O.M.G. The Taste.

Last night I managed to drink a third of  a cup of water straight down, the taste and feel on my throat was unbelievable, it is juat not something easily described. I was sitting there looking at all the drinks around me and someone said to me “I did absent healing on you”  I firmly believe this as was just then I was able to drink again, I just picked that cup of water up and sure enough could feel it going down, nothing has ever tasted so good in my life. Today I devoured 2 iceblocks, was all set to start on the 3rd when realised was really pushing things as the vomitting started, I just couldn’t help it. I’m sure with all the noise coming from the van while eating these, it sounds like “Harry met Sally”. Only with iceblocks.  I think I’ve lost close to a stone and half, and hope to try eating solids within the next day or two.  My kidneys are worrying me a bit though and hope they pick up soon.

I read somewhere on the internet that just plain cooked egg white is good to eat, so will give it a try

And an absolutely huge thank you to the voice that said that.

Water truly the Golden Nectar.

Hi fellow blogger friends, am not being lazy, just spent some time in hospital on saline drip and antibiotics, Couldn’t stay as long as they wanted me to because of my dog.  Couldn’t leave him alone, and the other couple of people at the van park who probably could have helped out are away for awhile. Haven’t done any art and may be a little while before I do any more. Having a lot of difficulty holding any fluids in let alone food. Severe dehydration.

I think today managed to hold down a fraction more than what I threw up, I hope so. Oh the thought of a full or even half a glass of cold water to drink is unreal, besides one or two sips,  I shall pray to water from that day on.  Well not quite, but will look at it in an entirely new way. Please if you ever find you vomit after drinking just water or fluids, please see the doctor THE SAME DAY.

Don’t think it will get better by itself it could just get worse. Don’t leave it.  The hospital staff were so beautiful,  I don’t really remember a lot of the first hour or so, but don’t they earn there keep.

The One That Got Away.

I found this photo on my computer today, was pretty disappointed though, this is one I started back at the house and had to leave there. Its unfinished as you can see, but I was really liking how it was coming along. Its done in soft pastels on that paper thats like sandpaper, have to watch out for your finger tips on that one though.   I do like it and maybe when I get some more of the same paper I might do it again and get to finish it.

Gloves, yes, I have to invest in a pair, the last couple of nights its even been too cold to sit at the computer, even though the heaters only 3 feet away. Your hands just freeze up. We’ve had a cold snap, the night before last I’ve never seen so much ice on a car in Australia ever, not just a smear of it but quite thick,  I didn’t believe it could get that cold. Even with two sleeping bags on me and my coat I froze all night, and sleep just wasn’t happening very much at all. I was worried my dog would turn and toss his blankets off and lay there shivering, which he did, the silly bugger. But it was just the fact I was shivering all night myself that kept me awake. I didn’t feel sorry at all for those in Alaska that night it was too much like it.

I fell in love with the beauty of this little town when I drove through, I didn’t know at the time we were right next to the coldest place in the state.  It also didn’t help when I realised the caravan vent up the top is open and won’t close, haha, no wonder the heater was so inefficient. The above little one in blue and white is an aceo,  miniature, it was an excercise I was doing last night from a watercolour book.  Trying  dry brushing, for the shade on the snow.  The trees in the background are supposed to look like that for effects, but think my effects could look lots better. I love watercolour, find it a lot of fun, you never know what your going to get when starting off with it, well I never do, makes it kind of interesting.  I did this on the caravan floor in really low light half way under the table, wasn’t any room any where else, so didn’t know what it looked like til this morning actually, it was too “B” cold to leave the heater and sit at the table, haha.  Now know when they say “drybrushing” it must mean really dry brush, shall ask “lesliepaints.”  Wow can that lady paint.  Anyway, have decided to buy some gloves, the ones with the fingers chopped out.  Stuffed a jumper of mine around the top vent and has it made a difference already.

Wasn’t going to put any watercolours on as usually just tear them up when finished them, but kseverny asked so that ones for you.  And will put more of them on when I do them.

Graphite Rose

Brrr tonight we found out the difference between cold and freezing.  I had a lay down after tea which I don’t normally do,  but was quite cold and thought it a good way to get warm under the covers. Just when I woke up I plugged the heater in and  damn every thing went off in the van.  It was freezing so thought would stay under the doona to get a bit warmer but it just doesn’t work that way really when its that cold.  After about 5 minutes of trying to work up the courage to go down to my connection  I stupidly realised there’s only one way to get warm again and thats to brave the outside, anyone would think it was snowing and ice out there hey?  Not really, not too far off the ice though. Its forecast 4-5 tonight but feels a lot colder than that already.  I’ve now got the heater on and a cup of tea,  and its a lot warmer.

The little rose above is done in graphite,  I actually got some water colours out last night and played around with them for awhile,  just on some sketch paper,  felt great just mixing and dropping the paint in for different techniques to try. I rarely end up with anything I’d call a painting though with watercolours,  definately not my best medium to work with, but I enjoy the different effects and things you can do with it,  would be great if they ended up worth looking at though, haha.

Blown in the Wind.

I was going to make my tent into a painting room, but with the high winds we had for a couple of days, it well and truly got blown around. I thought it was going to take off at one stage but was even too windy to take it down. It just got flapped in my face every time I tried.  Its broken, when I went out to check it one of the poles that go through well and truly snapped. I thought I might try taping it together, haha, but with the pressure the poles are under naturally just went straight through the tape. Don’t want to do any painting in the van as its not mine, and don’t believe there wouldn’t be some paint end up somewhere no matter how careful I was. So will have to wait til I can get some more poles for it. We had an absolutely beautiful day weather wise today, but storms and rain forecast now for next few days, so no painting outside either.  I have a graphite I’m doing so will be a good time to get stuck into it and finish it.

I had a photo of the beautiful bottle brush thats starting to flower, but the add image icon has disappeared from my page here so will put it on another post. Its a really lovely native, painted millions of times but each painting of it is different.

Abstracts Graphite and Camera Shy Dogs.

Mmm I’m sitting here with a hot coffee, heater on, dog curled up at the end of the bed,  after just spending the last hour or more catching up on some of the blogs I follow I have missed over the last couple of months.

Today I thought it good time to get some paints and pencils out and just do something to get back into the swing of things again. Its just a little abstract of desert colours, just more or less a fun painting . I started a graphite drawing yesterday and did some more work on that today also.  The painting was I think,  just more relaxation than anything else.  The graphite much more dramatic, with a lot more work involved.   The photo of the tree I just popped on because I love the texture of the bark and want to do a drawing of it later.   I hope to have more work done on the graphite tomorrow and weather permitting, to get a photo will pop  on.

I took umpteen photos of my dog again, and deleted them all after. Not one looking forward. In his 5 years I have never been able to get a really good photo of him. Can you believe a dog who really hides from a camera?  He’s shocking, the minute I pick it up and turn it any where near his direction, he turns the other way,  or lays down and puts his head  between his paws, always has.  Just ONE good portrait shot of him would be fantastic,  but have never been able to get it. Its that incredibly beautiful expression he gets on his face at times is what I’m trying to capture, so will have to think of some kind of devious way to get it that he won’t be aware of.  One of the guys at the park here is a photographer so shall probably call on his help.

Bought myself a couple of artline pens also today 0.4 and they’ve ordered some in 0.1 and 0.2, I haven’t done any pen and ink for a long time, sometimes combined with the graphite or charcoal can look quite stunning.

Well have just checked the post and doesn’t seem to be showing the abstract so will wait awhile and if not will re post the photo.

Well its coffee time again, and almost bed time to.

Longjohns and Ugg Boots.

Just popped a couple of photos on of my neighbours over the back fence.  I love the middle photo myself. The last photo is the view as you leave the hardware store, really lovely. Not far from here is a really old house, abandoned, which I think would make a lovely painting.

I don’t know how the cow went from the previous post giving birth to her calf she wasn’t there next morning so can only hope all went well for her and they are both in warmer surroundings as last night and today has been really cold, with icy winds.  A sign of what winters like up here, and we still have over a month to go before it officially starts.  I huddled in a ball under the doona all night, in between getting up and throwing something else over my dog,  he’s not that intelligent at times and thinks by pushing his blankets etc around and laying on top of them he’ll be warmer. So this morning he was laying on TOP of,  a doona, a blanket, 2 coats of mine and a jumper of mine all hastily put on him each time I woke to check he was covered.   The van gets very cold, but wow the tent would have been totally freezing.  Actually today its kinda blowing in the wind, really need to take it down properly tomorrow and put it up again before it takes off, which it looks like its going to do.  I know I’m going to invest in some longjohns,  fleecy gloves and a pair of ugg boots before winter sets in properly, found a site for dog apparell today so think he’ll be getting the same kind of things.  Apparently a lot of the people living around here still have the old fireplaces for log fires in their homes and make use of them in the winter months here, what a beautiful sight they are, I don’t think too many things have a more welcoming look on a cold winters night.  When I see some of the winter temperatures in other countries I know we are still very lucky here compared to them.

Tomorrow I am hoping to do some work on a couple of paintings I really want to finish, after lugging them around in the car for awhile it will be nice to see a bit more paint on them.

Special People.

Late this afternoon I noticed a country fire service over the back fence of the camping ground here.  When looking I first thought the cow I saw there must have been hurt and a rescue was going on, but apparently she was trying to give birth.  She’d been there since early morning I  was told, and it was now 5 pm.  Poor thing, it gets dark here now  not long after 5,  and the cold air certainly comes in very quickly also early evenings now.   I hope she managed to have her calf not too long after, and they’re both ok.  There are 4 calves over there at present and I love watching them run around and play with each other.  Quite a sight to have at your backyard.  One of the bulls there is absolutely massive, and I hope to get a photo of him soon.

Tea last night was a  really lovely suprise with a knock on the van door,  my neighbours had sent me in a beautiful home cooked meal to have, and I have to say she’s a far better cook than me.  I hope to get the recipe from her the next time I see her, it was sausages with stir fried vegies in a sweet and sour sauce with rice, and it was DELICIOUS.  Both her and her husband have health issues, and with a couple of kids to care for also and their pets as well, it was pretty special.

Long time between blogs.

C/Park cat

my tent

Hello to my blogging friends. Its been a long time since blogging. I haven’t had access to a computer.  I had to leave my home, just walk out and leave what I had. I didn’t have a lot of choice really, it had got so bad.  I managed to get quite a bit of my art gear in the car, but had to leave some canvasses and paintings behind to make sure there was room for some personal things also to take.  I lived in my car for the first week or so, then came across a really beautiful little town, which had a camping park in it also. Bought a tent from  town not too far away and was really good to be able to get my things out of the car and into the tent, my dog certainly appreciated it also, although the wind blowing on the tent at first really scared him.  Its got an absolutely huge area for dogs to walk and play, which is fantastic. Its been a shock for him though after having his own backyard to run freely in, although he couldn’t even do that there any more.  We’ve now got a van for awhile and wow its lovely being able to make a coffee inside in the mornings, as its in one of the coldest parts of the state.  I haven’t done any art for awhile now, as have pneumonia back again, have been to the hospital here and on a nebuliser, which certainly makes it easier to breathe at times. I miss my art so much but have not felt well enough to do any.  I hope soon.

The scenery around here is really beautiful. Some of the photos show it, very old buildings, farms etc. The photo of the cat is a cat that was abandoned in the park by its owners, and is now living with some permanent people here, who have fed him back to health, he’s really gorgeous.   The photo of my car boot, (not my tent I add as the capion says)  happened over the last couple of  weeks I was at the house, the boot and the roof are the same,  we were being sprayed constantly, they said they were “trying to bleach me”.  Bizarre, as if I was any lighter I’d be a ghost.  They had a high pressure squirt gun. We parked under a tree one night to try and sleep, and they sprayed the tree, (all the spiders fell out of the tree on to my car, I have an abnormal fear of spiders,) while they yelled out “What’s that one taste like bitch”.   I think a lot of this was retaliation for capturing on video the use of lasers on my dogs eyes.

Some of the people here at the park have been really lovely and helpful,  they’re permanent residents,  and they also get a lot of backpackers in for the seasonal fruit picking around here, a lot travellers from other countries.  We had our wettest day for two years the other day,  and one poor guy in a tent nearly got floated away. He was stuck right in the middle of a huge lake of water the rain had made when he woke up. Wish I’d been able to get a photo of it, but the batteries in the camera were flat at the time.  Would have been an awesome photo, but not much fun for him really.

The bird life around here is beautiful and varied, early morning and late afternoon, and at  night lots of possums and rabbits and the occasional fox as well. Wonderful to paint.

There’s also a small library in the town with a couple of computers for public use, which is great, will come in handy, I hope to get a second hand laptop soon, which will be better still.

Hope to blog again soon, and catch up on everyone’s art and blogs.

Acrylic Painting Old Man Emu.

This is another one I painted awhile ago, its done in acrylics, its a copy of Ainslie Roberts work Old Man Emu. There is quite a story to the painting as there are with most of his works on aboriginal folklore. If you would like to know of the stories to his works, just google him in and will find them.  This one actually ended up as being part of a payment to a lovely computer man, who fixed my computer the last time it was hacked and crashed. While we were taking about the repairs it came up he is a follower and supporter of the arts.  I told him I love painting and all art, and it ended up saving me a lot of money in computer repairs when he said he would like some of my work..  He also gave me some really good links to different artists works on the net.  He was a really beautiful person and incredibly helpful.

I’ve been spending most of the afternoon and night cleaning cupboards and drawers out, getting rid of a lot of the junk we tend to accumulate. Am going to see about moving,  my poor dog has started to chew all his nails, some of them he is really ripping at. I know it is from what has been going on, not being able to go out and spend time or play properly in his yard without being sprayed etc.  which has made him pretty crook at times, and wow it makes you agitated also, I know from first hand experience of it.  When I moved in here I was just so happy to have a home again, I had promised him one for a long time, and he so loved his yard. Niether of us get to go out there any more.   All animals should be happy.  He’s laying on the floor next to me at the moment, watching for a mouse we have in the house.  I  put a mousetrap in the cupboard with some cheese on it before, and went to check it a little while ago, I couldn’t believe it the ants have pinched all the cheese (each summer we have a really bad ant problem), never knew ants were so partial to cheese.  Put a bigger chunk in this time, hoping they can’t carry it away.   So I think we have some very happy well stocked up ants.