September

September is an emotive time of year especially for those involved with schools all their lives like me. It has always associated with new beginnings for me, even more than January. Seeing the school children making their way for the new term this morning made me think of new books and sharp pencils and new resolutions for the term ahead.
I conveniently forget the weeks of planning, sorting, ordering stock, relining pinboards for displays and staff-meetings and records, records, records to read and start to fill in.
In the 'old' days I also enjoyed starting the new class register with its red zig-zags and blue 'O' s. I always joked that I only wanted to be a teacher so I could keep a register. I used to make my own from my dad's spare football pool coupons - something else only fellow uk readers of my generation will know (Do they have them any more?). Now the register is computerised and far less romantic.
When I was a school-girl myself, I loved walking to school on September mornings when there was a morning dew.The cobwebs on the front garden shrubs would be magically transformed to diamond necklaces and the air would be scented with chrysanthemums and damp leaves. There was often a early morning chill with the promise of warm sunshine. The leaves would be starting to turn and the pavements were often slippery with berries and ripe fruits shed from overhanging trees. As I generally walked to school by myself I was able to keep in touch with my nature-loving self - not too cool for a young teenager if in the company of her classmates.
This is my second September since retiring - I was looking forward to a glorious Sepember last year, but it did nothing but rain and was gloomy most of the time, so may be this year will be glorious. The leaves seem to be turning early and the blustery weather is putting paid to the apples. They are being blown down before we can pick them and then they get bruised and won't keep.
I found the quote from Alexander Theroux on the internet, and although it does not quite match my sentiments voiced above - there is that whistful feel of summer's done.

Thanks sis

My sister sent me this shopper she has made using one of my favourite photographs I took whilst visiting her on the Isle of White. She is extremely talented with her sewing machine and I am sure she should sell things she has made. The trouble is she is not very into selling herself and you do have to have a certain mindset to market yourself. Still I thought this was well worth showing off, I hope you think so too. She has some fabric that you can put into your printer and print directly rather than make a transfer.

Here is the original photograph from my flickr page.

Can you have too many watering cans?

Here is my collection of watering cans. In fact I have found another one since I did this drawing.  The classic family along the bottom are for decoration only as they are either too heavy or a big wonky, but most of the others are in use.  However I still manage to fail in watering my plants. The idea is to keep a can near a plant but of course I am supposed to use them.  The plants that I do manage to water are my orchids that sit on the kitchen window sill. Watering them is easy as is usually means delaying using the sink!

Corn cockle : Agrostemma githago

This little flower is growing in my garden. I sowed a cheap packet of mixed annuals and this was the only corn cockle to grow. I believe that once these grew wild in our corn fields, but the extensive use of herbicides put paid to them. They don't appear in all of my wild flower books, but as far as I can tell they are a native species. The flowers only seem to open in full sun, so several times I went out in the garden to photograph one, and none were open, but a sunny afternoon paid off. I cannot remember where I first saw one of these, but I instantly recognised it even though one hasn't grown in my garden for many years. The name has a real country feel and I would love to know its origin. I haven't done much research I must admit. I was pleased with the photograph which I took with the standard lens, hand held. As it was sunny I was able to have a fast shutter speed and small aperture which gave this lovely shallow depth of field making the flower really stand out against the background. I have been trying to record the flowers from my garden in water colour and want to try this, but I have a feeling I shall have to work quickly as I am sure it will close quickly if picked. I shall definitely be saving some seed for next year.

In a pickle

We have had a really good crop of onions and shallots this year so Tod has been busy making pickles. In fact some of the shallots are too big to get in a jar, but hopefully we have enough to see us through the season and have some for Christmas gifts. My contribution to this process is printing out the labels and making a few critical tastings. They need to be in the vinegar for at least three months before the flavour has developed. He has also made several jars of pickled beetroot. I thought I'd record the process with photography and made this collage using picasa - there is something very attractive about the amber colour of the onions sitting in the vinegar.

Other things in my life

Now I am coming to the end of my second Open College of the Arts course I am thinking whether I want to start another one straight away. I feel I have gained a grounding in photography and perhaps can make my own way for a while. I also want to explore my other creative skills. The internet via flickr and blogs are a constant source of inspiration so at the moment I have many avenues to explore. I have started to keep an "Art Journal" which is really a sketch book-come-art diary, but with more completed works than a sketch book alone. There seem to be thousand of Art Journal keepers across the net. I have found it a great way to be able to experiment with ideas and by doing it in various books I am not left with umpteen pieces of art work to store. Also with a freestanding piece of work there is the question of whether it is worthy of framing and hanging whereas that never arises when it is in a book. Often in a journal the artwork is combined with words. some people use theirs as a diary to record their lives, others as a means of expressions. So I shall see, I haven't got to decide about OCA yet - just follow the flow.

Final Portfolio - Autumn

This group is probably my weakest as I did not go out enough last autumn and take seasonal photographa as I was concentrating on my other assignment - so this selection does not fit quite as well, but unless I wait another 4 months to finish this course, these will have to do!

Rather cliched autumn scene

Rather like this little thatched summerhouse in th local park

Sunset from the Clappers - managed to find one suitable shot from my collection that linked in with the other seasons.