In the near future I'm going to put up some art for sale (not that I have yet figured out a way to display it online. But if you can spare a quid... a dollar... a penny?
You could donate to my camera fund or buy something from my Shop at Cafe press (I'll get new designs up as soon as I can input art into a computer again)

Saturday, August 23, 2003
Cow Taunting
Had a family get together where I met my Grand-Uncle and Aunt and some of my distant cousins. We went for a ramble with my insanely over active second uncle's young daughters and, after skipping through mounds of nettles (nyaah I was wearing jeans and joggers, they skirts and sandals - guess who ended up carrying who) we followed the mill stream and were fortunate enough to see a Swan and her two near grown cygnets preening.
We must have stood there a full ten minutes while the swans ignored us. I was mentally kicking myself for not taking my camera or sketchpad.
As it was I trotted back over that way myself some time after lunch with both articles only to find the field full of cows and no swans in sight.
I decided to follow the stream anyway, just in case the swans were just around the corner and kept a wary eye on the cows. They were all just that as far as I could see but Mum had warned me that cows can be crotchery so I was careful to make no sudden moves. There was a knot of bovine beasties right on my path near the bend and they had calves so I decided not to push my luck and, in the absense of swans, decided to draw cows, standing of course, incase any decided to charge (I would have the option of swatting it across the face with my sketchbook or leaping into the mill stream and swimming to the other side without having to struggle to my feet first).
I must have spent a good twenty minutes sketching the nearby cows when one of the largest, all of 3meters from me, decided to stand up and I realised it was the herd's bull! @_@
Not knowing much about cows but it's body language seeming relaxed I stayed where I was and it watched me for a while before wandering off to eat. (I was fairly certain I was safe because there'd been no sign saying 'beware of the bull')
I then became aware of four sets of eyes on me and realised that of the knot of cattle that had blocked my way further along the stream several were bull calfs and, while no where as big as the one that had walked away from me, were of some fair size.
It's funny - their behaviour put me in mind of a bunch of school boys confronted with a new girl in school, they were all jostling each other, trying to push someone else forward but awfully curious at the same time.
I wasn't to happy with the idea of being surrounded by curious cattle so when one of them walked forward I let it approach till about a three meter distance then took a big step towards it. It stopped and looked worried, I took another three smaller steps and it shuffled back hastily, pushing it's friends aside. Gaff it was funny to see the expressions on their faces.
At that point though I decided it was time to head back before their curiosity overcame their wariness.
Rambled back through the quiet villiage and got shown an old medieval church - very open and airy -NICE

Saturday, August 23, 2003
Look UP!
I spent half a day at the Roman Baths in Bath, England. One of the things that struck me was that so few people looked above their heads to see the marvellous snarling, sulking, sneering gargoyles and grotesques that peer down from the architecture.
I loved it!
I have a fondness for lion headed doorknockers and here at last was a place where I could look my fill.
As I said I spent half a day there, did a minor minor minor bit of sketching. I REALLY need to get more art actually coloured and up.