Hello, now I did say in yesterday's blog that I wouldn't be able to do this because I was going to see my friend Mary. Well I am, she's sitting next to me. I'm in the Music Departments PC centre because she has to do some photo-copying, so this, ironically, gives me a nice chance to post a blog for today. And as Mary has been very slow, practically all her life, I might have to be here for sometime, so be warned, this is going to be a LONG post for today!
The jounrney down here was fine, took about an hour, from Blackheath station to Waterloo to Egham (Egham is the station just before Staines which is bang on Heathrow). I was going to walk up to her uni to meet her there, but I would have preferred to get a taxi to her house beacuse I had my my wheelie suitcase (It has a name, "Moriarty", not because of the Sherlock Holmes baddie but Spike Milligan's character in the Goons, Moriarty who always seemed to be living in a suitcase with Hercules Grytpype-Thynne, if you're wondering what the hell I'm talking about then click here for The Goons website/characters in the show. It was a radio show in the 1950s, featuring Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe where they all performed over a dozen different voices and characters on every show. Fantastic stuff!) and another BIG bag and wasn't looking forward to the walk up the hill and then AMAZINGLY enough, Mary spills coffee over her skirt while she was still at home and phones me up and says could i get a taxi to her home? I've got a feeling I might have caused the coffee accident, I so wanted a taxi and somewhere to dump my stuff!!! So as usual Mary's running late anyway and we walk the 10 minute walk to the uni, but, oh dear God, on the way I got chatted up by a 5 year old!!!! Ok, he could have been 9, maybe he was small for his age, he started whistling to me and asking for my name and number, I mean, Oh my God, kids today! I collapsed into a fit of giggles and had to quicken my pace! Please comment on that one, no jokes mind, to him maybe, not to me! Then we met her friends and had lunch and now I'm here in the "PC suite" makes it sound so posh!
Anyway, as I have an hour on my hands, this place shuts at 4pm, I'll give you some interesting links that I found last night and some I'll find now too. . .so much time. . .
Cows, now I can't find the link for this, because it has sound on it and I can't find the volume button on this, inless its turned down already, but I'm not going to chance it, there are serious students in here, doing serious work and I don't think they would like me very much!
thecowdance - it's odd
RockPaperScissorsStone Looks good but then is simply boring, like the game
DancingBush game Funny, if only I could hear the music, they're head phones here, but now a guy has sat down next to me and I'm scarred to fiddle with them!
I don't believe it, I've just deleted my whole blog up to here. Bloody FUCKING PC's!!!! Windows sucks, it fucking sucks! Complaining I have an hour to kill, but now I've lost everything.
I can't be bothered to do it all again, so bye. Need a drink. Oh dear, at 4pm?! Dear God. Anyway, I must get out of this place, all these serious people working on their essays on the last day of term!!! Disgusting!
Emy xxx
Friday, March 31, 2006
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Film Links in Blue. . .Go Click!
Ok my faithful readers, more films, as promised:
Short 30 sec film Fi singing 'Nothing Compares 2 U', Last Open Mike Night, KIAD bar, 2005
Short 30 sec film Tucker singing 'Blackbird' Last ever performance, Last Open Mike Night, KIAD bar, 2005
Note: Both films are very dark and short, but they are what they are!
That's all so sad, I've just been doing my online CV and writing about KIAD, the MA, the town, the people, my friends, who I miss so much, who are now in different corners of the world and I feel a little emotional. I should dig out some MA photos sometime to put on this. Sometime. The two films above a rather blurred and dark, but the sound is good, do remember they were only filmed by a little Casio digital camera in the dark and crowd noise of the Uni bar. I have been invited back to KIAD, a fundraising event for the current MA's in May but I think I'd might be in Devon then, I'll see.
Well the painters and decorators are well and truely working away at our windows, on scaffolding and cherry pickers, and most of them are Russian, so I keep getting woken up every morning by them talking outside my bedroom window and it's a nice language to listen too, I always thought it would be quite rough, but it's very calm and gentle. So all the windows are open and it just has to be a windy day and I'm getting blown around the room!
This is my last post until Sunday as I'm seeing my good friend Mary at her Uni,Royal Holloway.
This is her second degree and she's in her last year. Think about it shes now been at Uni 7 years of her life and one more to go when she takes her PGCE teaching training in London, beginining September this year. I've known her since first year at Secondary School, it's getting on for 15 years and we've been best friends for 12 of those (yeah, first few years we argued a lot, but then I think most teenagers go through that, right?). Shes been with me every step of the way through Art College, coming to see me at Winchester when I was doing my BA and Canterbury on the MA. We get on like a house on fire. Funny though, not so long ago, I fell out with her, all of 10 mins, I even deleted her from my phone! Then she txted me and we laughed, so much! I think we're friends because we hold an important thing in common, we're both only children and so appreciate our folks and spend more time with them then most children and plus we're both mad. A match made in heaven! Moving along. . .shes just handed in an important essay and it's the end of term so Mary is keen to get very, very drunk with me so I'm going to feel so ill when I come back on Sunday! A night at her Student Union is planned and a trip into Winsor (where I've never been) because her campus is in Egham, Surrey, close to Winsor Great Park. I wonder where the Queen is? The last I heard was she was opening the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, I haven't seen her since. If she's at Winsor Castle then the flag would be flying, I'll let you know. So expect LOADS of drunken pictures to come and stunning ones of Royal Holloway itself, one of the finest Victorian Gothic buildings I've ever seen, opened by Queen Victoria in the 19th Century as the first University/college for women, it has two rather fine quads. Splendid.
Before I go yesterday I was looking through other peoples films on 'youtube' and I found this one, which I think is great:
Real Life Simpsons
Ok, I hope everyone has a great weekend and I'll see if I can post on Sunday without throwing up! Oh Mary, you do have a lot to answer for!!!!
Emy the mad xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxx xx x
Short 30 sec film Fi singing 'Nothing Compares 2 U', Last Open Mike Night, KIAD bar, 2005
Short 30 sec film Tucker singing 'Blackbird' Last ever performance, Last Open Mike Night, KIAD bar, 2005
Note: Both films are very dark and short, but they are what they are!
That's all so sad, I've just been doing my online CV and writing about KIAD, the MA, the town, the people, my friends, who I miss so much, who are now in different corners of the world and I feel a little emotional. I should dig out some MA photos sometime to put on this. Sometime. The two films above a rather blurred and dark, but the sound is good, do remember they were only filmed by a little Casio digital camera in the dark and crowd noise of the Uni bar. I have been invited back to KIAD, a fundraising event for the current MA's in May but I think I'd might be in Devon then, I'll see.
Well the painters and decorators are well and truely working away at our windows, on scaffolding and cherry pickers, and most of them are Russian, so I keep getting woken up every morning by them talking outside my bedroom window and it's a nice language to listen too, I always thought it would be quite rough, but it's very calm and gentle. So all the windows are open and it just has to be a windy day and I'm getting blown around the room!
This is my last post until Sunday as I'm seeing my good friend Mary at her Uni,Royal Holloway.
This is her second degree and she's in her last year. Think about it shes now been at Uni 7 years of her life and one more to go when she takes her PGCE teaching training in London, beginining September this year. I've known her since first year at Secondary School, it's getting on for 15 years and we've been best friends for 12 of those (yeah, first few years we argued a lot, but then I think most teenagers go through that, right?). Shes been with me every step of the way through Art College, coming to see me at Winchester when I was doing my BA and Canterbury on the MA. We get on like a house on fire. Funny though, not so long ago, I fell out with her, all of 10 mins, I even deleted her from my phone! Then she txted me and we laughed, so much! I think we're friends because we hold an important thing in common, we're both only children and so appreciate our folks and spend more time with them then most children and plus we're both mad. A match made in heaven! Moving along. . .shes just handed in an important essay and it's the end of term so Mary is keen to get very, very drunk with me so I'm going to feel so ill when I come back on Sunday! A night at her Student Union is planned and a trip into Winsor (where I've never been) because her campus is in Egham, Surrey, close to Winsor Great Park. I wonder where the Queen is? The last I heard was she was opening the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, I haven't seen her since. If she's at Winsor Castle then the flag would be flying, I'll let you know. So expect LOADS of drunken pictures to come and stunning ones of Royal Holloway itself, one of the finest Victorian Gothic buildings I've ever seen, opened by Queen Victoria in the 19th Century as the first University/college for women, it has two rather fine quads. Splendid.
Before I go yesterday I was looking through other peoples films on 'youtube' and I found this one, which I think is great:
Real Life Simpsons
Ok, I hope everyone has a great weekend and I'll see if I can post on Sunday without throwing up! Oh Mary, you do have a lot to answer for!!!!
Emy the mad xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxx xx x
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Film and Excitement
Short film 30 secs Jiving with Phil and Ali
Hey guys,
Ok so putfile.com is a waste of space, even downloading the new windows media player for Mac OSX didn't work, so that link to the right is due to go. So now I've tried Youtube which seems better, for now anyway.
So first short 30 second film is the Jiving master Phil Evans and his lovely dancing partner Ali, dancing away in KIAD Uni Bar (oh how much I miss it. . .kind of). It was sometime last year, in the summer. I have about 6 other films to show you, some including some of the people who read this, you know who you are! And you'll be surprised! Yes, I was there, with my camera filming you unaware, so please, PLEASE, if you don't like it on site for the world to see then I'll get rid of it. . .but having seen the crap people put on 'youtube', you lot have nothing to worry about!
Ok, today, rain/shine, usual weather. I now have an offical page for my artwork on londonart.co.uk, look up Artist Index then there's me (Emily Clark) under "Newly selected artists - March", how exciting is that?! And look at the prices, I was modest to start off with but then they emailed me and said they should be higher and they put them up!!!!
I received the latest edition of A N Magazine for artists and am applying to three opportunities, one is to work in a school for a month with art students, one is a years residency year at the London Print Works and the other is an exhibition in Exeter, Devon. So applications will be ready and sent off on Monday. Phew, so much at once!
On that note, I'm off. Actually, last thing, a funny link. The ironical thing about it is that prior to stumbling across it, I had that particular tune in my head all day yesterday:
You Hit Me, Babe
Perhaps more later. . .
Emy xxx
Hey guys,
Ok so putfile.com is a waste of space, even downloading the new windows media player for Mac OSX didn't work, so that link to the right is due to go. So now I've tried Youtube which seems better, for now anyway.
So first short 30 second film is the Jiving master Phil Evans and his lovely dancing partner Ali, dancing away in KIAD Uni Bar (oh how much I miss it. . .kind of). It was sometime last year, in the summer. I have about 6 other films to show you, some including some of the people who read this, you know who you are! And you'll be surprised! Yes, I was there, with my camera filming you unaware, so please, PLEASE, if you don't like it on site for the world to see then I'll get rid of it. . .but having seen the crap people put on 'youtube', you lot have nothing to worry about!
Ok, today, rain/shine, usual weather. I now have an offical page for my artwork on londonart.co.uk, look up Artist Index then there's me (Emily Clark) under "Newly selected artists - March", how exciting is that?! And look at the prices, I was modest to start off with but then they emailed me and said they should be higher and they put them up!!!!
I received the latest edition of A N Magazine for artists and am applying to three opportunities, one is to work in a school for a month with art students, one is a years residency year at the London Print Works and the other is an exhibition in Exeter, Devon. So applications will be ready and sent off on Monday. Phew, so much at once!
On that note, I'm off. Actually, last thing, a funny link. The ironical thing about it is that prior to stumbling across it, I had that particular tune in my head all day yesterday:
You Hit Me, Babe
Perhaps more later. . .
Emy xxx
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
More British Slang
Hey this is a follow up post from the other day where I told you about London Cockney Rhyming Slang, well heres another, but this time for you yanks:
The Evening Standard writes:
'The BBC's American arm has produced a dictionary of British slang so US viewers can make sense of classice shows from the UK.
The "Limey lexicon" comes as British and Irish comedy hits, including Little Britain, Father Ted, Blackadder and The Young Ones, become increasingly popular in the US.
It contains more than 2,000 pieces of slang from "bladdered" to "barnet" and "wonky". BBC America also broadcasts Goodness Gracious Me, Bargain Hunt and Fottballer's Wives. The American DVD of The Office was given subtitles to help viewers negotiate David Brent's Slough vowels. US magazines printed a Sheffield dialect guide to accompany the Full Monty.'
I think it is needed. But not only for the US, me as well! I used to spend long times on the trains, going back and forth to places and I used to encounter many northeners and I found it hard to understand what they were saying! But that's more to do with accent. But then if you don't know the culture then you certainly wouldn't understand 'Blackadder'. Your comments please. Oh and the link, I almost forgot! BBCAMERICA
See you all tomorrow,
Emy xxx
The Evening Standard writes:
'The BBC's American arm has produced a dictionary of British slang so US viewers can make sense of classice shows from the UK.
The "Limey lexicon" comes as British and Irish comedy hits, including Little Britain, Father Ted, Blackadder and The Young Ones, become increasingly popular in the US.
It contains more than 2,000 pieces of slang from "bladdered" to "barnet" and "wonky". BBC America also broadcasts Goodness Gracious Me, Bargain Hunt and Fottballer's Wives. The American DVD of The Office was given subtitles to help viewers negotiate David Brent's Slough vowels. US magazines printed a Sheffield dialect guide to accompany the Full Monty.'
I think it is needed. But not only for the US, me as well! I used to spend long times on the trains, going back and forth to places and I used to encounter many northeners and I found it hard to understand what they were saying! But that's more to do with accent. But then if you don't know the culture then you certainly wouldn't understand 'Blackadder'. Your comments please. Oh and the link, I almost forgot! BBCAMERICA
See you all tomorrow,
Emy xxx
March
Hell.
The weather is crazy. Though actually typical for March. I walked into the village in blazing sunshine, no rain coat, no umbrella, only to be caught in a downpour. I got soaked. My ears are still ice cold and to make matters worse I had only just done my hair. When I came back it was blazing sunshine again, although theres just been a clap of thunder. Now I'm staying in. And now looking outside it's pouring, bucketing down. Yet all of the birds are singing the joys of Spring.
Over the years I have written, millions of Personal Statements for my work. I needed to do one for my londonart.co.uk site, so here it is:
The longer I paint – and all right, I’m only 26 – the more purely intuitive the process becomes. The images are inside my head, born of the interaction between my subjective being and environment. All of the old devices of the painter, plein-air easels, sketchbooks, reference photography, studied draughtsmanship, are neither relevant nor necessary. Perhaps what I do might be compared to some highly orchestrated form of Zen. Colour, the language of pigment, is all-important. I work quickly and spontaneously, each image a product of stored feeling and experience.
What all of my painting has in common is an overriding sense of the multiple forces and effects of nature (as anyone even slightly afflicted with claustrophobia could hardly fail to notice!). But none of this can be taken for granted: as a species we have reached the crossroads between survival and annihilation. Which way to we go, and more bleakly, is it in any case too late to make a choice? Such is the raw and extraordinary beauty of our planet – of nature itself – that there can be only one, positive response. We have to get our priorities right, and that takes imagination, and art can help. Art, like science, has grave responsibilities and I like to think that, where art is concerned, the tide has turned away from nihilism and ‘shock’ towards a greater understanding and appreciation of the sheer value and wonder of life.
Since the question is always asked, I can say that the painters whose work I most enjoy include Robert and Sonia Delaunay, Paul Nash, Emil Nolde and – the later – Georges Braque. They are, in their very different ways, kindred spirits, no more, no less. I also see that I’ve used the word ‘enjoy’ and that is the right choice. Art, like being alive, should be enjoyed – and true enjoyment demands respect and concern for everything we encounter. Crisis makes conservationists of us all.
What do you think?
Back later perhaps,
Emy xxx
The weather is crazy. Though actually typical for March. I walked into the village in blazing sunshine, no rain coat, no umbrella, only to be caught in a downpour. I got soaked. My ears are still ice cold and to make matters worse I had only just done my hair. When I came back it was blazing sunshine again, although theres just been a clap of thunder. Now I'm staying in. And now looking outside it's pouring, bucketing down. Yet all of the birds are singing the joys of Spring.
Over the years I have written, millions of Personal Statements for my work. I needed to do one for my londonart.co.uk site, so here it is:
The longer I paint – and all right, I’m only 26 – the more purely intuitive the process becomes. The images are inside my head, born of the interaction between my subjective being and environment. All of the old devices of the painter, plein-air easels, sketchbooks, reference photography, studied draughtsmanship, are neither relevant nor necessary. Perhaps what I do might be compared to some highly orchestrated form of Zen. Colour, the language of pigment, is all-important. I work quickly and spontaneously, each image a product of stored feeling and experience.
What all of my painting has in common is an overriding sense of the multiple forces and effects of nature (as anyone even slightly afflicted with claustrophobia could hardly fail to notice!). But none of this can be taken for granted: as a species we have reached the crossroads between survival and annihilation. Which way to we go, and more bleakly, is it in any case too late to make a choice? Such is the raw and extraordinary beauty of our planet – of nature itself – that there can be only one, positive response. We have to get our priorities right, and that takes imagination, and art can help. Art, like science, has grave responsibilities and I like to think that, where art is concerned, the tide has turned away from nihilism and ‘shock’ towards a greater understanding and appreciation of the sheer value and wonder of life.
Since the question is always asked, I can say that the painters whose work I most enjoy include Robert and Sonia Delaunay, Paul Nash, Emil Nolde and – the later – Georges Braque. They are, in their very different ways, kindred spirits, no more, no less. I also see that I’ve used the word ‘enjoy’ and that is the right choice. Art, like being alive, should be enjoyed – and true enjoyment demands respect and concern for everything we encounter. Crisis makes conservationists of us all.
What do you think?
Back later perhaps,
Emy xxx
Monday, March 27, 2006
Some paintings. . .some old, some new.
A more cheery post then yesterday. That film had to be done folks, it's the only way to get everyone's attention, least I managed it with two! And I do promise I won't always be having films of that kind, I'll try and limit myself to once a month because I know they're hard to watch, but they do get straight to the point.
Well www.londonart.co.uk likes my work and want me to sign up with them. Which is good. A little expensive for my part, there is a registration fee, but it would be the same cost as getting my website re- done, and the prices I chose for my work were pretty close to everyone elses so I'm happy. Now I need to find a gallery here to represent me and I'll be set.
I'm trying to persuade my dad to book up a 3 week holiday somewhere this year, but I'm not having much luck. Basically we can't afford the time, if my career suddenly takes off (yeah. . .right) and I'm needed in London, there's my grandmother who we can't leave for long and plus the fact that we must put the house on the market soon. All these things working against us and I only want to go to Scotland!!!!!! The Summer Isles, Perthshire and then Rannoch. And this time I can relax and enjoy myself, no carrying round heavy photgraphy/film equipment (though I must take some cameras!) like when I went twice last year for my MA project.
To end with, just another blog thing:
| You Are New York |
 Cosmopolitan and sophisticated, you enjoy the newest in food, art, and culture. You also appreciate a good amount of grit - and very little shocks you. You're competitive, driven, and very likely to succeed. Famous people from New York: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Tupac Shakur, Woody Allen |
I could have told you that already!
Emy xxx
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Forgive me, please. . .
Hey guys, I'm sorry, I HAVE to do this.
When I first saw this short 5 minute video I could only watch 2 minutes of it. It is probably the most horrifying film I have ever seen. But it's important. This doesn't go on in this country, well, not that I know of, but it is still very close to home and it's why I don't eat beef. So if you have a fast speed broadband and a very strong stomach and if you're fearless to the worst kinds of animal cruelty and if you care deeply then this is for you:
PETA undercover:
Sacred and federal laws violated at
IOWA SLAUGHTERHOUSE
I love cows. I haven't eaten beef now for 14 years and I'll continue indefinietly. They are the most beautiful, loving, loyal, noble creatures I have ever known. No animal deserves this. This is savagery, its worst kind. God help them.
I donated £10, not much, but then I have no money. To read the slaughterhouse savagery and not to watch the video click here
Don't worry guys. I'm not always going to have this on my blog. It's just through this, I feel I have a voice. Bare it in mind.
Love and all that
Emy xxx
When I first saw this short 5 minute video I could only watch 2 minutes of it. It is probably the most horrifying film I have ever seen. But it's important. This doesn't go on in this country, well, not that I know of, but it is still very close to home and it's why I don't eat beef. So if you have a fast speed broadband and a very strong stomach and if you're fearless to the worst kinds of animal cruelty and if you care deeply then this is for you:
PETA undercover:
Sacred and federal laws violated at
IOWA SLAUGHTERHOUSE
I love cows. I haven't eaten beef now for 14 years and I'll continue indefinietly. They are the most beautiful, loving, loyal, noble creatures I have ever known. No animal deserves this. This is savagery, its worst kind. God help them.
I donated £10, not much, but then I have no money. To read the slaughterhouse savagery and not to watch the video click here
Don't worry guys. I'm not always going to have this on my blog. It's just through this, I feel I have a voice. Bare it in mind.
Love and all that
Emy xxx
British Summertime Begins!
Hello everyone, yes, summertime, the clocks when forward at midnight, so we've lost an hour in bed but have gained an hour of light in the evening. So soon the sun will be setting at 9 in the summer and darkness at 10, actually I'm getting a little carried away, that doesn't actually happen until July/August! But one hour makes a BIG difference.
Also today it's Mother's Day in the UK, so I'd like to start off with some pictures of my mum and myself taken way back when:
1979 My mum and her new born (me!)
1988, Ravello, Itlay
1988, Ravello, Italy
1988, Ravello, Italy (classic mum pose!)
1984 note the Renault 5 and my ghastley school uniform
2005, Christmas, My mum and me now. . .any difference?!
Cor blimey. That's great, don't you think?
Emy xxx
Also today it's Mother's Day in the UK, so I'd like to start off with some pictures of my mum and myself taken way back when:
1979 My mum and her new born (me!)
1988, Ravello, Itlay
1988, Ravello, Italy
1988, Ravello, Italy (classic mum pose!)
1984 note the Renault 5 and my ghastley school uniform
2005, Christmas, My mum and me now. . .any difference?!Aren't we sweet?!
It's colder today and cloudy. No sunshine for summer yet, though Spring has hardly started.
Before I go I must share with you this wonderful link to London Cockney Rhyming slang and give you a few examples: (it can only happen in London!)
SLANG/ ENGLISH /EXAMPLE
Bexley Heath Teeth "Look at the Bexley's on
that"
Abraham Lincoln Stinking "There's a dead cat in the
garden and it's Abraham
Lincoln!"
Dame Edna Everidge Drink (beverage) "Me & the lads are off
down the Rat & Parrot a few Dame Edina's"
Laid Bucket & Spade "I got bucket and spade
last year"
PC Plod (Policeman) Fishing Rod "Watch out there's a
fishing rod over there"
Pen Bill & Ben "Where's my Bill & Ben?"
It's colder today and cloudy. No sunshine for summer yet, though Spring has hardly started.
Before I go I must share with you this wonderful link to London Cockney Rhyming slang and give you a few examples: (it can only happen in London!)
SLANG/ ENGLISH /EXAMPLE
Bexley Heath Teeth "Look at the Bexley's on
that"
Abraham Lincoln Stinking "There's a dead cat in the
garden and it's Abraham
Lincoln!"
Dame Edna Everidge Drink (beverage) "Me & the lads are off
down the Rat & Parrot a few Dame Edina's"
Laid Bucket & Spade "I got bucket and spade
last year"
PC Plod (Policeman) Fishing Rod "Watch out there's a
fishing rod over there"
Pen Bill & Ben "Where's my Bill & Ben?"
Cor blimey. That's great, don't you think?
Emy xxx
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Just a Short One
A few pictures I've been messing around with on photoshop:
Life's easy when you know how. Oh God, I don't. Nothing's easy. I'm so depressed right now and I'm not going to even begin to tell you why, I AM NOT IN THE MOOD! Tomorrow maybe.
Ok, I do love London and one day I'm going to tell you all just how much I do love my dear old city, so much history, so much culture, so much of everything. I may paint a bad picture of the capital, but I don't mean it. As much as I love the countryside, Devon et al, it doesn't have the excitement of the city; the noise, excitement, people, shops, galleries, the WHOLE history of the place, it's wondorous! I LOVE it. But I need Devon too. I have to have both to survive.
Hard life.
I know, to have best of EVERYTHING is very fortunate. But something needs to go, something needs to be done. I'm torn between urban life and rural life and I don't know which to choose. Help me someone, dear God help me and not only help me with that, help me with my fucking spelling! (I did warn you about my spelling, it sucks!)
Ok, tomorrow is Mother's Day in the UK and my Mum wants to cook, I've tried telling her that she need to relax and put her feet up but she's having none of it! So maybe no blog tomorrow, but then again I say that and sometimes I do do a blog. Oh cripes!
Night, night all. By the way I see no-one has been commenting for a while. Ok I don't write controversial blogs, at the end of the day I do have so much to write but when I get down to doing that, I always feel so tired. Maybe I should write my blog in the daytime?!
I Love each and everyone of you,
Emy xxx
Life's easy when you know how. Oh God, I don't. Nothing's easy. I'm so depressed right now and I'm not going to even begin to tell you why, I AM NOT IN THE MOOD! Tomorrow maybe.
Ok, I do love London and one day I'm going to tell you all just how much I do love my dear old city, so much history, so much culture, so much of everything. I may paint a bad picture of the capital, but I don't mean it. As much as I love the countryside, Devon et al, it doesn't have the excitement of the city; the noise, excitement, people, shops, galleries, the WHOLE history of the place, it's wondorous! I LOVE it. But I need Devon too. I have to have both to survive.
Hard life.
I know, to have best of EVERYTHING is very fortunate. But something needs to go, something needs to be done. I'm torn between urban life and rural life and I don't know which to choose. Help me someone, dear God help me and not only help me with that, help me with my fucking spelling! (I did warn you about my spelling, it sucks!)
Ok, tomorrow is Mother's Day in the UK and my Mum wants to cook, I've tried telling her that she need to relax and put her feet up but she's having none of it! So maybe no blog tomorrow, but then again I say that and sometimes I do do a blog. Oh cripes!
Night, night all. By the way I see no-one has been commenting for a while. Ok I don't write controversial blogs, at the end of the day I do have so much to write but when I get down to doing that, I always feel so tired. Maybe I should write my blog in the daytime?!
I Love each and everyone of you,
Emy xxx
Friday, March 24, 2006
Just for Fun
Although I did another first and didn't like the outcome, I was a spider!!!! So I did it again and preferred it!
Aint life funny?
Emy. . .still thinking xxxx
| You Were a Zebra |
 You tend to see life in black and white - clearly without filters. You enjoy being part of a group while maintaining your individuality. |
Aint life funny?
Emy. . .still thinking xxxx
The Future (RUN RUN RUN FOR THE HILLS!!!!!)
Hello
Wow.
The stress of finding a job/career has begun. I've wasted 6 months already. Now I've started. With the help of a n magazine for artists I've circled all the opportunities at the back which I am interested in everything from bursary schemes, short residential courses, commission opportunities,group shows, awards etc etc etc. I've applied to sell my work online at Londonart.co.uk Big step, as my own website as all but gone for me. I do know someone who could teach me but I haven't any money to pay to him, a painting maybe? So Les Carter if you happen to stumble upon my blog, would you be happy with that?
Three important things to do in the coming few months:
1 Source gallery for representation
2 Source gallery for private exhibition (I've got paintings coming out of my ears)
3 Source family business - outlet (yes, I hear you all! Our own gallery somewhere, our own business, my dad also paints, it would be perfect, but where? Devon? London? Basingstoke? I jest!
So there you jolly well are. Anyone have any thoughts on that? Comments? Am I mad? (yes)
Another Harry Potter tonight, have to record the hour long Eastenders and Hustle (great programme, about a team of con men (one woman) with Robert Vaughnn (spell?).
Ok, that's all. Actually what I really need to do is spend at least 6 months in Devon painting, live there, with my car Julia, though not earning money, but producing work to earn money.
Emy thinking xxx
Wow.
The stress of finding a job/career has begun. I've wasted 6 months already. Now I've started. With the help of a n magazine for artists I've circled all the opportunities at the back which I am interested in everything from bursary schemes, short residential courses, commission opportunities,group shows, awards etc etc etc. I've applied to sell my work online at Londonart.co.uk Big step, as my own website as all but gone for me. I do know someone who could teach me but I haven't any money to pay to him, a painting maybe? So Les Carter if you happen to stumble upon my blog, would you be happy with that?
Three important things to do in the coming few months:
1 Source gallery for representation
2 Source gallery for private exhibition (I've got paintings coming out of my ears)
3 Source family business - outlet (yes, I hear you all! Our own gallery somewhere, our own business, my dad also paints, it would be perfect, but where? Devon? London? Basingstoke? I jest!
So there you jolly well are. Anyone have any thoughts on that? Comments? Am I mad? (yes)
Another Harry Potter tonight, have to record the hour long Eastenders and Hustle (great programme, about a team of con men (one woman) with Robert Vaughnn (spell?).
Ok, that's all. Actually what I really need to do is spend at least 6 months in Devon painting, live there, with my car Julia, though not earning money, but producing work to earn money.
Emy thinking xxx
Thursday, March 23, 2006
My Films (under My Paintings website over on the right)
Right, films, yes, short, sweet, first one of the cat "Young Lady"
Brought to you by me joining putfile.com found by Tuckmac.
There is a problem with it, the films don't come up on the post, I tried it EVERY way, they only come up on your links to the right, so when I have a new fim to show, I'll have to tell you.
But it does work, that is the main thing and as I haven't a clue how to host films on my own website, so it is better then nothing!
Harry Potter was great, as always, now "The Goblet of Fire" next and I'll be up to speed with the films, as I've read all the books. Shame on any of you who do not like Harry Potter, it is great fun!
Night,
Emy xxx
Brought to you by me joining putfile.com found by Tuckmac.
There is a problem with it, the films don't come up on the post, I tried it EVERY way, they only come up on your links to the right, so when I have a new fim to show, I'll have to tell you.
But it does work, that is the main thing and as I haven't a clue how to host films on my own website, so it is better then nothing!
Harry Potter was great, as always, now "The Goblet of Fire" next and I'll be up to speed with the films, as I've read all the books. Shame on any of you who do not like Harry Potter, it is great fun!
Night,
Emy xxx
My Amazing Adventure Up the Scaffold
Hello all,
Lovely, bright sunny day where I walked into the village with my Mum and climbed up the ladder to the sky! It was so warm up there, I felt very overdressed, yet, I looked the part:
All together now, "I'm a lumberjack and I'm ok, I sleep all night and I work all day. . . ."
A picture with my Dad and the sight (site. . .wook!) manager Duncan, taken from the garden:
Across the boards, passed my bedroom windows:
The garden from the roof (almost + "Young Lady"):
The cars from high above (ours is top, Honda Civic, it looks clean. . .believe me
it's not!):
And finally, coming down or better looking up from terra firma to my dad (note the 2nd lumberjack coat, we bought ours at the same time!)
Well, that was a first for me, you can see I was having fun!
Must go now as I have a "Harry Potter" to catch up on until I watch the lastest version which was released the other day on dvd. 2 hours of pure excitement and great cast, bliss.
Love you all
Emy xxx
Lovely, bright sunny day where I walked into the village with my Mum and climbed up the ladder to the sky! It was so warm up there, I felt very overdressed, yet, I looked the part:
All together now, "I'm a lumberjack and I'm ok, I sleep all night and I work all day. . . ."
A picture with my Dad and the sight (site. . .wook!) manager Duncan, taken from the garden:
Across the boards, passed my bedroom windows:
The garden from the roof (almost + "Young Lady"):
The cars from high above (ours is top, Honda Civic, it looks clean. . .believe me
it's not!):
And finally, coming down or better looking up from terra firma to my dad (note the 2nd lumberjack coat, we bought ours at the same time!)
Well, that was a first for me, you can see I was having fun!
Must go now as I have a "Harry Potter" to catch up on until I watch the lastest version which was released the other day on dvd. 2 hours of pure excitement and great cast, bliss.
Love you all
Emy xxx
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Do me a favour. . .WATCH THIS FILM
Ok first thing, a few days ago I told you about the tragedy of the Cheltenham Horse race, if any of you clicked on the Animal Aid website then you may have noticed the film of the horse racing, did you watch it? No? Well you must, even if you can't bare to see it, you still must. It's only 90 seconds long yet it has a deep impact, the black and white images, the pulsating soundtrack and the message really brings it to home, also you MUST sign the petition afterwards:
ANIMAL AID BROADBAND CINEMA
(yes, you need broadband)
Today has been interesting. For the next few weeks the estate where I live, St Joseph's Vale or St Joe's, is being decorated, so we have scaffolding up and men painting our windows when we're having lunch! Well, he was kind enough to pull the blind down! The house has been an ice block all day with all the windows open. I will be rudely awakened tomorrow by the 'team' to paint my windows, I am NOT a morning person, and having to wake up at 8am is not my idea of fun!
Also I'd like to introduce you to a neighbor's cat, I don't know her real name, so, once when she was in the garden I called her "Young Lady" and she replied a "meow" so now that's her name. She is beautiful, divine, she looks like a miniature snow leopard and she is very vocal. She sits in the garden looking serene while talking to herself, it's a very low, deep meow, kind of like a Siamese and I can do a VERY good impression of a Siamese, only because I was baby sat by my parent's Siamese, Pepper (that in fact was my first word!) and so "Young Lady" and I often have conversations in the garden together! And she is very photogentic:
Still on the subject of cats, the South West of England (Somerset, Dorset, Devon & Cornwall) is now the top hot spot to see Big Cats roaming, as in puma's, panthers, lynx. Back in the 1970s a new law came into play, you had to have a license, which cost money, to keep a wild cat, so all these people, instead of paying up, let their animals go into the wild. I've never seen one but a local close to the cottage has seen one in the lane, apparently it was a puma, who jumped out in front of him and then scrambled back up the hedgerow and was gone. Its often crossed my mind when I've been walking across the fields on my own, but they are very shy creatures and that's why there's a huge myth surrounding them, do they really exist? Or is this just another Nessie type thing?
Well, today in the news, the police have actually confirmed one that was caught and shot by a Norwich game keeper, people again thought it was a hoax, but in fact it was true and it was a Lynx
And still on the same subject (last one, I promise) Amazing footage on the news of a cat in America who survived an 80 foot fall from a tree. The branch snapped, bringing down the moggy who landed on her feet!!!! It does happen, when my Dad was a boy he had a cat called "Fluffy" Original name, I know! One day his mum was dusting the window shelf, where Fluffy was sitting behind the curtain, the window was wide open and Fluffy was accidentally pushed out. She charged down the stairs believing to find poor Fluffy dead but he was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs looking a bit ruffled!!
Oh well, that's it with cats today, cats and horses.
With the help of my excellent tutor Tucker on all things blog, I have now been able to add my links to various websites and friends' blogs, not to mention my weather pixies, clock etc, things still need tidying up but I'm getting there, thanks to T and the beauty of broadband. Dial up connection in Devon drove me nuts!!!! Yes, an advantage of living in the city!!! (well I could get broadband there but then that means paying for two accounts!). There are many advantages of living in the city, I do love London, I will admit to it, but I love Devon more.
That's all for today folks and please, please, PLEASE watch the film at the top, I really think you should, even if you know ALL about it, familiarize yourself again, for me, or more importantly for those poor wretched creatures.
Thank you, and comments please,
Emy xxx
ANIMAL AID BROADBAND CINEMA
(yes, you need broadband)
Today has been interesting. For the next few weeks the estate where I live, St Joseph's Vale or St Joe's, is being decorated, so we have scaffolding up and men painting our windows when we're having lunch! Well, he was kind enough to pull the blind down! The house has been an ice block all day with all the windows open. I will be rudely awakened tomorrow by the 'team' to paint my windows, I am NOT a morning person, and having to wake up at 8am is not my idea of fun!
Also I'd like to introduce you to a neighbor's cat, I don't know her real name, so, once when she was in the garden I called her "Young Lady" and she replied a "meow" so now that's her name. She is beautiful, divine, she looks like a miniature snow leopard and she is very vocal. She sits in the garden looking serene while talking to herself, it's a very low, deep meow, kind of like a Siamese and I can do a VERY good impression of a Siamese, only because I was baby sat by my parent's Siamese, Pepper (that in fact was my first word!) and so "Young Lady" and I often have conversations in the garden together! And she is very photogentic:
Still on the subject of cats, the South West of England (Somerset, Dorset, Devon & Cornwall) is now the top hot spot to see Big Cats roaming, as in puma's, panthers, lynx. Back in the 1970s a new law came into play, you had to have a license, which cost money, to keep a wild cat, so all these people, instead of paying up, let their animals go into the wild. I've never seen one but a local close to the cottage has seen one in the lane, apparently it was a puma, who jumped out in front of him and then scrambled back up the hedgerow and was gone. Its often crossed my mind when I've been walking across the fields on my own, but they are very shy creatures and that's why there's a huge myth surrounding them, do they really exist? Or is this just another Nessie type thing?Well, today in the news, the police have actually confirmed one that was caught and shot by a Norwich game keeper, people again thought it was a hoax, but in fact it was true and it was a Lynx
And still on the same subject (last one, I promise) Amazing footage on the news of a cat in America who survived an 80 foot fall from a tree. The branch snapped, bringing down the moggy who landed on her feet!!!! It does happen, when my Dad was a boy he had a cat called "Fluffy" Original name, I know! One day his mum was dusting the window shelf, where Fluffy was sitting behind the curtain, the window was wide open and Fluffy was accidentally pushed out. She charged down the stairs believing to find poor Fluffy dead but he was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs looking a bit ruffled!!
Oh well, that's it with cats today, cats and horses.
With the help of my excellent tutor Tucker on all things blog, I have now been able to add my links to various websites and friends' blogs, not to mention my weather pixies, clock etc, things still need tidying up but I'm getting there, thanks to T and the beauty of broadband. Dial up connection in Devon drove me nuts!!!! Yes, an advantage of living in the city!!! (well I could get broadband there but then that means paying for two accounts!). There are many advantages of living in the city, I do love London, I will admit to it, but I love Devon more.
That's all for today folks and please, please, PLEASE watch the film at the top, I really think you should, even if you know ALL about it, familiarize yourself again, for me, or more importantly for those poor wretched creatures.
Thank you, and comments please,
Emy xxx
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
I am in a State of Shock. . . Over Postman Pat's Cat!
I've just had a shock! Postman Pat. His cat Jess is male!!!!! I always thought it was female, Jess, short for Jessica, I'm in absoulute shock!!!! All my childhood memories, vanished!!!! I found this out today because the cat "Jess" is going to have her (shit. . .his!) very own show on the BBC from 2008 for pre-school children, but it won't be animated as Pat is, it will be computer generated (not a big fan). I loved Postman Pat as a child, I had ALL the books and ALWAYS watched him on TV, loved it, truely loved it, but, oh my God, Jess is a he? Has anyone else thought she was a she? I'll say it again. . ."shocked"
Ok, yes a blog, and yes I am tired from the journey and yes, I do miss Devon and no, I don't want to be here in London. Already a thousand planes have flown over and a trillion trains have gone past and the city noise is deafening, I love the quiteness, the blackness of the countryside, I even love the wind and the bleakness, here it's just its usual hum drum boring self, no sunset, no wide open skies or fields, house upon house, road upon road, everywhere you look there is a person, a train, a plane, a car. . .do I make myself clear?!!!! I need to be in Devon, I am Devon, Devon is me and me is Devon. Fuck!
I'll leave it there. Note, now I'm back in the capital, I start to complain more, start to have a go, start to rant, in the country I'm light and free as a bird, so NOTE THE DIFFERENCE!!!!
Thank you
Emy xxx
Monday, March 20, 2006
New Paintings
Well, this is it, the last day in the cottage in Devon, and it’s freezing!
Today I’ve been packing and taking pictures of my paintings, these ones on here are not very good pictures, I grant you that, the best ones will go on my new improved website (when I get round to doing it) so these are just a taster of what’s to come. The two paintings are in acrylic with sand, so hard to photograph.
Saw a lovely Barn owl gliding up the lane and a mad march hare in the field to the left of the cottage. I love how they all turn up on the last day.
Pre warning, no blog tomorrow, I believe, as it’s a long journey back and will be too tired. Oh well, last one in Devon, everyone say goodbye to the old county, not sure when I’ll be back, hopefully soon . . .
London calls.
Emy xxx
Today I’ve been packing and taking pictures of my paintings, these ones on here are not very good pictures, I grant you that, the best ones will go on my new improved website (when I get round to doing it) so these are just a taster of what’s to come. The two paintings are in acrylic with sand, so hard to photograph.
Saw a lovely Barn owl gliding up the lane and a mad march hare in the field to the left of the cottage. I love how they all turn up on the last day.
Pre warning, no blog tomorrow, I believe, as it’s a long journey back and will be too tired. Oh well, last one in Devon, everyone say goodbye to the old county, not sure when I’ll be back, hopefully soon . . .
London calls.
Emy xxx
Sunday, March 19, 2006
LOADS AND LOADS OF DEVON SHOTS
Lovely sunny day, so I’ll let the pictures talk for themselves:
Actually, a few things to say. Went for my ‘famous’ walk to the badger sets, so there’s me waving goodbye to the set. Flowers in the hedgerow, the yellow one is a Celandine. Dunsbeare between the trees plus my beloved Scots Pine (I’m surprised they’re still standing after the heavy winds!) And 8 views of the sunset, going, going, going, going, going, going, going, gone. And the pines and the wood afterwards.
Wow, more paintings done, pictures tomorrow.
I’ve had too much wine to say anything else, so as I started, let the pictures speak for themselves:
Actually, a few things to say. Went for my ‘famous’ walk to the badger sets, so there’s me waving goodbye to the set. Flowers in the hedgerow, the yellow one is a Celandine. Dunsbeare between the trees plus my beloved Scots Pine (I’m surprised they’re still standing after the heavy winds!) And 8 views of the sunset, going, going, going, going, going, going, going, gone. And the pines and the wood afterwards.
Wow, more paintings done, pictures tomorrow.
I’ve had too much wine to say anything else, so as I started, let the pictures speak for themselves:
I think I over did it with the pictures, oh what the hell, second to last day!
Did you notice the badger paw print?!
Emy xxxx
Did you notice the badger paw print?!
Emy xxxx
Saturday, March 18, 2006
The Sea, the Sea
Hello everyone!
I got my wish yesterday, went out to see the sea. My dad dropped me off at the farm (Dunsbeare) at 11:30am and Sue and I looked through leaflets of attractions in the area to see where we should go. The problem is at this time of the year everything’s shut, all houses and gardens, all shut up for the winter season. So we decided on the fishing village, Clovelly. It’s a lovely little place, steep going down to the harbour, but very, very beautiful. A fisherman’s cottage and a museum about Clovelly life kept us occupied and Scampi and chips for lunch, while watching the rugby, France and Wales. The only downside is you have to pay to see the village, a visitor centre up top with parking, £4.50 for the day, though people do live there, yet their village is on show. In the summer, donkey’s are there walking up and down the cobbled streets, giving people rides, now they’re enjoying themselves in the fields before the tourist boom of the summer. I’ve been there before, at three years old I had my first EVER ice cream and my first EVER glimpse of the sea. That was high summer, when the wind was still, the sun shone and the sea a vivid blue. Today, the wind lashed against the buildings and the sea was grey and rough. But Sue and I enjoyed ourselves!
Back to the farm by 4, the intrepid skiers on their way back from France and Austria. Sue has had the WHOLE farm to herself and I think she’s quite enjoyed the peace! We had some tea and then went to feed the animals. The Limousins first, with Rocky in tow, being our right hand man (dog). Rocky is an Australian Cattle Dog (which Tucker thinks is quite ugly) well he’s not T, he’s the dearest, sweetest dog and VERY handsome, as you can see in the pictures, VERY photogenic! They come in all colours. He was born on the farm, his mum Tess died a few years ago, from a cow kick, very sad, she was a darling. So he did as his breed suggests, he herded the cows away from Sue and I as we filled their troughs with hay and cattle feed. At one point, Rocky had taken hold of a cows tail and was dragged through the mud as she tried to get away, mud skiing!!!!! Then we fed the bulls (eeeekkk!!!!) and then went to see the sheep, Chrissy and Pipa on good form and Cyril, the ram in the picture, one with Sue. Then we got the ducks in. Sue has this awful drake, who she will get rid of and she BETTER! What I witnessed was NOT nice. She has two original ducks, which are pretty old and this drake was on top of one in the pond almost drowning her, the poor thing, her head kept disappearing underneath the water, it looked like rape! When she came out, she looked exhausted! The sun was going down, lovely.
Last few days, home on Tuesday, back to the city, I DON’T WANT TO GO HOME!!!!! The daffodils are FINALLY coming out, the Tulips growing up in the barrel and we’re going to miss them, it’s no fair!!!!!
So a ‘local’ today, the sun is shining, it's blue but the wind is strong and cold and more pictures to be taken later and more paintings. Hope the weather stays :)
Love Emy xxxx
P.s. Tractors in the sunlight of the evening, no tractors in London!!!!!
I got my wish yesterday, went out to see the sea. My dad dropped me off at the farm (Dunsbeare) at 11:30am and Sue and I looked through leaflets of attractions in the area to see where we should go. The problem is at this time of the year everything’s shut, all houses and gardens, all shut up for the winter season. So we decided on the fishing village, Clovelly. It’s a lovely little place, steep going down to the harbour, but very, very beautiful. A fisherman’s cottage and a museum about Clovelly life kept us occupied and Scampi and chips for lunch, while watching the rugby, France and Wales. The only downside is you have to pay to see the village, a visitor centre up top with parking, £4.50 for the day, though people do live there, yet their village is on show. In the summer, donkey’s are there walking up and down the cobbled streets, giving people rides, now they’re enjoying themselves in the fields before the tourist boom of the summer. I’ve been there before, at three years old I had my first EVER ice cream and my first EVER glimpse of the sea. That was high summer, when the wind was still, the sun shone and the sea a vivid blue. Today, the wind lashed against the buildings and the sea was grey and rough. But Sue and I enjoyed ourselves!
Back to the farm by 4, the intrepid skiers on their way back from France and Austria. Sue has had the WHOLE farm to herself and I think she’s quite enjoyed the peace! We had some tea and then went to feed the animals. The Limousins first, with Rocky in tow, being our right hand man (dog). Rocky is an Australian Cattle Dog (which Tucker thinks is quite ugly) well he’s not T, he’s the dearest, sweetest dog and VERY handsome, as you can see in the pictures, VERY photogenic! They come in all colours. He was born on the farm, his mum Tess died a few years ago, from a cow kick, very sad, she was a darling. So he did as his breed suggests, he herded the cows away from Sue and I as we filled their troughs with hay and cattle feed. At one point, Rocky had taken hold of a cows tail and was dragged through the mud as she tried to get away, mud skiing!!!!! Then we fed the bulls (eeeekkk!!!!) and then went to see the sheep, Chrissy and Pipa on good form and Cyril, the ram in the picture, one with Sue. Then we got the ducks in. Sue has this awful drake, who she will get rid of and she BETTER! What I witnessed was NOT nice. She has two original ducks, which are pretty old and this drake was on top of one in the pond almost drowning her, the poor thing, her head kept disappearing underneath the water, it looked like rape! When she came out, she looked exhausted! The sun was going down, lovely.
Last few days, home on Tuesday, back to the city, I DON’T WANT TO GO HOME!!!!! The daffodils are FINALLY coming out, the Tulips growing up in the barrel and we’re going to miss them, it’s no fair!!!!!
So a ‘local’ today, the sun is shining, it's blue but the wind is strong and cold and more pictures to be taken later and more paintings. Hope the weather stays :)
Love Emy xxxx
P.s. Tractors in the sunlight of the evening, no tractors in London!!!!!
Friday, March 17, 2006
Savagery
Tonight I want to rant about something, which is very important to me. Something by now everyone will understand about me is my love of animals, the way I care and know distinctly how they feel and sometimes who they are. And there is one alone who is mistreated and taken advantage of all for greed, thrill and money.
Cheltenham National Hunt Festival was held yesterday. Second to the Grand National it is one of the most harrowing, difficult racecourse for a horse to ride in. Yesterday 7 horses met their deaths in the races, the biggest fatality in a single day in living history. The organisers have now called it ‘Black Thursday’. Apparently 375 horses are raced to death every year in the UK. This despicable sport has GOT to stop.
Horses are loyal, noble, gentle creatures who are misused. They are natural herding creatures and because of this they are raced in this way. I wouldn’t think the horse enjoys ANY of it. It’s tough, it’s gruelling, and it’s HARD LABOUR!!!! If you were a horse, wouldn’t you rather be in a huge field with your friends to run free?! Of course you would. Horses are servants to humans and that’s why I’ve never liked riding them. I’ve been at horse stables watching people ride and the horses look so tired and depressed and all the riders and stable people really think they know each and every horse, but they don’t! Ok, I’m probably angering many people and I KNOW horses have been used for centuries, from casual riding, to wars, sport, herding animals, you name it, they’ve done it. But horse racing, no, not any more, it MUST stop, look at it this way, do 375 athletes die every year?!!!
Daily Mail: “A spokesman for the charity Animal Aid claimed Cheltenham topped the league as the most hazardous racecourse. Andrew Tyler said that the deaths ‘should signal the end of horseracing’.” And what about the end of greyhound racing? Horse jumping? ANYTHING that involves animals in sport should be banned outright! Read more about Cheltenham here. Also the Animal Aid article over the races.
Ok, nice day. Freezing day, bleak, misty, no snow! Not AT ALL photography weather so here are some more I’ve taken on the holiday that I haven’t shown you; sunset of a few days ago ( a definite winter sunset), the mist and the sun on my walk, view from badger set overlooking the pines and vapour trail (RAF? I think so!), cottage from the fields and a flower in the hedgerow, a ‘Lesser Speedwell’.
Tomorrow I’ll be seeing my friend Sue at Dunsbeare, might go and see her badger sets that have been there for decades.
It’s getting sad now, last few days of Devon. Hopefully on Sunday we’ll go and see the sea, the Atlantic Ocean to be more precise and I’ll try and take some dramatic shots!
Emy xxx
Cheltenham National Hunt Festival was held yesterday. Second to the Grand National it is one of the most harrowing, difficult racecourse for a horse to ride in. Yesterday 7 horses met their deaths in the races, the biggest fatality in a single day in living history. The organisers have now called it ‘Black Thursday’. Apparently 375 horses are raced to death every year in the UK. This despicable sport has GOT to stop.
Horses are loyal, noble, gentle creatures who are misused. They are natural herding creatures and because of this they are raced in this way. I wouldn’t think the horse enjoys ANY of it. It’s tough, it’s gruelling, and it’s HARD LABOUR!!!! If you were a horse, wouldn’t you rather be in a huge field with your friends to run free?! Of course you would. Horses are servants to humans and that’s why I’ve never liked riding them. I’ve been at horse stables watching people ride and the horses look so tired and depressed and all the riders and stable people really think they know each and every horse, but they don’t! Ok, I’m probably angering many people and I KNOW horses have been used for centuries, from casual riding, to wars, sport, herding animals, you name it, they’ve done it. But horse racing, no, not any more, it MUST stop, look at it this way, do 375 athletes die every year?!!!
Daily Mail: “A spokesman for the charity Animal Aid claimed Cheltenham topped the league as the most hazardous racecourse. Andrew Tyler said that the deaths ‘should signal the end of horseracing’.” And what about the end of greyhound racing? Horse jumping? ANYTHING that involves animals in sport should be banned outright! Read more about Cheltenham here. Also the Animal Aid article over the races.
Ok, nice day. Freezing day, bleak, misty, no snow! Not AT ALL photography weather so here are some more I’ve taken on the holiday that I haven’t shown you; sunset of a few days ago ( a definite winter sunset), the mist and the sun on my walk, view from badger set overlooking the pines and vapour trail (RAF? I think so!), cottage from the fields and a flower in the hedgerow, a ‘Lesser Speedwell’.
Tomorrow I’ll be seeing my friend Sue at Dunsbeare, might go and see her badger sets that have been there for decades.
It’s getting sad now, last few days of Devon. Hopefully on Sunday we’ll go and see the sea, the Atlantic Ocean to be more precise and I’ll try and take some dramatic shots!
Emy xxx
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Winter, no Spring and the RAF
My God its been cold today, a real icy wind and threatening snow, which as you all know by now, doesn’t make an appearance in the West, let alone the South.
I almost did a post at 3am last night, one of those nights where I can’t sleep, time of month so have taken loads of painkillers and am literally speeding and I was going to have such a rant over men. Yes, men, the one’s and only, but then I decided that there was no point, so I shelved the idea and just read a WHOLE book and so I feel pretty awful today.
I helped my Dad put up a Sparrow Box, a bird box with three holes, a ‘sparrow terrace’ and as we have the little sparrows here, we’re very much blessed, we thought we’d give them a helping hand. So there I am holding the ladder while my dad is screwing it to the wall and I CAN’T feel my hands, so, so cold and then a huge RAF Harrier jet thunders over which almost knocks him off the ladder. They’re so silent when they come and then suddenly WHOOSH right over your head. I used to hate them with a passion, scarring all and sundry but now I quite like them and especially the Hercules who fly low, so low, their engines and propellers humming and you can almost reach out and touch them. After 9/11 the skies were FULL of them with up to 8 jets flying low with the Hercules. What a sight. When they come over it gives me a real thrill. Years ago, two came over SO low, 2 fighter jets and I was in the field with the cows and I gave them a BIG wave and I swear to you all, one gave me a BIG wave back! So ever since then I’ve waved EVERY time!
Odd things you do in the country! But then I’m used to planes. Back home in London we’re on 4 flight paths. Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and the City Airport. Also the same flight path of the Battle of Britain flight path to Heathrow where the Concorde and 6 Red Arrows flew over. Amazing. I do miss the Concorde, every week day night at 6pm, the silver bird flying in the blue sky of the sunset, and the orange colours hitting the plane creating a yellow shining light in the skies, awesome!
And as a child in Buckinghamshire, with my Auntie and Uncle in the back garden of Old Crown Cottage waving to the little independent planes that used to fly over, again in the vivid blue skies of the summer. Wow, a real trip back down memory lane, I’m there now, in the fields of gold and the fields of wild poppies and the deer that used to run across and the mad March hares at dusk. You can see why I LOVE the country SO much, it’s in my blood, and it’s in my soul.
Ok, not much else to add, my head is in the clouds!
Apart from the pictures of today. Gloomy day, cottage from the end of the garden, another one of my ‘knarled wood’ series, that NO-ONE commented on last night cos you’re ALL crap, all you friends, promising you would comment, apart from my faithful’s (T and Fi. . .that rhymes!) not a sausage! Plus two pictures of some first springtime flowers, ‘Lungwort’, one’s blue and the other pink, is it the male and female, who knows?
Snow predicted tomorrow by our local postman who NEVER gets it wrong, so hopefully some pictures of whiteness tomorrow, and about BLOODY TIME TOO!!!!!!
EEEEKKKK, SNOW, I NEED SNOW, FOR MY SANITY PLEASE GIVE ME SNOW, or I’ll emigrate to Minnesota!
Emy xxx
I almost did a post at 3am last night, one of those nights where I can’t sleep, time of month so have taken loads of painkillers and am literally speeding and I was going to have such a rant over men. Yes, men, the one’s and only, but then I decided that there was no point, so I shelved the idea and just read a WHOLE book and so I feel pretty awful today.
I helped my Dad put up a Sparrow Box, a bird box with three holes, a ‘sparrow terrace’ and as we have the little sparrows here, we’re very much blessed, we thought we’d give them a helping hand. So there I am holding the ladder while my dad is screwing it to the wall and I CAN’T feel my hands, so, so cold and then a huge RAF Harrier jet thunders over which almost knocks him off the ladder. They’re so silent when they come and then suddenly WHOOSH right over your head. I used to hate them with a passion, scarring all and sundry but now I quite like them and especially the Hercules who fly low, so low, their engines and propellers humming and you can almost reach out and touch them. After 9/11 the skies were FULL of them with up to 8 jets flying low with the Hercules. What a sight. When they come over it gives me a real thrill. Years ago, two came over SO low, 2 fighter jets and I was in the field with the cows and I gave them a BIG wave and I swear to you all, one gave me a BIG wave back! So ever since then I’ve waved EVERY time!
Odd things you do in the country! But then I’m used to planes. Back home in London we’re on 4 flight paths. Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and the City Airport. Also the same flight path of the Battle of Britain flight path to Heathrow where the Concorde and 6 Red Arrows flew over. Amazing. I do miss the Concorde, every week day night at 6pm, the silver bird flying in the blue sky of the sunset, and the orange colours hitting the plane creating a yellow shining light in the skies, awesome!
And as a child in Buckinghamshire, with my Auntie and Uncle in the back garden of Old Crown Cottage waving to the little independent planes that used to fly over, again in the vivid blue skies of the summer. Wow, a real trip back down memory lane, I’m there now, in the fields of gold and the fields of wild poppies and the deer that used to run across and the mad March hares at dusk. You can see why I LOVE the country SO much, it’s in my blood, and it’s in my soul.
Ok, not much else to add, my head is in the clouds!
Apart from the pictures of today. Gloomy day, cottage from the end of the garden, another one of my ‘knarled wood’ series, that NO-ONE commented on last night cos you’re ALL crap, all you friends, promising you would comment, apart from my faithful’s (T and Fi. . .that rhymes!) not a sausage! Plus two pictures of some first springtime flowers, ‘Lungwort’, one’s blue and the other pink, is it the male and female, who knows?
Snow predicted tomorrow by our local postman who NEVER gets it wrong, so hopefully some pictures of whiteness tomorrow, and about BLOODY TIME TOO!!!!!!
EEEEKKKK, SNOW, I NEED SNOW, FOR MY SANITY PLEASE GIVE ME SNOW, or I’ll emigrate to Minnesota!
Emy xxx
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Finally, A Good Pub & A Good Sunset
Well another day has passed. Where does all the time go?
More pictures for today of glorious Devon in hazy sunshine. I’m sure you can recognise the cottage now, surrounded by the fields. I took my dad on my walk today, showed him the extensive rabbit warren and the badger set, where I left them some more nuts! If the farmer ever found out I’d be in SO much trouble, it’s not good to encourage these animals because of the WHOLE TB thing, which is complete rubbish, I don’t believe for one moment that badgers cause TB in cattle, just because the badgers are there, they get the blame! And I’m sure the farmers are looking forward to ‘gassing the vermin!’
Also a beautiful sunset with my Scots Pine in the foreground. Last night, it was the full moon, earlier the setting sun. Pines are ‘made’ for these occasions!
We finally managed to get to the Duke of York, Iddesleigh tonight, that’s the pub pictures, its just won ‘Best Pub of 2006’ in the WHOLE country, so we’re very lucky to have it on our doorstep, well, 15 minutes drive along country lanes. On the way back in the dark we met a rabbit, so sweet.
And someone had drawn a little sheep in chalk on the dart board chalk board!
Now the cottage is grooving to the music of a DVD, which I bought for my mum, ‘Jethro Tull Live at the Isle of Wight’ in the late 60s. Good stuff.
Ok, last few days here, more paintings to be done before I go and of course I’ll put them on here when they’re done, I’m still exploring the sand and the oil.
Emy xxx
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Black Dogs, Jay's Grave, Terrifying Mists and Fantastic Clouds
Hello all!
Yes, many more pictures today. We went to Bovey Tracy, Devon Guild of Craftsmen shop and exhibition. They have had the same stuff for the last 10 years! The space is bigger and now there is a nice cafe on top. Then we drove through Haytor on the moor and Dartmoor was true to form, couldnn't see a bloody thing. Thick, low mist and drizzle, the kind of atmosphere when you feel a black hellhound would spring out on you from the bleakness! Good pictures though, but I'd rather have shown you miles and miles of valleys, hills, fields and the sea, oh well!
And a picture of Jay's Grave. A local folk tale of a poor woman who became pregnant and then committed suicide and as she was a pauper/servant girl and as she took her own life she couldn't be buried in a church yard so they buried her on the road. Fresh flowers are left there daily, said 'to be brought by the Devon pixies.'
Onto Chagford and my Dad modelling a rather nice deerstalker hat!
Back to Okehampton for Waitrose shopping, yes, even in deepest Devon there are signs of civilisation! Our friend Sue is coming for dinner on Thursday, without the family, as in her husband Rod and her daughter Katie as they've both gone skiing, one in Austria the other France!
Then home for lovely skies, amazing clouds, one looking a little like Mickey Mouse! And in time for Neighbours where Harold Bishop tried to strangle Paul Robinson. . . LONG story!
Before I sign off for another day, I must tell you these crazy names for villages in the West that always raises a smile:
Swell
Crapstone (no, really, I'm serious!)
Catsgore
Sheepwash
Nomansland
Spinster’s Rock
Cool aye?
Emy xxx
Yes, many more pictures today. We went to Bovey Tracy, Devon Guild of Craftsmen shop and exhibition. They have had the same stuff for the last 10 years! The space is bigger and now there is a nice cafe on top. Then we drove through Haytor on the moor and Dartmoor was true to form, couldnn't see a bloody thing. Thick, low mist and drizzle, the kind of atmosphere when you feel a black hellhound would spring out on you from the bleakness! Good pictures though, but I'd rather have shown you miles and miles of valleys, hills, fields and the sea, oh well!
And a picture of Jay's Grave. A local folk tale of a poor woman who became pregnant and then committed suicide and as she was a pauper/servant girl and as she took her own life she couldn't be buried in a church yard so they buried her on the road. Fresh flowers are left there daily, said 'to be brought by the Devon pixies.'
Onto Chagford and my Dad modelling a rather nice deerstalker hat!
Back to Okehampton for Waitrose shopping, yes, even in deepest Devon there are signs of civilisation! Our friend Sue is coming for dinner on Thursday, without the family, as in her husband Rod and her daughter Katie as they've both gone skiing, one in Austria the other France!
Then home for lovely skies, amazing clouds, one looking a little like Mickey Mouse! And in time for Neighbours where Harold Bishop tried to strangle Paul Robinson. . . LONG story!
Before I sign off for another day, I must tell you these crazy names for villages in the West that always raises a smile:
Swell
Crapstone (no, really, I'm serious!)
Catsgore
Sheepwash
Nomansland
Spinster’s Rock
Cool aye?
Emy xxx
Monday, March 13, 2006
The World Has Gone Crazy
Right, imagine:
You’re 3 years old and you’re at Nursery school. The teacher makes you and your friend’s sit on the floor for song time. Nursery rhymes and the one we’re going to sing is, Ba, ba Black sheep: All together now!
BA BA BLACK SHEEP
HAVE YOU ANY WOOL?
YES SIR, YES SIR, THREE BAGS FULL,
ONE FOR THE MASTER AND
ONE FOR THE MAID
AND ONE FOR THE LITTLE BOY WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE
Beautiful! Well done everyone! Well, that’s what would have been said a few years ago but now in the 21st century in this mad, mad world, children can’t sing that anymore. It’s apparently politically incorrect, it discriminates ethnic minorities. So now in Nursery Schools across the country they sing something different, by changing one particular word:
BA BA RAINBOW SHEEP
Or
BA BA BLUE SHEEP
Or
BA BA HAPPY SHEEP
FUCK! (No they don’t sing that!) But I do! What the fuck is going on?! I mean fuck, fuck, fuck, FFFUUUCCCKKKK!!!!!!!!
Ok, back to today. We had a lovely lunch in the Coach and Horse’s in Buckland Brewer then back home for nap and then painting. And here are the results of today’s work in oil, acrylic and sand:
Comments please! Critics please!!!!
Apart from that all’s well, I don’t seem to be ill, I find it odd, I feel odd!
That’s all, longer blogs soon, it’s late and I’m tired and my arm aches from painting.
Goodnight all,
Emy xxxx
You’re 3 years old and you’re at Nursery school. The teacher makes you and your friend’s sit on the floor for song time. Nursery rhymes and the one we’re going to sing is, Ba, ba Black sheep: All together now!
BA BA BLACK SHEEP
HAVE YOU ANY WOOL?
YES SIR, YES SIR, THREE BAGS FULL,
ONE FOR THE MASTER AND
ONE FOR THE MAID
AND ONE FOR THE LITTLE BOY WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE
Beautiful! Well done everyone! Well, that’s what would have been said a few years ago but now in the 21st century in this mad, mad world, children can’t sing that anymore. It’s apparently politically incorrect, it discriminates ethnic minorities. So now in Nursery Schools across the country they sing something different, by changing one particular word:
BA BA RAINBOW SHEEP
Or
BA BA BLUE SHEEP
Or
BA BA HAPPY SHEEP
FUCK! (No they don’t sing that!) But I do! What the fuck is going on?! I mean fuck, fuck, fuck, FFFUUUCCCKKKK!!!!!!!!
Ok, back to today. We had a lovely lunch in the Coach and Horse’s in Buckland Brewer then back home for nap and then painting. And here are the results of today’s work in oil, acrylic and sand:
Comments please! Critics please!!!!
Apart from that all’s well, I don’t seem to be ill, I find it odd, I feel odd!
That’s all, longer blogs soon, it’s late and I’m tired and my arm aches from painting.
Goodnight all,
Emy xxxx
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Planet Earth
Ok, just a quick one before I retire to slumber land.
The BBC are currently showing one of the best wildlife series I've seen for a long time, narrated by good old David Attenborough. So here's the link, it's pretty good and tonight's episode featured the magnificant Snow Leopard which has never been filmed before, a mother and her cub and it is truely breathtaking. Planet Earth
Go and have a look, it's awesome!
Night!
Emy xxx
The BBC are currently showing one of the best wildlife series I've seen for a long time, narrated by good old David Attenborough. So here's the link, it's pretty good and tonight's episode featured the magnificant Snow Leopard which has never been filmed before, a mother and her cub and it is truely breathtaking. Planet Earth
Go and have a look, it's awesome!
Night!
Emy xxx
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Not From This Earth
Hey everyone,
No, no hangover today after too much wine, I think because I drank LOADS of water in the night. But I did pass out, I really felt a cold was coming on but it seems to have passed. No way do I want a cold, so I'm fighting it! Last night I laid in my bed listening to Beethoven and then had such a relaxing sleep afterwards that in future I'll play him when I'm drunk!
Well, the cold and the rain is back and I just looked at the weather for 5 days in England and it says Leeds 'heavy snow' and in Manchester too. So the arctic conditions are back, which is a shame because it was lovely and mild yesterday. Oh well, what can you do? So no sweeping countryside shots today, just this:
Yesterday I took some 'different' pictures. Pictures of knarled pieces of wood that look almost alive and today, for fun, (what else?!) I'd like you to tell me what these 6 pieces look like, any witty titles you can give them and they don't have to be animals (though the obvious do jump out on you, crocs, birds, snakes, I don't want that, I want something else!!!! Aren't I demanding?) So the stage is set, lose yourselves in these strange beings. Enjoy, and leave your comments, numbering 1 to 6!
So take their shapes, colour, expressions and turn them into titles, anything, as I'm so crap in this myself, I won't help you along by giving you any examples!!!! I'm just the photographer!
I tried to do some painting yesterday is my drunken mess and only managed to paint mud! Too many colours over a fast period of time. Silly, I know, but then sometimes I like that, it clears your system a bit, gets rid of unwanten (is that a word?) ideas for paintings. mmmm, might still be a little tipsy. As I missed a post on Friday, I shall do a second post today, well, this evening and so I will expect to see some cool suggestions from you guys about my friends above!
Emy xxx
No, no hangover today after too much wine, I think because I drank LOADS of water in the night. But I did pass out, I really felt a cold was coming on but it seems to have passed. No way do I want a cold, so I'm fighting it! Last night I laid in my bed listening to Beethoven and then had such a relaxing sleep afterwards that in future I'll play him when I'm drunk!
Well, the cold and the rain is back and I just looked at the weather for 5 days in England and it says Leeds 'heavy snow' and in Manchester too. So the arctic conditions are back, which is a shame because it was lovely and mild yesterday. Oh well, what can you do? So no sweeping countryside shots today, just this:
Yesterday I took some 'different' pictures. Pictures of knarled pieces of wood that look almost alive and today, for fun, (what else?!) I'd like you to tell me what these 6 pieces look like, any witty titles you can give them and they don't have to be animals (though the obvious do jump out on you, crocs, birds, snakes, I don't want that, I want something else!!!! Aren't I demanding?) So the stage is set, lose yourselves in these strange beings. Enjoy, and leave your comments, numbering 1 to 6!
So take their shapes, colour, expressions and turn them into titles, anything, as I'm so crap in this myself, I won't help you along by giving you any examples!!!! I'm just the photographer!
I tried to do some painting yesterday is my drunken mess and only managed to paint mud! Too many colours over a fast period of time. Silly, I know, but then sometimes I like that, it clears your system a bit, gets rid of unwanten (is that a word?) ideas for paintings. mmmm, might still be a little tipsy. As I missed a post on Friday, I shall do a second post today, well, this evening and so I will expect to see some cool suggestions from you guys about my friends above!
Emy xxx
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO MY FOLKS
Hello all!
Well, the wind dropped last night after a beautiful golden sunset, which turned everything pink and blue, my favourite light!
Today is my mum and dad’s 39th Wedding Anniversary, so it’s the big 40 next year. We’re just going to have a cosy night in with champagne and good food, might be a long one so I don’t fancy my chances of sending a post for tomorrow!
I still feel like I’m coming down with something, courtesy of my dad, gee, thanks dad! But I’m fighting it! I’ve even been out for a walk; note the misty, atmospheric pictures of the sun and trees. I saw two Roe deer in the woods and left some more nuts for the badgers.
So after this, I must do a play list for tonight on my ipod, last Birthday my Dad bought me bose speakers for it and I still can't BELIEVE the sound, for something so small, it really delivers a punch! So tunes from the 60s and 70s, well, they were married in 1967, so definietly some Sgt Pepper, don't you think?!
Must go, this really is short and sweet, as just about to eat scones, jam and clotted cream, TWICE in one week, diet now up the spout! Oh well, next week, got to enjoy yourselves some time!
Lots of love and cheer (never know, might type something tonight while very drunk, depends, you see having not had any wine ALL week one glass WILL go straight to my head!!!!!!!!),
Emy xxxx
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Wind That Knocks You Over
Well, the sun made an appearance today but it did rain like hell too and the wind, my God! And it's still howling now! We FINALLY got out of the house and went to South Molton, a small cattle market town on the gateway to Exmoor. Very dreary place, It would drive me mad to live there, thank God for Torrington. So we went there primarily for a Calor gas heater and calor gas itself to heat my studio. (I do have two electric heaters installed, as it’s a separate building, and these things eat up money on a very low setting). Mole Valley Farmers was the place, a country store, which sells EVERYTHING!!!!!! From garden stuff, agas, wood burners, farm stuff, food, kitchen, bathroom, outside clothes, you name it, they have it! I spent half an hour wandering around with my mouth open and was asked if I needed help twice! (no comments on that one please).
Then we went into the town itself and had a VERY naughty Devonshire Cream Teas, fruit scones, jam, clotted cream and tea (diet out the window) and then home. I’ve been driving the WHOLE week now, I’m not complaining, I do love driving, especially on the National speed limit roads and I love my Dad’s car, a Honda Civic 1.6 Elite . . . beautiful, but there is one downside, it’s automatic (for my Mum who can only drive automatics, though she hasn’t driven for 2 years and hasn’t given me an explanation why). I MISS the old gears, the change down into 3rd from 4th, 2nd on the hills, fantastic! With the automatic it’s NOT the same and I MISS my car, Julia, SO MUCH, she has NEVER been to Devon, that little car would be in her element if she ever does, for a 1 litre engine, she goes fast and has the BEST 2nd and 3rd gears in any car I’ve driven in (which is only 2, my Dad’s Saab 9000 and the car I learnt to drive in, a Rover Metro, probably the worst car on record!). Anyway, my Dad seems to be getting over his cold so it’s back to the back seat for me for a well earned rest!
The pictures today are what the land looked this morning after all the wet weather, the silver lane; I had to get a picture of that and the wet soggy sheep in the field. When we were walking back to the car from the tea I came across the sheep at the market, plus the ones in the lorry all ready to go, were they going to a new farm? Or were they going on their final journey to the abattoir? Who knows, Oh God, if I had had the money in my pocket there and then and the land, I would have bought the LOT! If they were cows I would have walked past them with tears in my eyes trying not to look at them. To all you people reading this who eat meat, SHAME ON YOU!
Not much tomorrow, hopefully more sunshine and hopefully the wind would have dropped too. Let’s hope.
Swaying a little from too much wine and fish and chips,
Emy xxx
Then we went into the town itself and had a VERY naughty Devonshire Cream Teas, fruit scones, jam, clotted cream and tea (diet out the window) and then home. I’ve been driving the WHOLE week now, I’m not complaining, I do love driving, especially on the National speed limit roads and I love my Dad’s car, a Honda Civic 1.6 Elite . . . beautiful, but there is one downside, it’s automatic (for my Mum who can only drive automatics, though she hasn’t driven for 2 years and hasn’t given me an explanation why). I MISS the old gears, the change down into 3rd from 4th, 2nd on the hills, fantastic! With the automatic it’s NOT the same and I MISS my car, Julia, SO MUCH, she has NEVER been to Devon, that little car would be in her element if she ever does, for a 1 litre engine, she goes fast and has the BEST 2nd and 3rd gears in any car I’ve driven in (which is only 2, my Dad’s Saab 9000 and the car I learnt to drive in, a Rover Metro, probably the worst car on record!). Anyway, my Dad seems to be getting over his cold so it’s back to the back seat for me for a well earned rest!
The pictures today are what the land looked this morning after all the wet weather, the silver lane; I had to get a picture of that and the wet soggy sheep in the field. When we were walking back to the car from the tea I came across the sheep at the market, plus the ones in the lorry all ready to go, were they going to a new farm? Or were they going on their final journey to the abattoir? Who knows, Oh God, if I had had the money in my pocket there and then and the land, I would have bought the LOT! If they were cows I would have walked past them with tears in my eyes trying not to look at them. To all you people reading this who eat meat, SHAME ON YOU!
Not much tomorrow, hopefully more sunshine and hopefully the wind would have dropped too. Let’s hope.
Swaying a little from too much wine and fish and chips,
Emy xxx
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Untitled, if there was a title it would be about the weather
No, no pub, the guy (my Dad) with the ‘man flu’ is not well enough, so hopefully tomorrow maybe? Hope so. This ‘man flu’ has been going on for almost a week now and it’s getting my mum and myself down. Every day, EVERY god forsaking day we go to the local town for shopping and it really gets SO repetitive, back for lunch, painting and then reading which usually sends me to sleep, though it’s a good book, the chapters are MEGA long, it’s “The Secret History” by Donna Tartt (unfortunate name) my friend Gemma recommended it to me one sunny day in Greenwich a few weeks back, oh happy days, with sun and blue sky!
Yes, the weather IS appalling. It’s mild, but wet, bleak, foul, disgusting and NOW there’s a heavy wind!!!!! Standing outside, smoking, listening to the howl of the gusts in the telegraph wires, it really is quite eerie. Even sitting here listening to the moan in the chimney, I can understand why Devon and Cornwall are brandished the most haunted. I can well believe them and tonight I’m going to tell you a local ghost story (or what I can remember of it).
Over the main road, that’s the A386 towards Torrington to the East and Okehampton to the West. This small part of the world is littered with old, ancient manors houses, most of them in ruins but this one I’m going to tell you about it still standing although it’s half of its former glory. Great Potheridge, an important place where the Civil War of Devon and Cornwall in the 17th Century took place. Days and days of bloody battle was fought around the fields of the cottage where I am now, I’m surprised there are not more ghosts. But on a night like tonight, maybe the howls of the wind are actually the cries of ghouls, slain at the battlefield?
Great Potheridge was a usual manor; a large, wealthy family filled its rooms and servants, kitchen maids, butlers, gardeners worked for them. I’m not sure when the house fell into disrepair, maybe it had a fire like most of these houses, but a whole section was demolished sometime in the 19th Century and a small fraction of it remains. Around 10 years ago, the present owners then (the original family had died out) had to repair the old roof because the rain was getting in. It had been in their possession for a number of years and most night’s screams were heard in the loft. On every occasion the owners checked where the sound was coming from, but nothing was found. Nights and nights and always on a cold, windy, wet night as this, these haunting screams were heard but no one could find an explanation why. As the roof was taken apart, oh horrors of horrors! What was found?! A guillotine, hidden in the roof for centuries. That’s where the cries were coming from, executions from long ago. Recently the old plans were found for the place, as now it stands as an Agricultural Training Centre, it was discovered the guillotine was used to execute the servants plus the disobeying soldiers of the Civil War.
No one is meant to live there. But on most nights, a small ghostly light burns in the window, whoever it is, I cannot tell you, but I believe, as do the locals, that it is not from this world.
Ok pictures today, dim, grim. View of the garden, the cottage close up, the fishpond and the MUD MUD MUD MUD MUD!!!!!!! Plus a picture of the cosy sting room with the fire, where I’ll be retiring too after this, note the painting on the wall done by me!
That’s it!
Emy xxx
Yes, the weather IS appalling. It’s mild, but wet, bleak, foul, disgusting and NOW there’s a heavy wind!!!!! Standing outside, smoking, listening to the howl of the gusts in the telegraph wires, it really is quite eerie. Even sitting here listening to the moan in the chimney, I can understand why Devon and Cornwall are brandished the most haunted. I can well believe them and tonight I’m going to tell you a local ghost story (or what I can remember of it).
Over the main road, that’s the A386 towards Torrington to the East and Okehampton to the West. This small part of the world is littered with old, ancient manors houses, most of them in ruins but this one I’m going to tell you about it still standing although it’s half of its former glory. Great Potheridge, an important place where the Civil War of Devon and Cornwall in the 17th Century took place. Days and days of bloody battle was fought around the fields of the cottage where I am now, I’m surprised there are not more ghosts. But on a night like tonight, maybe the howls of the wind are actually the cries of ghouls, slain at the battlefield?
Great Potheridge was a usual manor; a large, wealthy family filled its rooms and servants, kitchen maids, butlers, gardeners worked for them. I’m not sure when the house fell into disrepair, maybe it had a fire like most of these houses, but a whole section was demolished sometime in the 19th Century and a small fraction of it remains. Around 10 years ago, the present owners then (the original family had died out) had to repair the old roof because the rain was getting in. It had been in their possession for a number of years and most night’s screams were heard in the loft. On every occasion the owners checked where the sound was coming from, but nothing was found. Nights and nights and always on a cold, windy, wet night as this, these haunting screams were heard but no one could find an explanation why. As the roof was taken apart, oh horrors of horrors! What was found?! A guillotine, hidden in the roof for centuries. That’s where the cries were coming from, executions from long ago. Recently the old plans were found for the place, as now it stands as an Agricultural Training Centre, it was discovered the guillotine was used to execute the servants plus the disobeying soldiers of the Civil War.
No one is meant to live there. But on most nights, a small ghostly light burns in the window, whoever it is, I cannot tell you, but I believe, as do the locals, that it is not from this world.
Ok pictures today, dim, grim. View of the garden, the cottage close up, the fishpond and the MUD MUD MUD MUD MUD!!!!!!! Plus a picture of the cosy sting room with the fire, where I’ll be retiring too after this, note the painting on the wall done by me!
That’s it!
Emy xxx
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Bleak Devon & A Rant Over Most Things
“Woman spend £80,000 on shoes” so spouts the Daily Mail today, ‘The average woman spends three months of her life and nearly £80,000 shopping for shoes, a survey reveals today” I mean, £80,000!!!!!! Damn! What IS the world coming to? Well, I’m not one of them! Well, actually, I did buy three pairs the other day in Bluewater, but only because that day I seemed to have a fetish for all things beige! Walking trainers from Timberland, cheap trainers from New Look and a pair of rather trendy ‘Gola’ plimsolls. And ALL in the colour beige (not to mention a pair of trousers and a cardigan all in the same colour), but still, ALL of that money for shoes? I think it’s disgusting, that and the people mad enough to carry out these ridiculous surveys. But I suppose women have always loved shoes, I mean, as it says in the article ‘you never have a fat day when you go shoe shopping’ good point, but I am NOT the average woman and frankly I feel a little insulted (ignore the three pairs last week), I NEVER shop for shoes, I’d understand if it were clothes but then I’m sure the figure would be considerably greater!
The weather is foul. I take back what I said about loving this wet weather, well, I don’t, I despise it! I just can’t do enough paintings or read enough books without taking my mind off about the bleakness outside. My old beaten up old trainers (£4 in New Look a year ago. . .) have become so saturated with Devon rainwater that my socks are permantely wet, God knows why I didn’t wear boots, but boots I feel only work in a farmyard not your back garden! Anyhow (almost said Anyhoo, someone shoot me if I do!) The pictures today are dim, no light, colours, shape of any kind, just dull, drizzle, dim, bleak, misty, even the snow drops are drooping! Yes, spring is 4 weeks late goddamn it! And so no blissful walk or exercise for me today, just dreary painting and reading, even though the book is good, I still feel bored and achy and SO hungry yet it’s the inevitable soup tonight, nothing quite dampens your spirits as soup. But tomorrow it’s a night out at our local (local?! 6 miles local) pub ‘The Duke of York’ At Ildesleigh, made famous by the BBC in ‘Down to Earth’ one of those feel-good programmes that are aired on Sunday nights, with despicable acting and awful cast, but I only watch it because it’s filmed round here! Plus even Rick Stein went there for food in one of his numerous cookery programmes, or the best of British, which he plugs (good on him!). It’s a friendly pub, log burning fire in the winter, wooden tables and benches and a menu that hardly ever changes but then it’s good food and great atmosphere, and EVERYONE smokes so I don’t know what it’s going to be like when the smoking ban comes in to force in a year, even the bar staff smoke for God sake! Ok, I’m ranting, but it’s about time too! Ok, getting self-conscious now, will stop.
Oh I want the sun, please, the sun. Even all the birds have stopped singing, there’s nothing to sing for! Ok for ducks, but that’s all, but then they don’t sing, they quack. And did you know that Blackbirds only start singing in spring until they’ve established their territory with their mate? I think I did know that, but last Spring feels so long ago and in my diary this time last year, well, actually dated St Patrick’s Day (17th March) I had noted down how hot it was and how the sun shone all day, everyday. Spring then was more like summer, why not this year too?
Well, that’s all folks. Looking back in what I’ve said, I don’t think I’ve said anything, just rambled, which is me all over!
Love and rain (AAhhh!)
Emy xxx
Monday, March 06, 2006
Lovely Day Spent Walking. . .
Six Scots Pine
me (oh dear)
mackerel Sky (all change)
Dartmoor (no snow left)
Cottage from the field
View of Dunsbeare
Badger Set, Loss of life (nasty sight, sorry), Boots and View of Cottage 
Hello there. I’m a very happy bunny today, even though I think I’m coming down with my Dad’s cold. I think I’ve made a decision of a lifetime. It stemmed from talking to my yank friend Tucker last night on msn. He doesn’t understand my love for the country, he feels, as I was born and bred in London then I should be a city chick, but, no, I’m not and today proved it., I’m a country lass!
I took myself off for another long walk across the fields and felt a sense of release. All alone in vast empty space, but not entirely alone. The air was filled with sounds: sheep bleating, birds singing, the wind in the trees, they were my company! I’ve always been a loner, probably because of being an only child, but, then, you may say because of that I should seek out human company more often, well, I don’t, I like being with me, not because I love myself (which I don’t) but because I enjoy my own company and especially walking across the fields, all the animals, the land, the sky, the sun, become my friends! Sounds silly, and I’m sure I’ll have a barrage of comments from people saying how weird I am! Of course, I totally understand you all, no hard feelings.
So the pictures are what I encountered on my walk. A dead fox, well, I saw that last time, poor thing, I hate that, an unnecessary loss of life, that’s the one thing I hate about the country, that’s why I need my own land to protect them. Boots, well boots are a necessary need for the country, if not then your best shoes are ruined!!!!! The cottage from the field, the Scots Pine and me looking stupid as always, well, it was intended! Dunsbeare view and the mackerel sky signifying all change, rain tomorrow. I heard my first Skylark, came across ‘Fiver’’ from ‘Watership Down’ in the hedgerow and revisited the Badger Set to see if they had eaten my nuts I had left them yesterday, yes they had!!!! Scoffed the lot! It also seemed to have given them more energy to dig more of their set. Happy now. Dartmoor and then the beautiful sunset from the bathroom window. Perfect.
Ok, not much else to add, only that there will probably be no photos tomorrow because of the weather. Though I do love Devon in the rain, so dramatic and mysterious! So I can paint or read by the wood burner in the sitting room. Oh I do love it here, does it show?
Not much happening in the news, Tessa Jowel, blah, blah, blah. They’ve found £11 million so far from the raid in Kent, old news. Not much else, all rather drab.
So I’ll end it there, note the paragraphs getting shorter!
Lots of love and fun and. . .rain (sun, please come back!)
Emy xxx
Sunset from Bathroom Window
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Across The Fields and Far Away
Dunsbeare
Anna
South Down lambWell today has been another beautiful sunny day and more of that tomorrow, though, as ever; the weather is meant to turn to rain! Typical March weather.
I woke up after a heavy restful sleep to the sparrows quarrelling in the eaves of the cottage, probably fighting over nest space. Apparently spring is 4 weeks late!
In the afternoon, I walked across the fields, past the badger set, to my friend’s farm Dunsbeare to see the new South Down (breed of sheep) Lambs, 3 boys and a girl. The farm is lovely, tucked away in a valley, so at night it’s pitch black. They used to have a strong herd of Frisian cattle but all were slaughtered during foot and mouth, even though they didn’t have it. Now they have beef cattle and pedigree Limousine cows and not to mention the sheep! A lovely orchard, housing a duck pond with, yes, ducks! A farm dog called Rocky and two cats called Cleo and Claude. This is the farm we used to come to every summer before we bought the cottage, I was 3 when we first came down and have known many animals since then.
A month old Limousine, today, was dehorned. First anaesthetic is injected in both sides of his head and then the horns are burnt off. A pretty nasty business, but the calf feels nothing only fear and upset for being taken away from his mother who was mooing for him. For such a young calf, he was a strong one! Then it was the sheep’s turn. The newly born lambs needed their tails ringed and the male lambs needed castrating. All done on the farm, by the farmer, so no vet needed. There was also a dead badger, he had died a week ago from illness and because of the controversial TB outbreak in cattle, they had let DEFRA know and thought it would be a good chance to test the animal to see what it had died of, so no killing, an humane way and DEFRA DIDN’T EVEN CARE!!!!! (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs). So the counsel was phoned to take it away, by law it can’t buried on the farm in case of disease. No one’s come to take it away. I think that’s disgusting and such a sad sight at the entrance of the farm.
Being Done!
Sue with Chrissy and PippaOh well, my Dad’s better from his cold, so hopefully we can do something fun tomorrow, if not, I’ll just have another walk again or start some more paintings.
The pictures today are my usual fare, skies, land and animals, but then that’s what Devon is all about!!!!
Not much more to add, again, enjoy the photos.
Emy xxx
Tonight's sunset
Tonight's sunset clouds with cottage
Saturday, March 04, 2006
D E V O N It's Glorious
Hello all, I seem to be a little behind! I have loads of pictures today, as promised, from the journey down, yesterday and today’s sunshine. The weather is simply beautiful, glorious sunshine over an equally glorious land. The birds are singing spring. The snowdrops are out in full and the lambs have grown big since December.
My Dad has a cold, which is typical, so it’s been up to me to lay the fire in the wood burner, feed the birds and crack the ice on the pond. I went for a lovely, refreshing walk earlier, across the field ‘Keeper’s Marsh’ through the woods ‘Throat Copse’ and then over the crop fields, with a buzzard high up as company and dried apricots for sustenance. I came across a recently dug out badger set and left them an apricot, I’ll go there tomorrow again to see if they’ve eaten it!!!! I walked up to the top to say hello to the Scots Pines and saw Dartmoor covered in snow. What a sight! The photograph hardly does it justice! I heard my first Blackbird yesterday and saw my first tractor on the road to the local town Torrington earlier. Snow and frost are due but I hope the sun keeps shining. The nights are drawing out and it’s visibly much lighter here at 6pm then London.
I’m enjoying the wide-open spaces, the sun, the birdsong, and the sweet smells of spring. I’ve even managed to start a painting in oil! I can’t WAIT to see my friend Sue’s new lambs, watch out for pictures of them soon. So now I’ll let the pictures talk for themselves:
Eddie Stobart
M25
View of Old Chapel Cottage from Keeper's Marsh
Green field & Three Trees Scots Pine
Me in the woods and Gorse in the hedgerow (when the gorse is in season, so is kissing)
Snowdrops in hedgerow, snow capped Dartmoor, A shadow of a Pine and me and Sheep!
Well, that's it guys, I can't stay on here for long as I have rotten dial up connection again, only Broadband in London!!!! But I'll try and be back every day.
Love this place, I want to live here ALWAYS!!!! One day. . .
Emy xxx
My Dad has a cold, which is typical, so it’s been up to me to lay the fire in the wood burner, feed the birds and crack the ice on the pond. I went for a lovely, refreshing walk earlier, across the field ‘Keeper’s Marsh’ through the woods ‘Throat Copse’ and then over the crop fields, with a buzzard high up as company and dried apricots for sustenance. I came across a recently dug out badger set and left them an apricot, I’ll go there tomorrow again to see if they’ve eaten it!!!! I walked up to the top to say hello to the Scots Pines and saw Dartmoor covered in snow. What a sight! The photograph hardly does it justice! I heard my first Blackbird yesterday and saw my first tractor on the road to the local town Torrington earlier. Snow and frost are due but I hope the sun keeps shining. The nights are drawing out and it’s visibly much lighter here at 6pm then London.
I’m enjoying the wide-open spaces, the sun, the birdsong, and the sweet smells of spring. I’ve even managed to start a painting in oil! I can’t WAIT to see my friend Sue’s new lambs, watch out for pictures of them soon. So now I’ll let the pictures talk for themselves:
Eddie StobartM25
View of Old Chapel Cottage from Keeper's Marsh
Green field & Three Trees Scots Pine
Me in the woods and Gorse in the hedgerow (when the gorse is in season, so is kissing)
Snowdrops in hedgerow, snow capped Dartmoor, A shadow of a Pine and me and Sheep!Well, that's it guys, I can't stay on here for long as I have rotten dial up connection again, only Broadband in London!!!! But I'll try and be back every day.
Love this place, I want to live here ALWAYS!!!! One day. . .
Emy xxx
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Britblog Needs You
A link, aren't I nice? Pretty cool one though if you're blogging in the UK, if you're not, this is TOTALLY useless!
Oh well, like the picture, I am expecting Winston Churchill to pop up soon!
Goodnight all, still got packing to do and shower and more packing. . .
Emy x
Oh well, like the picture, I am expecting Winston Churchill to pop up soon!
Goodnight all, still got packing to do and shower and more packing. . .
Emy x
Books, Books, Books
Hello, author time for World Book Day tomorrow, 4 writers I love and one including my favourite book of all time, something I must have read more times then I can remember.
F.Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby When I first picked up this book, I didn't get past the second chapter, I didn't like it one bit and funnily enough a friend of mine has had the same trouble. But I'm very glad that I gave it a second chance. The jazz age of America in an Art Deco life, fantastic writing, fantastic characters, especially Gatsby himeself, a typical American gangster, on his home on Long Island hosting these amazing parties, fabulous hospitality 'yet few people could recognise their host'. It's a story of love, lust, irony and loss and has become, undoubtely, my favourite book. Through this book I've read every other Fitzgerald book and biography. It really opens up a whole new world. Books worth reading are: Tender is the Night Beautiful and the Damned This Side of Paradise
Daphne Du Maurier
Born into a world of big houses, an actor of a father Gerald Du Maurier and a childhood spent in Fowey, Cornwall, she began writing at an early age and went on to write around 30 books. She was a fantasist and a brilliant inventor of character. Books worth reading are: Rebecca, The Scapegoat, Jamaica Inn, The House of the Strand and The King's General. Enjoy. Note, she also wrote 'The Birds'
James Thurber
Another American. I have an old penguin book, pub 1959 and the blurb about him is far better then anything I would write " James Thurber was born in Columbus, Ohio, where so many awful things happened to him, on 8th December, 1894. He was unable to keep anything on his stomach until he was 8 years old, but grew to 6 feet 1 & a half inches tall and th weigh a hundred and fifty-four pounds. fully dressed for winter. He began to write when he was ten years old and to draw when he was fourteen. He has not worked as a cow-puncher, short-order book, lumberjack, or preliminary prize-fighter. Quick to arouse, he is very hard to queit and people often just go away. Fond of rifle shooting but unable to concentrate, he usually fires the gun off into the air when handing it to the next marksman.....he never listens when anybody else is talking, preferring to keep his mind blank until they get through so he can talk. His favourite book is The Great gatsby. His favourite author is Henry James. He wears excellent clothes very badly and can never find his hat. Two overcoats which he left in the New Yorker office were stolen, or else he left them some place else. He is Sagittarius with the moon in Aries and gets along fine with persons born between the 20th and the 24th of August.' Why can't they write blurbs like that anymore????!!!!!!!
Evelyn Waugh
Oh where to start with Waugh. 'Brideshead Revisited' was my first book I picked up to read through my English A level (and it wasn't even on the list!), the first proper, serious book I ever read at the age of 17. I loved it and equally loved the television series they made of Brideshead with Anthony Andrews and Jeremy Irons. Evelyn Waugh was born in Hampstead, educated at Oxford and went onto write such classics as Decline and Fall, Vile Bodies, A Handful of Dust and Scoop. But it was Brideshead that made his name and how he is remembered today.
Mmmmm, looking back at these authors, I'm sorry to say, they're all dead. I will include 'living' ones next but that will have to be some other day. Yes, that's the problem, once you've read ALL their backlists, that's it, no more books. I have five Daphne Du Maurier's left and I'm letting them last.
While flipping through London's newspaper, The Evening Standard I found a great website for beer fans and if you are ever visiting the Capital and want a good pint, this site tells you where the best ones are and even gives you a map. Perfect. Though not for me as I don't like beer!
On the road tomorrow, 220 miles of hair rasing roads to cover, M25, M3, A303, M5 to name but a few and FINALLY some decent photographs to show you of my beloved Devon. So advanced warning now, I will probably be too tired to blog tomoorow.
Lots of love and enjoy the books, more soon!
Emy x
F.Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Gatsby When I first picked up this book, I didn't get past the second chapter, I didn't like it one bit and funnily enough a friend of mine has had the same trouble. But I'm very glad that I gave it a second chance. The jazz age of America in an Art Deco life, fantastic writing, fantastic characters, especially Gatsby himeself, a typical American gangster, on his home on Long Island hosting these amazing parties, fabulous hospitality 'yet few people could recognise their host'. It's a story of love, lust, irony and loss and has become, undoubtely, my favourite book. Through this book I've read every other Fitzgerald book and biography. It really opens up a whole new world. Books worth reading are: Tender is the Night Beautiful and the Damned This Side of Paradise
Daphne Du Maurier
Born into a world of big houses, an actor of a father Gerald Du Maurier and a childhood spent in Fowey, Cornwall, she began writing at an early age and went on to write around 30 books. She was a fantasist and a brilliant inventor of character. Books worth reading are: Rebecca, The Scapegoat, Jamaica Inn, The House of the Strand and The King's General. Enjoy. Note, she also wrote 'The Birds'
James Thurber
Another American. I have an old penguin book, pub 1959 and the blurb about him is far better then anything I would write " James Thurber was born in Columbus, Ohio, where so many awful things happened to him, on 8th December, 1894. He was unable to keep anything on his stomach until he was 8 years old, but grew to 6 feet 1 & a half inches tall and th weigh a hundred and fifty-four pounds. fully dressed for winter. He began to write when he was ten years old and to draw when he was fourteen. He has not worked as a cow-puncher, short-order book, lumberjack, or preliminary prize-fighter. Quick to arouse, he is very hard to queit and people often just go away. Fond of rifle shooting but unable to concentrate, he usually fires the gun off into the air when handing it to the next marksman.....he never listens when anybody else is talking, preferring to keep his mind blank until they get through so he can talk. His favourite book is The Great gatsby. His favourite author is Henry James. He wears excellent clothes very badly and can never find his hat. Two overcoats which he left in the New Yorker office were stolen, or else he left them some place else. He is Sagittarius with the moon in Aries and gets along fine with persons born between the 20th and the 24th of August.' Why can't they write blurbs like that anymore????!!!!!!!
Evelyn Waugh
Oh where to start with Waugh. 'Brideshead Revisited' was my first book I picked up to read through my English A level (and it wasn't even on the list!), the first proper, serious book I ever read at the age of 17. I loved it and equally loved the television series they made of Brideshead with Anthony Andrews and Jeremy Irons. Evelyn Waugh was born in Hampstead, educated at Oxford and went onto write such classics as Decline and Fall, Vile Bodies, A Handful of Dust and Scoop. But it was Brideshead that made his name and how he is remembered today.
Mmmmm, looking back at these authors, I'm sorry to say, they're all dead. I will include 'living' ones next but that will have to be some other day. Yes, that's the problem, once you've read ALL their backlists, that's it, no more books. I have five Daphne Du Maurier's left and I'm letting them last.
While flipping through London's newspaper, The Evening Standard I found a great website for beer fans and if you are ever visiting the Capital and want a good pint, this site tells you where the best ones are and even gives you a map. Perfect. Though not for me as I don't like beer!
On the road tomorrow, 220 miles of hair rasing roads to cover, M25, M3, A303, M5 to name but a few and FINALLY some decent photographs to show you of my beloved Devon. So advanced warning now, I will probably be too tired to blog tomoorow.
Lots of love and enjoy the books, more soon!
Emy x
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
