and what did you do on your extra day ?

I painted the studio floor….

look at that white shine!

can’t believe how mild it has been – just think of all that snow we had from November last year!

- been a funny month – thinking about what I want to do this year…what to develop … what new ideas to take forward…haven’t quite sorted that yet .. but enjoying the time to think – and meanwhile get to grips with the practicalities of clearing the studio  - a bit of order needed here again ( give my brain some space too).

- a sadness has been the death of Bert Cairns this month – anybody who has visited the Pittenweem Festival for a number of years cannot have failed to meet Bert – and his grin and his good humour – he’ll  be missed.

Sitting in Edinburgh at the moment having only just got across the bridge – all the shutters closed and listening to the wind blasting the house – rain and now hail hammering at the windows  - ( will your anchor hold…?)

There is nobody on the Links, all the schools are shut, Elvis is cuddled in and NOT HAPPY!

Work is out to the xmas exhibitions at Heinzel, Kranenburg and Aberfeldy and a few pieces in Morningside and I’m now able to take a few weeks to think about what I’m going to do next and work on some more abstract pieces.

Hope everybody survives the xmas hard sell (really struggling with the tacky, sentimental adverts (read Charlie Brooker ) whipping up kids to expect things which their parents probably can’t afford and shouldn’t get into debt to buy!!!! – ) ………  rant over –  enjoy some peace and quiet over the holiday  - ho ho ho.

what a beautiful day today – but freezing ! – there was frost on the grass when I got up and definitely scarf and gloves weather.

The Pittenweem open studios happens this weekend 12th /13th November and you can be sure there will be mulled wine and a log fire to heat you up at Jenny’s Cottage.

As usual entry is from Routine Row and up the garden path – there is still a bit of colour to see on the way in and elvis will more than likely be heating himself in front of the fire!

There will be Winterscapes and wee pictures as well as cards and prints.

Here is a taste of what’s on show.

…. great day and the sun is warm on my back – but with the hint that it won’t last – it was cold enough for frost last night when I was bringing in logs.

There was a hugh grey seal on the skerries this morning sunning itself (herself / himself), rolling over and airing one oxter …. then the other  ….. and singing.

Geese are drifting south (arrows pointing the way , honk, honk).

Did a workshop in St Andrews yesterday – a bit scary since it had been a long while since I taught anybody – but great, and good fun – I never cease to be amazed at how creative people are!

Back to the studio now to get some more work done in preparation for the Pittenweem open studios weekend in November – wee pictures and winterscapes .

one or two in the ‘gallery’ link soon.

All over again for another year and most things will have dried out by now – what happened to the ‘summer’ – log fires in August!!!! – can’t remember such poor weather, but the intrepid Pittenweem festivalers ( is that a word?) were not put off.
They came in their hundreds (and their wellies!) weel done drookit sarks !
We did have SOME good weather and enjoyed it when it happened. The chat and interest was just as good as usual – and the hit of the show must have been Helen Denerley’s menagerie at the harbour – it was for me.
We can always be optimistic and anticipate good weather next year.

In all the excitement of changing the website (thankyou Jane!!!) I’ve lost the last post – but it was only saying that the festival was fast approaching – and it’s even faster now – a week to go before the opening (rain,rain go away!).
6.30 until 9 on friday the 5th August.
paintings done (nearly- it’s always ‘nearly’ until they’re on the wall),- bad habit that!
invitations out, wine bought (thankyou peter Green), garden, house, elvis,  spruced up.
really looking forward to the invited artists this year too.

another exhibition this year, which will be fantastic – give yourself a treat and go and see Robert Melville at venue 83
hope to see you during the week.

They’ve gone – i’ve missed them – three days in Florence (beautiful, as ever, and misty in the Boboli gardens) sunny on the Arno – the Ponte Vecchio (tourists, loud,cross it quickly) David multiples everywhere (small, medium, large).

- and three in Paris – hot, sunny – the Rodin museum with more people than I’ve ever seen – chilled wine in the garden – French speugs fighting over breadcrumbs ( plus ca change etc.)
….and now it’s june! – and the garden is open on the 19th – wind damage earlier in the month has burnt leaves, killed off the first flowers – hopefully they’ll recover. Lots of changes to the garden too.

Working in the garden for the last week or so, I’ve decided that this should be the main theme of my painting for the next wee while.