Our House is their Home

For more years than I can remember we have had a Sparrows Nest in the corner of a drainpipe . Whether it is the same family I don’t know but they are here every year without fail and are a joy to watch as they progress from building a new nest, courting and rearing their young. In the mornings and evenings when we are in the bathroom (right beside the drainpipe) they can be heard twittering away, more so when Mum and Dad are catching and giving them their dinner!
I captured this image of Mum returning to the nest this evening.

The youngsters have been leaving the nest during the day as I have seen them on the roof but they are quickly herded away by their parents when I am spotted.
If they weren’t here one year it would be like the Ravens leaving the Tower of London – the end of our summers as we know it!
Long may they continue treating our house as their own – they are very welcome visitors.

Wallace and Joseph

Joseph, (a Grandson) knows I really like Wallace and Gromit. Well, on Sunday, he gave me this little present:

He bought it at a Boot Fare in Farnborough. Always an eye for a bargain has our Joseph, I understand that the bartering process with the stall holder went like this:
“How much is this?”
“20p”
“It’s for my Gramps who likes Wallace and Grommit”
“OK, have it for 5p” (Stall holder’s eyes welling up)
Now, that is the way to barter.
So, Joe got a bargain and I got this little figurine of Wallace that is sitting on top of my computer watching as I type this blog.
It is the little things that mean a lot.
‘Cracking Present, Joseph’
Thanks

Spiderman and Piccolo Cozy

It was our Grandson Henry’s birthday last Friday so on Sunday we all gathered at Janet and Tony’s house to celebrate. We couldn’t find Henry but were amazed to see Spiderman there:

A great day was had by all.
A late Fathers Day present was given to me.
I play the piccolo (a Yamaha YPC62 Grenadilla) with the Pfizer Wind Orchestra. The problem with wooden instruments is that they have to be looked after – no great changes in temperature or the wood is liable to split. They take a little while to warm up from cold and when warm it is advisable to keep them so. What is needed is a cover. A hint (or two – plus a diagram and measurements) to my Daughter Janet, and with a helping eye from Henry who chose the material (because I like stars) and this ‘Piccolo Cozy’ solves the problem.

Brilliant isn’t it – I am sure everyone will admire it and maybe want one.
Janet says it is a one off.
It certainly is!!
Thanks Janet.

Splinter – the Woodwork Teacher

The DJ on our local Radio Station (KMFM) this morning was asking for recollections on punishment in schools.

It made me recall a caning I received – unfairly I think you will agree – during my first term at Secondary School.

It was the last day of my first term at Secondary School and I had got through it unscathed as far as punishment went (that changed and I soon got used to the cane, detention and writing lines!). A teacher came up to me and pushed an envelope in my hand and said “Boy, take this to the woodwork teacher”.
I was at a loss as I had not done woodwork that term and didn’t know who or where he was. I stopped a boy in a year or so above me that I knew and asked him where I might find the woodwork teacher.
“Oh” He said “You want Splinter” and gave me the directions to the woodwork shop. I got there. Knocked on the door. Entered.
“Mr Splinter” I said “I have a letter for you”.
He did no more than tell me to hold out my hand. He got his cane and gave me three wacks on the palm of my hand.
I asked him “Why did you do that?”………..
“My name is Mr. Evans, not Splinter!” And said no more as if that explained everything!
I can smile now at how I was duped into making this error.
Now, all my other canings I probably deserved although I cannot recall why I got them – apart from this occasion.

Anyway, It never did me no harm!!
Or did it?
What do you think?

Supper for Cat and a Hedgehog

Last night, as usual, I took Tim (our Cat) outside for his supper. He is an outdoor cat and we always feed him outside when I saw this little fellow eating the remnants of the cat’s last meal from the cat’s bowl:

What could I do?
I did this:

Tim didn’t seem to mind and the hedgehog had a nice meal (cat food is excellent for hedgehogs by the way).
If this becomes a regular habit I shall have to double the purchase of Cat food. I trust the hedgehog has a discerning pallet as he is being fed on good quality cat food!
Nice to see though and a way to encourage the Hedgehog to stay in our garden and eat those nasty slugs that are eating my wife’s lovely bedding plants.

The Tale of the Caricature

I was asked by a friend recently about the Caricature on the Welcome Page of my Web Site
And I had promised to explain it. Well, It is taken from this:

As I have mentioned in a very early blog I was a Police Sketch Artist during my service with Kent Constabulary and during the training for this role the class had to look at a photograph of an unknown person and describe what we saw i.e. (apart from the obvious), height, weight, clothing, social status, job and anything that would help identify a suspect of a crime (it wasn’t just about drawing faces!). As the Photographs went round the room the descriptions got more and more “descriptive”. I was particularly fond of taken this to another level!
Steven Woods, also on the course, presented this Caricature to me.
It says “Well I think he’s probably a minor civil servant or jockey! Who like nothin’ better than a roll in a vat of jelly and blacmange while listening to a little Mozart and eatin’ pickled gerkins: he probably like crimplene and Blah Blah Blah” “But David it’s John Major”……..”Exactly”

The original has not been ‘cleaned’ as has the image used for my Site and this blog. It is a job I must do.

There, you now know the story behind this Caricature, and why I am so fond of it.

Disappointed in Carnaby Street

Have you ever had memories of an area from your youth that you think may be interesting to see again and join in the atmosphere and relive the ‘vibes’ that you experienced all those years ago?
I, my wife and friends were in London on Saturday to see the Sound of Music (excellent show, by the way) and we decided – well I decided really as they didn’t have much of a clue of that area of London (whereas I had been a messenger for an Graphics Art Firm in Maddox Street just round the corner while on leave from the Junior Soldiers and got to know London reasonably well) – to visit:

Well, what a disappointment! Gone was the atmosphere of Carnaby Street I remember. No shops selling the clothes of the 60’s (nor the outrageous clothes of the youth of today) , no music and no vibes. No life!!
We walked straight through.
Most disappointed, saddened almost.
The day ended on a good note though. We had an evening meal in an Italian Restaurant near Trafalgar Square and when the bill arrived found that a more expensive bottle of wine had been added to the bill than the one we ordered. We pointed this out to the management but it turned out we had in fact drunk a bottle of wine almost three times the price of the ordered bottle (and very, very, nice it was to). I was about to get into the “it wasn’t our fault” mode when the manager graciously accepted it was their error and reduced our bill accordingly. I didn’t mind leaving the 20% ’suggested’ gratuity already added to bill (why do they do that – discretionary but already added!) as it was much cheaper than paying for the wine. I want to say thank you to the manager of Galileo’s Ristorante Bar Italiano, Haymarket. London for his handling of this misunderstanding. If you are looking for a good Italian meal in London this is a place to consider.
So, I left London in an excellent frame of mind with the lingering trace of that delicious wine on my lips.

Not a bad end to the day – apart from the 2 1/2 hour train journey home – but that is for another blog!

The Cat’s Breakfast!

A pile of a bird’s feathers is all that was left after a cat had it’s breakfast in our garden this morning. They were not there at 6.30am but by 7.30am the foul deed had been done.

We do not know what bird they belonged to. I think a collared Dove but my wife thinks they are baby feathers.

I don’t think it was our cat Tim. He is too old, too slow and doesn’t really see things clearly now. (He needs glasses!).
I cannot point fingers but I think it was this Cat:

Does anyone recognize which bird these feathers are from?

My “Chick on the Ground watch” has failed. Oh Dear!!

The Finished Caricature

I am pleased to say that I finished the Caricature of RT over the weekend – well, final touches this morning when I always go back to it several times (and look at it upside down as it gives a wonderful alternative view of how the colours complement each other – try it!) and I am happy with the result.

I always ‘ground’ the subject by using a shadow tone and also for the objects. I made the shadow of the badge close to the badge but for the stripes I made the shadow of the tape from which the stripes are hanging further away as it adds depth (as readers may have gathered by now I am almost paranoid about adding depth!).
I added highlights to RT’s eyes using white acrylic paint and using a small brush and clean water removed some of the watercolour to produce highlights on the face of the dog as it was looking a bit dull and also to add a bit more character.

Now, providing RT is happy with it, my job is done!

Caricature – the next stage

The Caricature of RT took another step towards completion last night.

I painted the suit, shirt and tie, the latter in the colours of West Ham United. The first wash was, as is my usual way of working, of clean water and then after a few seconds the first wash of the suit colour. A subsequent wash deepens the colour and then I use the same wash with a little dark blue added for the shadows. I also gave the dog it’s first colour wash and painted the golf club. I added the shadow of the golf club onto the suit of RT. This, again, helps to add depth to the painting.
I cannot say exactly what colours I use to make up the washes as I have long ago forgotten the names of the colour pans I put where in my paint box. They are in shade order (light to dark, warm next to cold) around the box. I just know where the colour is I want to use. I trust I will not be lost when I have to replace one, but, as I ensure that I have a warm and a cold of each colour (my palette is limited to sixteen colours) I feel confident that I will replace like for like.

The dog is my challenge tonight – get it right first time and I’m almost home and dry.