I found an old notebook with my first ponderings for a dissertation about the sun. It would have included historic fiery circle representations and musings about sun worship. This was allegedly an inappropriate subject, as was everything else I was interested in.
After suffering horrible sunburn in Budleigh Salterton, the sun seemed less worthy of worship. I avoid the midday sun, which lasts all day now anyway. It’s still interesting as a ball of fire that keeps us all alive.
This tube of ink dried up years ago, but it’s still accessible from the bottom. I used a screwdriver to reach enough ink for a postcard or two. Outdated bank cards are very useful for spreading the ink around and softening the hard bits…
The linocut castle is a bit wonkier than intended. I’m almost pleased with the portcullis. There might be a watercolour sky and more clouds added later.
I was pleased with the knitting progress, until I noticed that I should have stopped a few rows ago to shape the neck part. Glad I had a thinner needle to put in to the row before undoing the stitches. Easy to undo everything back to that row, then the pink stitches can go back onto the 4mm needle to continue
It’s been forty years since I had a solo exhibition. At this rate I’ll be 103 when the next one starts. Maybe I’ll have finished some more drawings by then.
Venue: Pembroke Dock Library SA72 6DW. Open 10 a.m – 4 p.m on Monday, Wednesday and Friday; 10 a.m – 1 on Thursday; 10 a.m – 12.30 on Saturday. Exhibition is there until the last day of April 2026.
The white poppy has been a symbol of pacifism for decades. The Peace Pledge Union has promoted nonviolent alternatives to violence since 1934.
It’s a family friendly exhibition, with nothing to upset anyone. However, the pictures could be propaganda for a better environment. Viewers so far have been pleased with the light and shadows in the trees. Showing pictures of an ideal world is easier than nagging everyone to plant more trees to keep flooding at bay.
We’re in Aberystwyth, for a month of intensive Welsh grammar. There are verb patterns to remember. That’s quite straightforward, except there are some patterns that wander off in different directions. I’m reminded of School for Scoundrels, where it’s recommended to interrupt any knowledgeable but dull explanation with “Oh, but only in the south…”.
When you are a little girl with a big brother, you assume that they are some sort of adult. By the time you have become a teenager, they might refuse to be seen outside with you because you wear bright colours. You have access to more music and literature than your peers, though.
When you’re middle aged, after your parents have died, you might find some common ground. We both disliked phone calls, so there were text messages for the last few decades. Mostly these referred to the weather, with a lot of colourful descriptions of hospital appointments over the last couple of years. Allegedly, if you’re unable to get to a hospital two counties away at the crack of dawn, you’re not taking your illness seriously enough. When people are unable to walk very far, it’s unlikely that they could board a train. It’s also unlikely that any public transport system will deliver them to a distant hospital very early in the morning.
There must be thousands of people trying to take their ailments seriously, yet still being criticised by overworked receptionists. Maybe it’s a plot to make symptoms worse and speed up the patients’ deaths?
Observing my brother’s end of life experience brought to mind Roger McGough’s poem Let Me Die a Youngman’s Death. I might plant some more poisonous plants in the garden for future use, rather than waiting around for any indignity at the end.
This is the fastest protest sign I’ve ever made. It’s not particularly successful. Nobody will have changed their minds after seeing it.
We went to a place where a Reform group was meeting. They’re popular here because voters feel let down by other political parties. The people were mostly friendly on arrival, some were pleased to see protesters. Others were blatantly hostile and are clearly professional narrow minded bigots.
A couple of elections ago there was a chart showing the similarities between seemingly different types of voters. Everyone wants their children to have a better education than they had. Everyone hopes to be in good health, with access to relevant medical care if they become ill. Many people are suspicious of anyone who seems different. Reform fans claim they are not racist but they don’t like incomers. This is often said by people who have retired here from elsewhere.
We might have been in the wrong place. It could really have been an evening about eating more salads and stretching the muscles more often.
Test prints aren’t looking right, maybe they need some tweaking.
The colours are sunnier than shown, but these are dark days. Some things are easier to mend than others.
Linocut of some dancers, based on photos I took in Glastonbury. They will be printed in red and yellow for next midsummer.
berry daines 