Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Boom . . . Boom . . . Boom . . . Boom . . .

in Boom . . . Boom . . . Boom . . . Boom . . . Every morning . . . Boom . . . Boom . . . Boom . . . I'm woken up by large Booms coming from neighbours across from us - actually 2 houses next to each other - who are having an extension out the back and the builders have started piling - as in laying the foundations . . . Boom . . . Boom . . . Boom . . . continuously. The whole house vibrates - my bed vibrates. Although all is not going to plan, one got stuck and would go no further, so there's a delay. As I'm sure I've said before that St Joe's was built on a rubbish tip, well, not really rubbish, more WW2 debris, as in unexploded bombs (no, not really), air raid shelters, rubble, mortar etc and the place is full of air pockets and holes appear regularly in the middle of gardens and the houses subside too, so who knows what they've encountered over the way underneath the gardens!

Apart from that. London is much the same. Planes, train and automobiles. My little car Julia is now finally out of the garage as we need to store stuff in there and she's finally being driven. Her battery went flat over the time we weren't here, so she now has a brand new battery and a brand new leash of life! As for me, well, us, busily cleaning as the estate agents are coming to measure up and take photos on Friday for our big move! So, it's finally happening. Plus the weather is fab right now! 18C today, although rain is expected tomorrow and probably typically on , Friday when the pictures are being taken! So I'm trying to see as many people as possible as I'm back by myself to Devon with Julia (my car . . . keep up) on the 15th April, I have no idea how long for, but Julia will stay there now indefinitely.

Hope everyone is well anyway and please, if some of you haven't seen the last video of Thomas, then please watch it, as upsetting as it is, Thomas is treated like a King!

Emy xxx

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Last Night in Devon . . . I'm TOO Sad!

Hey everyone, well, here we go, the last day & night in Devon and the weather all today was perfect - in fact the best sunny, blue day in the 7 weeks we've been here. Typical. Pictures to follow when I get back to London (ah). Ok, look, let me level with you, I do love London, in fact I'm proud to have been born in London (perhaps not Lewisham, but then beggars can't be choosers) and I know every single corner of South East London and it really excites me - that and getting on a train to Charing X and having the whole city at my finger tips. But frankly, I've grown bored of it and need a drastic change, I'm so much happier in the countryside. Although I'm really going to miss Kent - the North coast & the Weald, not to mention East & West Sussex, Surrey I can do without lol! But London won't be completely wiped from my life, I still have great, good friends there and plenty of them have offered to put me up if I crave for city life or Kent countryside & beyond. Plus there's shopping to take into consideration - I must go back here and there to go to Bluewater or up into town and walk amongst those in the Kings Road (ok, I can't afford anything, but Peter Jones in Sloane Square is always worth a window shop!) So London we'll become an excitement once again - when I was small I loved it, it was so exciting and so, er, . . . OUT THERE! All my friends lived in Bromley, Kent (that's where my school was), while I had Blackheath, London on my home address! Anyway, London will always be in my blood and I'll always love it, so in all truth I will ALWAYS regard myself as a Londoner!

Ok, final film of Devon. Or as Tuckmac likes to call it, 'rural' film. Thomas, the South Down ram, one of the eccentric characters of Dunsbeare Farm. Back in November he picked up some kind of illness out in the fields and collapsed. The vet gave him a course of antibiotics and said if he didn't get better afterwards then he should be put to sleep. Well that was back then, this film was shot a few days ago, and he's still alive . . . though not particularly kicking. Basically he can't get up, for some reason he can't do it. Maybe there's a bit of brain damage there. But he's bright and lovely although a nuisance for Sue as he rolls off his straw in the shed and can't get back again and Sue has to move him back - and as you'll see - it takes some doing! (ok, I could have helped, but I was filming at the time lol!). Sue is getting worried now, as the warmer weather is approaching and that will bring flies by their hundreds - on the straw he'll be ok - but off the straw the maggots will get to him. So a big decision will have to be made soon, to keep going or to put him down? Anyway, have a look at the film and tell me what you think - is Sue mad? Or is she right in keeping him? I think he's lovely and maybe she should keep him a little longer, but then you may argue that that's just prolonging it.



Lots of love to all and see you all in London!

Emy xxxxx xxxx xxx xx x

Friday, March 23, 2007

The Last Few Days

Hey everyone! I can't believe we've been here now for almost 7 weeks - where has all the time gone? So back home to London on Sunday and by the end of the following week the London house will be put on the market & once sold we're coming down here to live in the cottage and figure out what to do. It's the only way. Of course we've got so much stuff, some need to be stored here in the cottage and the other stuff perhaps in storage somewhere else. It's all really exciting, but I can predict much stress and unhappiness too.

So back to happier times with the sun out in these following pictured, although 2 pictures here are heartbreaking, and one HUGE mystery:



Soon the fields on the right will be a mass of yellow - Oil seed rape

Where did that cloud come from?!

After all the rain, the land is SO green!

That view!

Dartmoor in distance and Scots Pine - which has lost yet another branch (now in my garden!)


There she blows - Dartmoor I mean

Walking down the side of field - lane on other side

Incredible Pine shadows

Dartmoor

If you didn't know where you were it could definitely be mountain range

Golden light on the moor

My darling pine - Grace



How they survive the winds, I do not know

Looking out opposite to cottage & chapel


And now the heart breaking mystery - in recent times, around the last 5 years - we've had a good number of Hares living in our fields. They are absolutely fantastic creatures to watch and to film and to have. I came across this - a whole stripped hare skin - no blood, bones or flesh. Who or more importantly, who the HELL would do that? Human? Animal? I've never seen the likes of this before. At first I thought it was a dead, shot fox as the farmers/gamekeepers usually shoot foxes and leave them to rot in the fields. I'm stumped. Anyone got any clues?

I turned it round with my boot - it's so neatly done and reminds me so much of a fur coat/scarf - now a dog would rip the creature up, a buzzard pick out the remain, but to strip it so perfectly takes skill & who the hell would do that, take the flesh and leave the fur in the middle of a field


So after that sadness, I moved on, troubled & upset

Back to the fantastic sheep & lambs, I was watching a lamb play tag with a pheasant!

Sun rays

Golden light - my favourite!




Then a cloud - is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a cloud shaped as a bird & a plane!

Spectacular sunset that night

Something out of Turner or even Constable or me . . . lol!

Taken from the bathroom window - too cold out!


Beautiful - dramatic!

La Lune

Then the wood came on Thursday, Dad & I stacked them in the shed - bit of a job!


Tomorrow, one last film of Devon, of a very special ram called Thomas. More on him then.

Emy xxx

Thursday, March 22, 2007

The Secret Life of Bullocks

Ok everyone, here is another video blog but the stars being the bullocks having a little bit of a play in their shed. It was a little unnerving as they were very big and all of them together running around an enclosed space, even if I was on the other side of the wall, was a little frightening. But they were so funny, especially as they kept coming up to me looking for my approval or coming to see if I was still filming! It's a little long this film but it has a pattern, mad jumping and galloping about and then calm, then face rubbing and then mad jumping and galloping about and then calm and face rubbing and so on. You can tell a lot about a cows mood by their ears! They have very expressive ears!



We're off out tonight for dinner and I'm about to go into the studio in the next hour as I've turned the heating on and it takes at least an hour to warm up - well - after Neighbours anyway! lol

Emy xxx

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Lovely Little Lambs

Hey everyone, here is my second video blog - actually one of three, but I think one at a time will do! Over the weekend I went to see the new lambs at my friend's farm. They are so adorable, well as you can see and very vocal!




Since I last blogged I've been painting hard and trying to catch an hour or so every day in the sunshine (or what sunshine we've had) for a few walks across the fields and far away. Well - the same fields as usual! One day I'll pluck up the courage and go further! Photos to follow in a few days time.

Hope everyone is well.

Emy xxx

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Happy St Patrick's Day Everybody!!!!

Your Leprechaun Name Is:

Twindle Forrekettle


E xxx

Friday, March 16, 2007

"I'm Concerned With Your Circumspection"

So said my Mum to my Dad, talking in her own version of English/Dutch about his little pop belly! (we're all putting on weight right now - it's the high life of the West) I think she meant circumference! What you have to understand with my mum is that she has invented her own dictionary - as in Half time during football matches is called 'Half term', Green & Blacks chocolate is called 'Black & Deccor' and the actor Jim Broadbent is known as Jim Broadband - oh God - and not to mention KT Turnstill is called KT Toadstool. Welcome to the bizarre world of my Mother - I love her!

I'm sorry it has taken me so long to post - we had a great time at St Mawes celebrating the 4oth Anniversary, but we were shattered when we got home and it's taken us days to recover!

We were meant to be going back to London this coming Sunday but I've convinced my Dad to stay yet another week as I need to do more painting, so 24th March (the start of British summertime) is our date to go. So I'm very, very happy. Although the weather is changing drastically, for the last week we've had sunshine, but now they're forecasting 'Artic Conditions' Capital letters if you please lol! We may run out of logs for the fire but least the oil tank was refilled a week ago. Ah. Loads of sheep and lambs in the field opposite and I love watching the lambs prancing and dancing about - even the mum's join in!

Photos:

The flowers my Dad bought for my Mum - 40th Anniversary


The Hotel Trensanton, St Mawes, Cornwall

The view looking to the left from our balcony

The view straight ahead of St Anthony's Head

How the picture above looked from afar

And the view straight ahead to the left a bit out to sea

Our sitting room

My bedroom

My folk's bedroom

Definitely a room with a view!

St Mawes blue Ferry to Falmouth



Large Maritime Pines at the back

Large Tanker being towed in to Falmouth Port by barge

The black flag with the white cross is the Cornish flag

Boots to borrow from the hotel in case of wet conditions! Very thoughtful

The view of Falmouth from St Anthony's Head

Our balcony - it was all very Italian - prob cos it's owned by one!

Well, me - am getting fat again!

View of hotel - middle buildings


Strange morning clouds the next day

Plus the coast guard ship spraying out water for some reason!

View of St Mawes from the other side

A Cornish Herring Gull posing

Lovely chap!

Er, we did about 600 yards on hangovers!


Wild Violets growing on coast path

The sun was trying to come out

Really trying . . .

Made great photography though

No idea - sorry - pretty though

Splendid Dandelion

The cove

The other hotel we could have stayed at - although double the price - The Nare

Back to Devon and a beautiful sunset


Taken from speeding car!


Our three pines and cottage (dark) bottom middle

Sunset so vivid, the pond caught the reflection




A beautiful sky to come home too!

Now for a glass of wine.

Lots of love, Emy xxxxxxxx

Saturday, March 10, 2007

New Paintings and MORE Photos

Well, busy, busy days I've had - generally buzzing around seeing friends, going shopping, painting and taking endless photos, as the weather has cheered up and in fact the sun shone ALL day today!

Off to Cornwall tomorrow, to stay at a swanky hotel in Cornwall called The Tresanton, for my parents 4oth Wedding Anniversary, for one night - I've given them some money towards it as a present. Can't wait!

A few days ago, my Dad and I went for a drive - Dartmoor

The view we have up the road doesn't show the dip in between



We found a lovely field with a stand of Scots pine and a pair of Roe Deer

Our Scots Pine from the opposite direction

The day before yesterday, my friend Sue and I went out for the day and found ourselves at the sea, in a little rather run down town called Ilfracombe - actually it was a dump lol!

We met some seagulls

Mainly Herring Gulls

And then went to Broomhill Sculpture Gardens - Sue

Periwinkles in the garden

And a bronze horse rolling amongst Primroses

Back to the farm and I met Greeta the South Down Lamb and her 3 friends

She loved her bottle - notice her tail wagging madly!

Sue & Greeta

Smelling the lambs head - I'd do the same with a calf lol!

Claude - one of two cats at Dunsbeare

Went to talk to the bullocks

Yesterday & more sunshine & more primroses out

I went for a walk in field and found badger footprints - front paw

Back paw - you can just make it out

Sun catching Bramble leaves

The sunset around 40 mins ago





New oil painting today

A new technique up there - comments please!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend. I'll be back on Monday with Cornwall photos!

Emy xxxxxxxx

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Rain Rain PLEASE GO AWAY!

That's it. I've had enough. Not only is the constant sodding rain dampening my spirit, it's also dampening my painting. Yes folks, as I feared, I've lost my creative streak, as in it's all going very, very wrong! The oil is just not working right now and I'm longing to break out of it's hold and start painting in Acrylic again or even gouache!

This grey cloud today engulfed the land for hours of torrential rain

This weather - showers and little glimmers of light

The River Torridge, of course burst it's banks - looking down from Torrington car park

The trees have their waders on again

Although on Sunday the sun shone - a fresh new bud on the Larch

My first daisy of the year - I made a wish

Plus my first Celandine

Of course the daffodils have wilted now

Our own wild, native variety

Then the sun hit them in the vase - WOW!






I love taking pictures of clouds - can you tell?

Yes, you definitely can

The shapes and colours are endless




Dartmoor

Plus they make great shadows (the clouds I mean!)



Dunsbeare Farm

Great - a whole day of sun, then the biggest cloud has to cover the sunset lol!

Flying Rook - hard to catch!


Got him!


Now, the moon

Behind Pine tree branches - or is it just a big white distorted blob?!

On Saturday (3rd March) we witnessed the Lunar Eclipse at Dunsbeare - there for dinner

I do love my little camera!

Almost gone

Then it went orange/red/pink

After this shot, it was too dark to get anything, but least I managed this, if a bit fuzzy

Painted in the first week - still wet, as you can see

Painted today - an experiment - comments please!

As you can see by last painting, I'm trying to break out of my horizon lines, but as I've used them for so long now, it's hard to break out of it!

Here is an extract I wrote about my painting to a friend recently, it explains my passion about why I do what I do:

Of course I find it very
& restricting painting for the short times we have in
Devon and then having to stop for sometimes long
periods when we’re back in London. Starting is the
hardest part and once I start I wonder why I have
wasted so much time before! It is a vicious circle.
But once I’m underway I can’t stop, most of my nights
are filled with dreams of colours and textures and
sometimes I have to get up very early in the morning
to put them down in a notebook. I not only love the
mental side of painting, but the physical too – the
simple method of squeezing paint out of a tube, mixing
it with either white spirit or turps, the endless
variety of colours to choose from – have you ever made
your own paint? – Something I would be very interested
in learning. I enjoy the feel of the paintbrush and
then putting the paint down on canvas – I’m hoping
that a friend of ours in Devon is going to make me
some stretchers as that’s another thing I miss by not
being at art college, and having a workshop and the
chance to stretch my own canvases – and I still
remember how to do it! I’ve always wanted to set up a
video camera on a tripod and actually film the process
of painting, from the very beginning of choosing the
colours/brushes/support/water jars (!) to the final
outcome and perhaps putting it into a time-lapse
sequence – ok, that’s my photographer/filmmaker coming
out of me – never far away!

Of course my friend is a painter too and completely different from mine: His website:

www.jonathanbriggsart.co.uk Go take a look.

Well, that's all folks for now. Catch you all later!

Emy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Saturday, March 03, 2007

My First Devon Video Blog




Sorry about the video quality - not sure why that is.

Hey everyone, thanks to my friend Tucker (cheers Tuckmac) I have caught the video blogging bug! And I thought I'd do my own. Now, I haven't held a video camera or filmed anything for at least 18 months and it is a little unsteady, I'm sorry about that, plus it was a bit windy, which doesn't help. If it is a success and if I can remember how to upload the film right, then there will be more of these to come. The first as you can see is about the cottage, my studio, the garden and the surrounding countryside. As I said, if this one is a success then I'm off in a moment to film some more, may as well take advantage of the bright sunshine today - it'll be raining tomorrow.

Hope everyone is having fun this weekend.

Emy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Grey Dolphin, Do You Mind! Bloody GRAY!!!!

ANIMOLOGY: What Animal Are You?
Your Result: Ocre and Gray Dolphin

Sea! You're a very hearty person being a good friend. You attract many friends because of your lovely personality, but you're sometimes pretty weird. Your soul mate is the Bronze Goat. You hate the Peach Pig.

Silver and Red Wolf
Blue Fox
Teal Cat
Red Jaguar
Tan Giraffe
Gold Falcon
Yellow Trout
ANIMOLOGY: What Animal Are You?