The lovely Ben Howard.

Just cannot get enough of this guy.  Lucky to see him in a little venue in Lincoln and he was just amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KrU1LY-pQU

Christmas is coming.......

Christmas is rapidly approaching and for the first time I am just not feeling the Christmas thing.  Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas.  I love the build up, I love decorating the tree, getting out the books and the Christmassy films.

But this year?  Meh.

I am wondering if it is because it is the lack of television in the house (got rid of the TV earlier this year).  So for the first time in my life we have not been bombarded by endless Christmas adverts that start at the beginning of October.  No more adverts showing the perfect family enjoying a version of Christmas that just doesn't exist.  No more of that feeling of never living up to the happy, smiley, beautiful, well behaved telly families.   No more big, shouty 'IT'S CHRISTMAS, BUY STUFF'!

So perhaps this year it will be a bit more of a gradual festive time in our house.  The slow realisation of a special time.  Perhaps it will make the big day more special, instead of the slight deflated feeling that seems to accompany Christmas day for me.  Only time will tell.

But in the meantime, I think it could be time to get out 'It's a Wonderful Life' and crack open a Chocolate Orange.

Where I have been spending my days........

For the last two weeks I have been spending my time invigilating my solo exhibition in Lincoln.  This is my third solo show and possibly the scariest.  The gallery is much bigger than the last ones and, to be honest, I was woefully unprepared.  I have known about this exhibition for 18 months, yet only did the work in the last 6 weeks.  So, basically 6 weeks of late nights, one poor stressed husband, canvases cluttering up every surface and the permanent smell of paint in the house.  I do have a studio (shed really) in the garden but space and the fact that it is bloody cold forced me to decamp inside.



But, it is done and hanging and my time here is almost at an end.  I am not sure how I feel about it all.  I am not sure of the point of exhibitions.  Is it just my own vanity to put my work out there?  Is it just that I want people to see it and validate me as an 'artist' (a term I use very loosely about myself)?  I am really questioning if I should continue with the art.  I am not sure if I actually enjoy it anymore,  heck, I don't know anything anymore.

So as this exhibition draws to a close, the question remains, what now?  Do I continue or do I return to my life of tea making and hang up the paint brushes?

Sunrise

I went out for an early morning run (ahem) this morning and was rewarded by the most beautiful sunrise.  The sun was huge and rising over the misty fields, with trees silhouetted against they sky.  It was possibly the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen.  I wish I had a camera with me, but I know a photo would never have done it justice, I could never have captured the crisp feel of the air and the bird song and the smell of a new day.

Nature seems to reward us for getting up early and getting out there.

Brief Encounter

I watched Brief Encounter again this week, only for the second time.  Considering how much I love old black and white films, I am amazed it took me so long to watch this one.  But I now think that this may be my favourite film of all time.  I just adore it.  I love the setting, the story, I love the clothes and the manners, I love the way they talk and I love the ultimately doomed love affair.

This is a film for those nights when husband is out and I can curl up on the sofa, under a blanket, glass of wine in one hand and chocolate in the other and I can be transported to another time and place.  Bliss.

First time for everything...

After reading lots of blogs and then a lovely friend suggesting that I should write one, I thought I would have a go.  This is for no particular reason, and I don't know what direction it will take.  I am hoping it will be a reflection of what I like, a record of my thoughts (does anyone actually care?!) and just occasional ramblings.

So who am I?  I am a Mum and wife, a sister and a daughter, an occasional/lazy artist.  I am a Guide leader and an archery instructor.  A student of Aikido and a tea lady.  A lover of the outdoors and a homebody.  I bake great scones and awful flapjacks.  I used to have a phobia of bananas and I have made sandwiches for Westlife. I like/hate running.  I want to go travelling but rather like staying at home.  I will happily spend all my spare time reading. There are so many things I want to do and places I want to go and it scares me that I will never get to do all I want to do.

There is more to me.......I hope.