Turning Back Time

To February 2005 Abernethy RSPB Reserve, Scotland

Welcome to a new series of old photographs which were taken before I started this blog - plus as I haven't been out to take new pictures I feel my posts have been looking rather dull without pictures - don't you think?

Before the pictures - I did manage to leave the house today, twice in fact. One to go to a computer shop as my Dad broke my Epson printer today - Oh my lovely Epson printer - and so we had to take it to be fixed and then we went out after lunch to see my grandmother in her nursing home, she's a lot brighter, although she can't talk and she sleeps all day. She knew we were there but she didn't smile and just starred at us in a dull fashion. It's not really a memory I'd like to keep for her - but I had to see her.

So photos:

The cairngorm mountains in the background

Part of the ancient Caledonian Forset


The sun was so strong that day and the camera loved it!

This week and next week the BBC are doing Autumn Watch - the same as Spring Watch which was filmed at Fishleigh in Devon (where my Scots Pines are planted) This time they're in Lancanshire and Simon King is up on the Isle of Mull off the coast of Scotland covering the Red deer rut - very exciting - BELIEVE ME IT IS! I saw loads of Red deer in Scotland - actually they're a menace as they eat all the young pine saplings, but very beautiful all the same. Bill Odie is his same annoying self and Kate Humble is just great, I'd love her as my big sister!

Everyone have a great friday night,

Em xxx

Whoops I Wasn't Meant To Be Here

Out of force of habit, I suddenly clicked, clicked and clicked and found myself here 'creating a post' when I didn't want to come here at all tonight because I have NOTHING to report. Wow, that's a conversation killer. So I'll now drivel on about crap for the next few minutes or so - just to get your moneys worth. My cold is leaving me. That's the good news. But I haven't left my house in over a week and am starting to feel like a hibernating animal - a hedgehog would be good. Tomorrow I'm determined to face the real world, leave my house, in normal clothes - as in not black velvet trousers and old t shirts - on my detox diet. I have NO idea if I've lost anything - as my mother has hidden the scales because I kept jumping on to them every morning to see if there was any change and I haven't tried any of my clothes on, so I don't know. Plus I'm continuing this diet until I've lost all my weight, so the scales and me won't be seeing eachother until another 4 weeks. So, will this work? Will I keep my will power up and racing to the end? So many times I've jumped ship after a few weeks, crying out for FOOD and NICE THINGS TO EAT AND NICE THINGS TO DRINK LIKE WINE! Will I be victorious this time? Well, er, um, ah, maybe. It has been hard what with being ill and the 'curse' to get through and now back to normal living, what's harder? Perhaps normal living because when I was ill I could hide under the duvet, not do anything, not see anyone and sleep away my hunger - NOW I HAVE TO BE NORMAL AGAIN. Shit. Feck.

With all the recent things in the news - the killings of the armish children in the US, the constant suicide bombings in Iraq and even the Conservative party conference in Brighton - the weather changing, the winds picking up and the rain lashing down, I've been trying to write 'serious' poetry, trying to put my soul into a few words and instead of commenting on such and such, here's my offering in poetry form:

Earth not earth, trees dying
In the park they mark out
The course of root and flower
As if they had the whole
shooting match under control.
We may see another hour
one more Spring, an item
assumed by the authority.
We may presume the dawn
but still be sleeping when,
despite the regulation depth
and measured line, the golden
Host fails, at last, to shine.

Wow that was nice and depressing, that has made me feel a whole lot better!!!!! Not! Sorry guys, I actually think I'm depressed. O dear.

Cheerful comments please! (What? After that Emy Jane, you must be kidding!)

Emy x

I Will Be Back To Normal Soon - If I Was Ever Normal

Oh dear, Autumn is here - it's getting cold and the leaves are starting to turn. My cold is much better although I've given it to my folks, whoops.

Devon is planned for the beginning of next month as we're going to a private view on 31st, more about that when I get the details.

So I can't paint. Well, I can - on paper and in my small studio here - but over the last few days I've been so ill that it has been hard to even consider it. I feel so stiff and tired, it's not fair.

So, here's a short poem I composed in my drug infused mind the other day high on Beechams for my symptons, a homage to Spike Milligan:

Francis Bacon ate eggs
to strengthen his legs
Vincent Van Gogh ate
only potatoes
While Pablo Picasso ate
pickles and peas
and the paint that
splashed on his knees

If you can't paint it, write it - that's my motto.

E xxx

Well That's Good To Know ;)

You Are 35% Addicted to Blogthings

Okay, so you know how to take and post a Blogthing. But you're no addict. (Hey, this quiz *proves* it!) For you, Blogthings is more of a healthy habit. At least, that's what you tell yourself!

How Addicted To Blogthings Are You?

Chips

Yes, chips - the one and only thing good about the detox diet is that you are allowed chips. Well, chips without ketchup and mayo of course. And so tonight I've had my favourite dinner - oven baked/roasted vegetables and home-made chips - tasty! Maybe I had too many chips but then I am ill, got to have a treat sometimes. This was only going to be a 2 week detox but as I'm surviving so well - especially with a cold - I'm going to strive to do 6 weeks - introducing a little fish on the 5th week - as the book says - oh yes, the book! There's rules to this diet, like any diet and basically it's a vegan/wheat free diet for the first 4 weeks - and for once I'm loving it. I feel SO much better - my skin looks clearer and without this blasted cold I'm sure I'd be full of energy and already my clothes feel looser or is it loser? Sorry, spelling has never been my forte even though at the age of 8 I once got 98% for my spelling test - the best in the class and the highest score almost ever at that school at that age. What happened? God knows.

To all those who raise their eye- brows at me, noticing new things appearing in the side bars I'm really proud of my recent find (that sentence so didn't make sense) (nor did that one) the translation one I found is excellent especially for my friend Andy who is learning Spanish right now! The only argument I have with it is there is no dutch! Disgraceful. And as for the other kind of cluster map map it only seems to show a visiting American every single time - well the site I got it from was all in Spanish so maybe I did something wrong - so Andy when you're good at the old Spanish maybe you can translate it for me!

I've slept most of the day now and I'm going back to bed right now - I hate being ill, I'm at the stage where I've forgotten what it's like to feel well and am wondering if I'll EVER get better!

Help.

Emy xxx

Detox Day 5 & Have Cold

Hey folks, well it's the 5th day of detox and not only do I have a stinking cold - change of diet - but also my period is late due to, yes, change of diet, so my Mum said "oh that's alright you can have a cold, your period and lose weight at the same time" I think she meant well(!) So here's my situation I can't breathe, I'm stuffed up and I'm missing my paintings - my paintings you say? Yes, my Dad and I dropped off 6 paintings at the gallery in Barnes yesterday and there are blank spaces on the walls now. 3 of the paintings have been with me for 3 years and it's like losing part of you - my children - and if they sell I would be happy that they would be going to good homes.

Some of the paintings gone are three of these white framed beauties that we had done in Cornwall 3 years ago, 21 altogether, painted with a title of 'from Gwendra Wartha to Wenlock Edge' as we holidayed that year in Cornwall for a week and that first time in Old Mill Cottage in Worstershire, (where we went again this year in July)

One of the one's gone


And another

And one more

I've also joined artwanted and to click on me and read my comments left by fellow artists then click here emyjane and then click on one of the images of my paintings that come up. So far, so good.

Sneeze. Sorry.

I had a strange dream last night - as one does when one is ill - about my old school. I often have dreams where I wander through the corridors, or talk to my friends either in the English rooms or the hall where I would often play the piano on my free periods in 6th form. This time I dreamt about my English teacher Mrs Bradford who died a year after we all left and my friend Mary and I went to her funeral. Well, I was at her funeral again in my dream - nothing odd happened, it was the way I remembered it, but it got me thinking of the rumours that circulated afterwards regarding Mrs Bradford's husband and our RE teacher turned deputy head at one stage Miss Nazareth (of course you're born to be a RE teacher in a catholic school with a name like that!) and how they were meant to be having an affair. Well, rumours turned to be fact . They WERE having an affair and by 3 or so months after Mrs Bradford's death they were living together. Coming from a woman of Miss Nazareth's (by the way she was called Mary!) beliefs, where throughout her whole career as a teacher she lived with her ageing mother who eventually died giving her the light to move in with him! It was the most bizarre thing and something my friend's and I often talk about years afterwards. There's no real point in me telling you this, I just thought I'd share it with you.

A few funny things on the news recently:

Boy of three buys car on ebay
And not just any old car, a shocking pink Nissan Figaro, bought at £8999. Funny that, a boy of three can work ebay and my Mum can't even type an email.

Sharon stone showing more then she needed to
Come on Sharon you should know better!

You know I can't find anymore - I suddenly have a high temperature and am getting hot flushes. Sneeze. Sorry.

You Are 40% Hypochondriac

You can deal well with being sick - even if your symptoms are a little scary. You're occasionally prone to worry about your health, but only when you have pretty strange symptoms.

Are You a Hypochondriac?

Oh great, that makes me feel a whole lot better.

It feels like I have an onion up my nose.

Emy xxx the sick

P.S. My gran has made a full recovery - as she does everytime. You've got to hand it to her - she's one tough cookie.

Detox day 1, YES YET AGAIN, 13 Days To Go

It's a grey evening - the weathe man got it wrong he said it'll be sunny - the rain has been on and off all day and unfortunately 'on' when we were walking back from the train station, we got soaked, even in weather proofs, the drips were pouring down our backs. We had gone to see my grandmother in Kings hospital in Denmark Hill as she was very ill with a chest infection but it sounds more like pneumonia to me. A week ago she had a stroke, but the doctors didn't pick it up and sent her home too early only to be back a few days later. We're all in mind, my Mum, my Dad (her son) and myself that it would be better if she died as she has no life. She can't walk or eat by herself, she can't in fact do anything by herself, yet her mind was clear as a bell yet she couldn't get any words out. Now she can't talk at all and even though she did acknowledge us she fell asleep a few minutes later. She is the last surviving member of a big family, 2 brothers and 6 sisters, the last of the Pasmore's and as she's the youngest, the last member. The only other Pasmore in existence is her brother's son but he's gay and so cannot continue the line. I find that very sad.

And in the grey skies tonight flies a chinook, round and round it goes - not quite sure why. I can understand the RAF using the free, open, wild space in Devon but over the roof tops of South East London? God knows. Anyone got any suggestions? Training yes, but over my house?! Madness.

And the grey skies signify 2 weeks of detox diet. I'm determined to lose the weight this time. Fit into 'all' my clothes and not just the odd few and go to places my Mum has promised to take me when I'm thinner - as in Holland (are you reading this Uncle Peter?) Mum has promised me to take me around her childhood places so expect us sometime one day! So this is Detox Day 1 - and already I have the tell tell signs of a detox headache and slight hunger looney thoughts - which I won't go into just yet.

Ok a few links to finish off with:

Yesterday a 5 month old baby was mauled and killed by her family's 2 Rottweilers, who dragged her onto the roof of her family's pub. Now her grandfather's partner has been stabbed to death, but police are saying it's a seperate incident. Both dogs have been destroyed. Good!
Read story here.

Allergory free cat goes on sale for £2,500
American born, is it really a cat?

And The Daily Mail's resident cartoonist Mac on an interesting subject

I laughed so much it hurt.

Emy xxx

Forever Blue

Your Blog Should Be Blue

Your blog is a peaceful, calming force in the blogosphere. You tend to avoid conflict - you're more likely to share than rant. From your social causes to cute pet photos, your life is a (mostly) open book.

What Color Should Your Blog or Journal Be?

Docklands - The Three Towers

Hey everyone, well, here goes with a (large) set of photographs I've ALWAYS wanted to capture but didn't have a good enough camera, please tell me what you think:

The top view from Greenwich Park overlooking Queen Anne's House and the National Maritime Museum - one of the most romantic views in all of London.




















I'm one of these people who DON'T look at instruction manuals - I'd rather work it out for myself so I was so excited when I found a wide angle setting - Devon photographs will never be the same again.

Ok, black & white, but it was a little dark so I chested and enhanced it on photoshop - something I very rarely do these days.

You can also see the dreaded Dome from the park plus the old Greenwich power station

Plus Natwest tower and the Gherkin

The sunset & kites over the heath on the same evening

The death of the Conker trees




Every tree looks like this

Emy xxx

This Is Actually Kind Of Cool

Emily Jane Clark's Aliases

Your movie star name: Cake Thomas Your fashion designer name is Emily Holland Your socialite name is The Kid London Your fly girl / guy name is E Cla Your detective name is Cow Holy Trinity College Your barfly name is Muffin Wine Your soap opera name is Jane Ulundi Road Your rock star name is Refreshers Motorbike Your Star Wars name is Emitul Claand Your punk rock band name is The Happy Stapler

The Amazing Meganame Generator

I DO Like The Happy Stapler!

:0

I'm A Happy Bunny With A VERY Good Camera!

Hello everybody! Yes, I did survive my Birthday and I didn't get a silly hangover either as my Dad pushed the boat out with fine wines - just shows you, quality DOES count! I had a great day with lots of great presents including a beautiful digital camera, a Canon IXUS 800 IS 6 mega pixels - if anyone's interested and last night I took it for it's ultimate test - night time photography to shoot the Dockland towers from the heath and you know what - it aint bad!




You prob be thinking - what is she going on about? They're awful - well it was at night, as in no light at all in the sky (well, no natural light that is) and sometimes cameras don't know what they're taking - like my old Casio. But as the pixels are so good and the 4x zoom (up to 16) I think they're great and my Dad and I are going to Greenwich park tonight at 6:30 for the view of the park and London at Dusk - then I can REALLY test the camera's ability!

And earlier yesterday I went outside into the garden and took these! I'm well chuffed!

The day before this flower was intact - not now!

I'm going to send this image in to a card company to have it printed for Valentine's Day!

Smile for the camera!

Our famous Basil plant - it used to be two separate plants - an Organic one from Waitrose and a non-Organic one from Asda (big supermarket) and was in my Warden's flat in Canterbury. This summer we joined them together - and LOOK AT THEM!!!!! It has even started flowering!

Shadow on the kitchen floor - make a nice painting

I was sorry to hear about the crash involving Richard Hammond last night - the hamster - as I think he's a really good presenter and apart from the cars, he's the reason why I watch and enjoy Top Gear. He was trying to break the land speed record in a jet powered car and it skidded off the track and rolled over at 300mph speed. Amazingly enough he was still breathing when they cut him out - but he's still critical in hospital. I wish him well and send love to his family, his wife and two small children.

I hate these blasted 'Scheduled outages' that blogger pulls once in a while, plus the 'Could not connect to blogger.com' messages that come through when I've typed all I want to say. A small hint for those who encounter the same problem (and have already thought of it long before me) copy and paste what you've typed into word or text edit - least you wouldn't lose it!

I've been spying on the neighbours today - one lot have moved out who have been here for 10 years and another have just got here and unpacking the lorry. Looks like a young couple - wow, more screaming kids to come. This place is perfect for families - a private estate with no cars coming up and down and each quad has a green in front. Yet there are quite a lot of oldies here too - it's a nice mix. Full of mad people though - including us.

The weather is fantastic really hot for this time of year, but there is a sad sorrowfull sight happening all around us - the Horse chestnut trees have got this terrible disease, the same type in which the Elms perished in this country a few decades ago. The Oaks sre already dropping their acorns, but the Chestnuts are dying - as in the leaves are already dried red and falling, while the conkers haven't even dropped - still green, stuck on the twigs, wanting to drop. And I haven't seen just one tree going through this plight but several - even in Canterbury - every tree looks the same. Read about it here. For those off you living in America it's the same disease that wiped up your American Chestnut.

Ok, must go and make some early dinner as we're haeding to the park in an hour!

Lots of love,

Emy x