Tuesday 19 April 2011

A goat, 2 estate agents and a silly woman!!!


Alby Newbian Goat
Once upon a time I acquired 2 goats, a white Toggenburg called Daisy and an Alby Newbian whose name was Biggles. I had not given enough thought to goat keeping and it was not long before they produced 2 kids, things then got very complicated , they could be very entertaining and very naughty, and we seemed to spend much of our time searching for runaway goats. Eventually they became such a handful I had to get rid of Daisy and her babies, but that's another story!       
Toggenburg goat
Biggles continued to live with us for many  more colourful, and being a billy goat, very smelly years.

We live in an old farmhouse that has needed lots of renovation, which is not easy when you have 3 children, 8 cats, 2 dogs, chickens, ducks, geese, an assortment of small furry creatures  and of course goats! I would get fed up with the slow progression of building work and quite often would want to sell up. So off to the estate agents I went, and made appointments with 2 companies to come and value our property. Needless to say nobody dare make a mess or move anything , and kept out of my way over the weekend, as I cleaned, hoovered, dusted and shoved things in cupboards so the house looked suitably tidy for the first estate agent to drop by on the Monday morning.


Monday arrived and a lovely man in a suit arrived, defiantly the wrong attire for an old farmhouse which was surrounded by animals,a  building site and lots of mud! Anyway I made the chap a nice cup of tea gave him a slice of cake, made small talk for a bit, then he went of to nosey around and measure up, all the while making suitable ohhhh  arrrrr sounds. I was not sure if they were complimentary ohhh arrrrrr sounds as he looked round our home, or coming into a little farmyard he took on the persona of a farmer. 


After collecting all the details he went into the gardens to measure and admire....his shoes were now very muddy as I met him outside our barns, and there was worse to come. Entering the barns and looking around he then wanted to know what was through a door at the back. 'well' I said 'that takes us into my goats living quarters, and you have seen them from the outside when you measured the paddock'. But he was adamant he wanted to go in!


'Ok, but he is a billy goat, and smells bad, hopefully he wont come rushing up to you and make you smell just like he does'. So I fetched a bucket, filled it with food , hoping when I opened the door, Biggles would be more interested in another unexpected breakfast, rather than the said agent.


I unlocked and pushed he door open slowly....so unusual no rush of goat. Stepping inside I looked around then saw Biggles laying on his back amongst the hay! 


'Oh.....I think Biggles is asleep' I said, panicking a little as he looked a little unwell!
'My dear, I think your goat is dead' the estate agent relied
'Well he was Ok this morning when I gave him his breakfast' 
The friendly estate agent went on his merry way.....


I had intended to cover Biggles over with hay, as we could not dispose of his body immediatly. The following  morning another chap came over to value our house...guess what? I forgotten to put the hay over the goat.


Well here comes the silly woman part...the estate agent had a cuppa, a piece of cake, went round my house measuring up and making ohhhhh arrrrrr sounds, measured and admired the gardens, then stood outside my barns with muddy shoes..... realisation dawned on me....Instead of telling him to look out and not tread on my dead goat, I told him Biggles was very smelly, would rush towards him, and I had to get a bucket of food....I opened the door looked around...and exclaimed 'My goat is asleep'.....he replied 'I think your goats dead'.awwwwwwwww how silly I felt. As you can imagine I did not hear from either agent for a while. Their premises were next door to each other, so no doubt they compare details the they can come up  with similar valuations....Imagine their conversation....'Oh when I visited Hillcote Farm the lady there had a goat in her barn  that had died that morning'....'Funny enough when I went the next day she had another goat that had died that morning too'


To top the lot, my father in law would drop by most days, visit Biggles and give him some scraps. He came indoors for his daily cuppa and said 'I don't think Biggles is very well today, as he is not interested in the food I have brought him'. Laughing I then told him he had been trying to feed a dead goat!!!!! Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Happy Tuesday to you all...x
                                                                                                                                    

Saturday 16 April 2011

Living in a bucket

We of the craft are all crazy. - LORD BYRON (1788-1824)

Hiya everyone hope all is happy and bright?
My get up and go has got up and gone again, I feel like I am inside a bucket looking up and waving but no one sees me....its a case of "no one likes me, everyone hates me so I am off in to the garden to eat worms", not literately of course. I may serve up dandelions, but worms I think not!


I would so love to return to days 4 years ago when I had the freedom and confidence to go out and about, but I am trapped like a bird in a cage, scared of the world outside. Sometimes I wish I could run away from myself...lol. Each day I live in hope that this is the day I will see the colours more clearly and find "me" again.


Well enough of a moan, I know I am blessed with my family and of course my art, so on that note I am off to my studio to be creative. Have a good Saturday.....



Wednesday 13 April 2011

Sandcastles, buckets and spades


She used to sit long hours on the beach gazing intently at the waves as they chafed with perpetual motion against the pebbly shore....Elizabeth Gaskell


For over 20 years during school holidays I have sat on the beaches of North Norfolk and Elizabeth's quote sums it up so well. Watching my three children on the unspoilt beaches playing their imaginary games, building sandcastles knowing they will crumble when a wave laps over them as the tide comes in. Spending lazy days picnicking on cheese rolls with a nice crunch of sand, paddling in the warm surf of the waves, digging moats and catching crabs, then releasing them at the end of the day and watching them scurry back to their watery home. Collecting shells, eating up ice creams before they melt...oh and fish and chips eaten out of the paper on the beach.... idyllic bucket and spade holidays, but I was always watchful, so had little time to myself. Although I did get to sail some paper boats.....I do like to think they reached their destination.
You know sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for....now they are grown up I have so much time to myself  its difficult to adjust. I do miss the hustle and bustle of our life with a house full of children. But time I am sure will help, time for changes and time for me after 27 years of watching and protecting them. I still have that protective instinct, but watching them step out as young people their lives ahead of them, makes me feel proud, knowing I have helped them on their way :)


 

Do you build sandcastles in the air, or on the beach?

I build them in the air, and no one else can see them. It's like my secret little castle that I like to run around in while people around look at me strangely.
Happy days love M x

Saturday 9 April 2011

New Green Leaves and Dandelions

  Walking along the whisper wood
Hand in hand 
Sharing words and promises 
Of new green leaves and dandelions.

Saturday has brought us another beautiful sunny day and it seems spring has sprung! he buds on the trees are starting to burst with new green leaves and there are yellow splashes of dandelions everywhere. People see them as annoying weeds, me well I love the beauty of the flowers and the magical dandelion clock of seeds. As kids we would blow the seeds away, counting how many it took for all the little to float off in the air. The amount of puffs determined the hour of the day!
We also believed if we picked them we would wet the bed.This phrase originated in Western Europe where dandelion leaves were traditionally used as a diuretic. However, for the diuretic to take effect, the dandelion has to be consumed; smelling or picking a dandelion won’t do it! Dandelion’s diuretic effects were so well known that other names for this plant have included pissinbed (English) and pissinlet (French)
You can send a message to a distant friend or lover by visualising your words and blowing the seeds on the dandelion clock, as they escape into the sky they will take your message with them and deliver them to that special person....A bit like my paper boats that I let sail away across the miles, maybe I will try a dandelion clock next time!


In some places, Dandelions have served as weather forecasters. If they do not open in the morning, it will rain. Or, if down flies off the seed heads though there is no wind, it will rain.


If you wanted to find out if its true love, place the dandelion under your nose and lightly smell it, if love is in the air then the tip of our nose will be yellow. If the relationship is not meant to be then the dandelion leaves no mark.

Dandelions can be used as herbal remedies and they are also good to eat. How about this for supper tonight?

Starter
Dandelion soup

Main
Battered fried dandelion flowers
with a dandelion leaf and bacon salad

Dessert
Dandelion cookies and ice cream

All washed down with dandelion wine or dandelion tea

I made the dandelion main this afternoon, it had mixed reviews with my family, I think it was the idea of eating flowers.....lol 
Pick and wash flower heads, discarding the stalks.
Dry and dip in your favourite batter recipe.
cook for a few minutes in hot oil
serve with a dandelion salad!




Dandelions are in abundance now so you can have your supper for almost free....give it a try you may surprise yourself!


"The miracles of nature do not seem miracles because they are so common. If no one had ever seen a flower, even a dandelion would be the most startling event in the world."


http://www.mountain-breeze.com/kitchen/dandelions/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frDYIg_-RaI



Tuesday 5 April 2011

Healthy eating and handbags!


Happy Wednesday to you all, and I hope the day has been bright and happy :) 

This is day 6 of a healthy eating plan....I have been making my own fruit and veg juices, and already my eyes are brighter and my skin is clearer, what is going on inside though I have no idea, my tummy does grumble a bit when it receives yet another glass of  mixed vegetables, it prefers the fruit juices and smoothies...

Some of the veggie ones have been a disaster, and many of them you have to shut your eyes to drink them as the green/grey sludge lacks appeal, but hey ho I figure its doing me good! 
 

Take 1 apple, 1 lemon, half a cucumber, 1stick of celery, 1 carrot and whizz through your juicer. Pour over ice into a tall glass and decorate with greenery and a slice of orange....shut eyes and drink!
Actually this one was really nice despite the lovely mud colour!
If you are going on a juice detox restrict your carrot intake as apparently your skin can turn a nice shade of orange! Good colour for Halloween! 


So now we come to handbags! As you al know I am an Artist, and most of my work involves recycling techniques where ever possible. The last time I did a juice detox I brought commercial brands. I cleaned and stored the empty cartons knowing that one day I would find a use for the unwanted rubbish.

I had one of those bright idea moments and a bag was born. The waxed cartons were harder to stitch together that I had envisaged, so my patience was stretched to the limit at times. Anyway perseverance paid off and the bag was finished.
 I have since had 3 commissions to make these little gems...who says there is no money in rubbish!


hugs for smiles M x





















Sunday 3 April 2011

Cabbages and Sunflowers



Hello everyone :) I trust all is well in your world this weekend ? I have had a full week this week so no time to catch up with chit chat on my blog. I won't bore you with  the finer details of my life....suffice to say it has been rounds of annual health checks :( and catching up with friends :) :) Its so nice to spend time with pals you are comfortable with, chit chatting and putting the world to right over a cuppa and maybe a piece of cake! So a big thank you my lovely friends for your company this week.....you are all truly inspirational and a big hug for you ((((HUG))))


So cabbages and sunflowers....what is all this about you may ask....well its a title for a body of work that was inspired by 2 very good friends of mine a few years ago.


Both these pals dropped by unexpectedly, one with a huge bunch of sunflowers, she smiled gave them to me and said she had seen them that morning and  they reminded her of me so brought the oh so beautiful flowers (my favourite) to give to me later that day. They looked stunning in a tall vase sitting on the kitchen windowsill, their sunny faces smiling at me reminding me of a special friend.


                  
A few days later I had another pal drop by....she presented me with a bunch of tall ornamental cabbages. She said she felt these flowers were truly unique and reminded her of me! I arranged them in the same vase as the sunflowers and they looked stunning together. The lovely contrast of yellow, purple and green was stunning. Each morning the flowers made me smile, and remember these two lovely ladies. 


The colour combination inspired me to start a new sketch book, once again telling a story, capturing flowers and friends in my work. Below I have included a few pages from my book, I have used hand made coloured and textured papers, textile work and mixed media. The colours and textures became my mood board and I went on to  weave, knit and embroider a lovely body of work.



                                                                             






I think you will agree I have captured the sunflowers and cabbages in my very unique way! Have a happy Sunday and I will catch up real soon. Hugs 4 smiles M xxx