight legs off the ground.

I am so tired I am struggling with one!

Hope you enjoy