Well the most exciting event this week has been the birth of our second grandaughter, Beatrice Elizabeth. How lovely is that.

Painting - well I managed to mess up a watercolour I was doing, so have reprepared the background.  Hopefully at art this morning, I should be able to progress on that.

Christmas almost upon us, and tomorrow I will go off to Cowes to get that bird!

Not a huge amount happening.  I did another oil painting, which I didn't post last week as I wanted comments from the girls at the RVYC.  Well after speaking to them, it was suggested that I up the autumn colour a bit, so here it is...

Hope anyone looking at this, likes it.   I prefer it to the other autumn one I painted, but everyone else prefers the previous one!  No pleasing is there!

We were supposed to sail to Gosport this weekend, but due to the unsettled weather, the event has been cancelled.  Looks as though we will have to make our own entertainment then....

This weekend we went to Witney to see Daniel, Catherine and Alice.  I didn't go to art on Friday so missed the oil painting workshop, which I will have to catch up on this weekend.  It was a lovely weekend, although the weather was pretty awful and the traffic equally bad!  However, Alice is so cute and really growing quickly.  Catherine and Daniel were equally well.  Lots of events were packed into the weekend but I must confess to seeing Father Christmas (the real one!)

Well there you go old chap!  Make sure you bring the right stuff down the chimney....

We stayed in a lovely B & B - Gorselands Hall. 
Back here, and it's back to normal.  Perry is still working on installing the fridge in the boat - almost there.

Well again a rather uneventful week.  I finished the oil painting, but was very disappointed with it.  It just didn't turn out how I expected it to.

Very rough and ready.  However, I  have started another one, allbeit a little smaller, and when I go to our next workshop session hopefully I may achieve what I wanted.  Still the workshop is not over, so I have a bit of time on my side.

Perry is still working on putting the fridge in the boat, and reports look as though he may now be half way through the work.  Fingers crossed.

Definitely not a lot happening this week.  The oil painting workshop was not quite what I thought it was going to be, far more "expressive" than I normally paint.  Had a couple of days trying to get the first part of the painting sorted.  Not sure if I like it or not yet, still hopefully will get some sound advice on what to do next to it, when I attend the workshop on Friday.

Perry will be back from France tomorrow.  Bertie has been really fed up with just me.

Another week of not a lot happening. Weather has also been a bit naughty so when it's sunnywe take advantage and have a nice walk.  I've been carrying on with the oil sketching, but then it got a bit messy, so I'm giving it a rest for a few days.

Here are the oil sketches, but as you can see from the fourth one, it's all starting to look a bit messy.
  So, yesterday I started to move on to watercolour.  Working on flowers at the moment.

Quite fun, but still needs some work.
Perry has been working frantically on the boat and is now on the project of fitting the fridge.....
Bertie has been quite sprightly the last few days, so fingers crossed on that one. And I have been making soup and a couple of disastrous cakes!
On Friday I am on an oil painting workshop again, this time autumn colours - my favourite subject.

Not a lot been happening this week.  Went on a knife painting workshop which was brilliant.

Not the best photos, I know, but I was really pleased with them.
Went to Quarr Abbey, one of Berties favourite walks.
Have enjoyed carrying on with knife painting, and made some oil sketches.

Again photo pretty poor, but I am sure the gist is there.

Well some interesting things this week. Managed to paint lighthouse in watercolour

Could have been a bit better

Also thought I might have a go at the birds we've been trying to identify...

Little Egret

Saturday went to Yaverland... people having a lovely time

but if you turn to your right - what a sight. Isn't that fantastic?

Went sailing to Yarmouth on Sunday. Goggy start. Red Funnel ferry managed to turn left too early ending up on the mud off the esplanade. However, to do this it managed to crash into a number of boats and sink one of them....

Red Funnel ferry being towed off the mud

Yes, that is a mast.....

Fog slowly cleared as we went down to Yarmouth

Fog clearing as we left Cowes

Had a roast lunch in the Wheatsheaf followed by a walk

Bertie having a good time in the woods

Then back to East Cowes in the afternoon

Square rigger caught us up, but he was under engine!

Wednesday went to meet up for lunch with Daniel, Catherine and Alice.  Traffic is awful on the mainland.  Had a lovely time, they were all looking well, and Alice is growing so quickly and is such a happy little girl.  Managed to get an earlier ferry home, thank goodness.

leaving the mainland

arriving in East Cowes

Should have posted yesterday, but... oops, forgot.  Interesting week weather wise.  Last Saturday was a very windy day but bright, so we went to the south side of the island for a bit of picture taking.

quite a dramtic sea

Perry having a go at taking pictures

look at that for a dramatic sky

sky and sea spray

moved on to Freshwater, but so did everyone else! The noise of the sea crashing on the beach was deafening.

Sunday obviously it rained! Finished the oil painting course today, lighthouse picture posted last week, but I did a watercolour version of the same view.

Not quite so interesting as the oil version.

  I've been carrying on messing with my oil pastels, but I am beginning to get bored with them as progress is slow! However, last day of oil painting workshop Lee suggested I paint my new lighthouse in a completely different style.  Felt less comfortable with this, but at least I did it.

supposed to be the lighthouse in the narrows between Fort William and Oban

Should be meeting Daniel, Catherine and Alice sometime next week on the mainland, and Friday I will be attending an knife painting workshop.  Hopefully should be good. Must get on and prepare a couple of canvases......

OK. We're off again.  Weather has been good, but this evening it has finally broken and it is pouring!  Sailed to Yarmouth on Sunday and took advantage of the harbour's short stay deal.  Lovely and sunny.

Bertie as usual is enthusiastic about yet another sail!

At Yarmouth mill - look at that reflection!

Whimbrels.....

As the weather was still good on Monday we went to try and find Thorness Bay.  Unsuccessful, so ended up in Newtown.

Newtown - from the shore side

Wednesday, Berte and I went to Whippingham.  Long walk, thought he would be exhausted.  Gave him a drink, and then sat down to do sketching.  No such luck, he then proceeded to wrap his lead totally around the bench I was on, causing total chaos!  Thanks Bertie.

Whippingham - still it was a nice view.....

Today I finally managed to finish my oil painting of lighthouse.  Just about OK.  But at least it's a start to painting again.

Oil painting - Needles lighthouse.

I have been practicing with my oil pastels and have started to produce something not just a scribble.  I will keep working at that in the hope it all gets me inspired to paint again.

Back on! Bit of a problem uploading photos, so if this post just ends up dialogue - well so be it....went to Bucklers Hard, Beaulieu last weekend.  Absolutely great.  Weather was good, mooring was good, and company with Dick and Judith, very good.  Judith cooked on their boat, and we all ate it on our boat!  Lovely.  Weather was so good that on Sunday we had a long walk to Beaulieu - best Bertie has managed for ages.

This was the marker hit by Red Funnel in fog on Thursday!

Man up a mast - not for the feint hearted

Judith cuddling Nelson

Birds standing on the sand - and this was before we had got out of the Beaulieu river!

Sort of lighthouse at entrance or exit, to Beaulieu river

Think this is better

Have been attending an oil painting workshop.  Should have finished first painting on Thursday, so hopefully will post it.

Looks like Alice is climbing the stairs at quite a rapid rate!  That'll mean Catherine and Daniel will have to have eyes at the back of their heads.... oh to be a parent to a young infant.....

My goodness.  I can't believe I haven't posted anything since February.  I think I had better do a quick update.  Well I went to the States in March to see Belinda for a few weeks.  Lots of fun.  Felt like it was only yesterday that I last saw her not 20 years!

May/June  went sailing to the west country.  Although the weather was mixed during the time we were away, it was a good time.  We have agreed we will try and go a little further next year.  After that we went to France for 10 weeks. That was the period when it was incredibly hot, so we just took the van to the coast.   No painting this time.  I felt I just couldn't do watercolour in that heat, and also didn't feel over enthusiastic about painting inland with Colours of Brittany.

Actually I have done virtually no painting for absolutely ages not.  Just haven't felt motivated.  However, tomorrow I will be attending an oil painting workshop, so fingers crossed it will get me restarted. 

Looks as though I will have to make a note in my diary to make sure I update the blog on a regular basis!  Hopefully this weekend we will be sailing over to the mainland to meet Catherine, Daniel and Alice.

OK ages again since last posted. I have been painting, although the results have not been too successful, hence why I am not putting them on the blog.  Attended a watercolour/mixed media course.  Was pretty good, but I definitely need some practice on that one.  Have also been attending course on painting animals in the landscape - in oil.  The course has been ok, but my results so far have not been too good.  I have just started another one in the hope that I can actually produce something that's reasonable.

Had a viewing of the boat, but comment was that it is too small!  Perry is in France at the moment checking La Pelouiniere, should also have had a visit, but client didn't turn up.  Also someone wanted to see it, but gave wrong phone number...... c'est la vie.

Weather has been absolutely awful.  Huge amount of rain, but in addition it has also been cold even freezing sometimes.

Birthday month is now over, but it was pretty good.  Everyone should celebrate the month, not the day, makes it far more interesting.  I think I'd better call this month Valentine's day month... not sure I will get away with that.

Well that's it, I will work really hard at trying to do some decent paintings that I am not too ashamed to put on the blog.  Bertie is fine, although pretty fed up about the weather.  We had a long walk round Carisbrooke Castle on Wednesday and Fishbourne to the other side of Quarr Abbey and back, yesterday.   So today he's having a rest.  Good idea.

Gosh I really have been bad in keeping this up to date!  Back is still not sorted.  Appears either to be torn muscle of ligament/tendon.  Getting used to the pain - which fortunately has subsided quite a lot, but it is still there.  Enough of the moaning.  Well not really, weather has been absolutely awful.  Went over to mainland to have lunch with Daniel, Catherine and Alice - which was lovely, but weather was still awful!  Even the ferry crossing was rough..... Not managing to get any sailing in, but have managed to get in some painting.

my attempt at Highland cattle - think I might have another go later

wreck of a barn

Have joined a painting group at the Priory, Carisbrooke.  Only been a few times, lovely venue.  Hope to be a bit more proactive than I have been of late.

As I write this the rain is crashing down, don't even think we'll be able to manage a dog walk until much later on in the day.  Bertie is taking advantage of this bad weather by resting firmly on the sofa.  We have been asked by the Royal Victoria Yacht Club to give a talk on our attempt to sail round Britain.  Well that will give us something to do over the next few months!