Well I should really have posted last week because I've ended up with quite a few bits and pieces.  Let's hope I manage to transfer the pictures ok.

The club painting was (two Tuesdays ago) at Carisbrooke.

Some people didn't want to part with their money to enter the castle, so inside there was only a relatively small group.

On the following Friday as the weather was going to be fine, I suggested to our winter group that we could paint at Osborne.  Mike agreed.  Nice walk down to the beach and I had about an hour on my own, which meant I had to concentrate! Just after 11.00 Mike and Pam turned up. It really was quite relaxing.

The following Tuesday the club met at Freshwater.  It was incredibly hot and although I managed to have a very paddle in the sea for a few minutes, I was concerned about overheating! Mike and I stayed for an hour and then went over the road for a coffee - in the shade! Above picture is all I could manage. 

People were swimming in the sea, but I think quite a few were going to get very sunburnt!

This last Friday as the good weather was going to continue, I suggested we have another session out, this time at Newtown.  Mike agreed. 

Doesn't it look absolutely lovely.  Mike had had a stresssful couple of days and unfortunately forgot to bring his paper for painting!  Not to worry, I had spare.

Here's my effort.

I also managed to do a gouache painting from the course I've been trying to follow.

There were two subjects, but I made a total mess of the other one.  I even tried doing it again, but still no success.

I've broken my rule of not buying any art materials.  I've finished another sketch book and had to order more.

Some of my paintings were in the Happy Foot shop in East Cowes, but it had to close for Covid, and the owner is not in a position to reopen.  It has taken me nearly a year to get my pictures back, and I finally got them yesterday!

I managed to swim three times last week. Some bits were better than others. I'm hoping to do three sessions this coming week.

Went to vet with Muffin and his heart murmur is slightly worse - hence why he's sleeping all the time.  Must keep an eye on him  The hot weather hasn't helped.

Perry was 79 yesterday.  Had a nice lunch, but didn't do anything extraorindary. He's gone cycling this morning, which as far as priorities is concerned, is pretty important.

Our awning for the boat still hasn't been finished! Starting to get a bit fed up about it.  We are hoping it will be finished this week.

Temperature is now dropping off a little, and that means we are back to normal.

 We have had a couple of really really hot days.  Trouble is because we are not used to it, it is very fatiguing.  Still no awning for the boat.  Perhaps next week, and then we can go off again for a little break.

I have been wrestling with oil paints and did three of hay bales.  Final one looked a bit better

Definitely an improvement on the other two.  But still work in progress.  Working on a scene from Fort Victoria now.  I managed the sky really well, but the rest was a total disaster.  Now on version two.

I'm up to 112 sketches outside.  However, some of them are a bit rubbishy.

Still swimming twice a week, although I do find it really hard.

Fracture clinic on Wednesday.  Either more steroid injection, operation or live with the pain. I chose the latter.  It's not so bad now.

I'll see what art I  can manage today.  I must admit I have little bursts and then do nothing. Not good.

 Again weather up and down.  I managed to go swimming twice last week.  The awning for the boat is still not finished and we are reluctant to go away again until it is finished.  Fingers crossed for next week.

I finished my 100 plein air challenge and I think I will continue until I have done six months (hopefully).  That will take me until the end of September.

I finished (finally) a watercolour painting.

I have just found out that inserting images has changed again! Oh well.  Anyway, I did manage to frame it as well.  Also I put together the framed pictures ready for our exhibition in September.

I'll see if I can manage to put this on my website.  Perhaps that'll be the challenge for today!

Back to the fracture clinic on Wednesday for yet another check on my wrist. The rest of the week will again just be messing about.

 Weather very up and down again.  I've been keeping up with my 100 day plein air painting/sketching challenge, and am now on day 98.  Nearly there.  Some of the paintings/sketches as been pretty awful, but some just about ok.  However, it has been good to make the effort to get out everyday and do something.  Not sure what to do when it's complete, perhaps just carry on to complete six months.

I've also just started to continue with a large watercolour painting that I started about 4 months ago!  It does require concentration and I've been a bit short of that lately.  Hopefully it will be complete in the next couple of days if I go slowly and carefully.

The disaster of the week was that I was scammed yesterday.  What a state of hopelessness you feel in.  I got it sorted with the bank, thankfully, but it really does leave an awful feeling of having been violated!

It's raining pretty hard at the moment, so I'm going to try and do a bit more of my watercolour painting.

 It's been a very busy and catch-up week, so unfortunately I haven't got round to sorting the photos out yet.

I've been continuing my plein air and am now on day 90.  Not sure what I will do when I get to the target of 100, might just carry on until I get to 6 months daily paint.

We've just about finished tidying up the boat so it's now ready for our next sortie, which hopefully will be soon.

I'm sorting pictures ready for our exhition in September.  Got out the pictures which will be used for making cards (a job to visit printer, perhaps next week) and I need to buy some frames. At least I've started on that project.

Also been working on some refresher watercolour techniques, which has been good fun.

 Latest update.  Following the very wet week in May we had a couple of  really nice days during which we started to get the boat ready for our holiday.  Dogs had to get their hair cut, me too, get in enough dog supplies.  etc. etc. Well off we went.  First night in Yarmouth. Very nice then off the next day at quite a civilised time, crossing Weyouth Bay to Portland.  Weather still ok, just, but starting to get a bit cold in the evenings as the wind was coming from the North.  Five days in Portland then off crossing Lyme Bay to Dartmouth.  Again a sensible departure time.  The boys started to get a bit fed up after about 8 hours, and we still have two to go.

Arrived in Dartmouth and took advantage of their visitors long stay deal.  Then it really started to get cold - and so it continued for the next fortnight, with the odd warm afternoon.  Quite windy as well.  Decided not to press on further as we were not sure how Muffin would get on once we weren't attached to a pontoon.

After two weeks, found a decent weather window and went back across Lyme Bay.  Had just over a week in Portland.  Again very cold in the evenings, and warm afternoons.  Met up with Dick and Judith for a couple of days.  Then another good weather window and we headed off to Lymington.  Had a really good trip.  Ended up staying a week in Lymington, and the weather just about started to perk up a bit, even though the evenings were still a bit cool.

Next step, Bucklers Hard where we spend three nights.  Finally the weather was good.  Had a lovely time and the return journey was great.  Since then the weather has been warm.  We are going to stay at home for a couple of weeks a we've got things to do, and then after the election, hopefully go off out again.  Maybe days out, maybe a bit longer.  Who knows.

I've managed to sketch every day.  As I am trying a 100 day plein air sketching challenge, I have had motivation to get out and do something.  Although some, in fact, quite a lot, of the sketches are pretty rubbishy.  However, I am now on number 82.  Will update the blog, hopefully, next week with some photos and paintings.

 Last week we met at Mottistone for our plein  air session.  Cold and damp as usual.  This week, which in fact is our final winter plein air meeting, we met at Newtown Creek.  Surprise, surprise, it was cold and damp.
I sat with Mike, and after an hour we went to the old town hall where we had agreed to have coffee and cake,  Unfortunately the others carried on painting, and we had to get back.  However, we did eat a lot of cake.  Next week will be outdoor painting with the IWAC.  Not sure how much I will do because we are hoping to get away on the boat.  Unfortunately, Muffin has had a couple of episodes where he collapsed (over excitement), so we will have to be quite careful of what we do.

I did managed to complete the whole of PleinAirPril.  I did do all the pictures in guoache.  Not my favourite medium, but I have learnt a lot.  I am now continuing the challenge into the "100" daily paintings.  They don't all have to be completed outside - thank goodness! Anyway, so far so good.  I will continue with gouache for the time being as I feel I have made some progress, but once we are away I will work with watercolour.

I did manage to finish an oil sketch, in the style I have been trying to develop.  Still a lot of work is needed in this form, but I did feel as though I had finally got something.

As a small group we have managed to secure an exhibition at the end of October for two weeks, at the Priory. I am happy to steward all the six days, because I can use the time to pretend I am on a painting retreat, and just paint.

Weather has been much warmer and sunnier, but still getting overcast days and rain.  We are hoping to get away this coming weekend, but we willl just have to see weatherwise.  However, we are gradually getting the boat ready.

Blog will only continue if I can get a good WiFi signal.