Simon's Blog

Playing with My Crayons….

Posted on August 19, 2022 by Guthlac

Stranger danger? Not sure but I’ve been making painting. It was fun.

Posted in Apple Pencil, Art, Digital Painting, Procreate | Tagged Apple Pencil, Digital Painting, Procreate | Leave a comment

With the heat wave still waving away for another day or so it has given me a bit of time to make a couple of drawings – actually little more than sketches but that doesn’t matter, I’ve picked up a real pencil and made some marks on a piece of paper. Whatever marks I make today hopefully tomorrow things will just get a bit better. It has been nearly a year since I tried to do this so I am bound to be a bit rusty. Also my tastes have changed so who knows how things will progress?

Posted in Art, drawing | Tagged drawing, Paper, pencil drawing, portraiture, sketches | Leave a comment

So we are in a Drought…..

Posted on August 13, 2022 by Guthlac

And the heatwave continues and now we officially are in a drought. As I write this the temperature is, according to my watch, 31 degrees C outside but thankfully there is a wonderful breeze blowing in from the north which has made all the difference.

We have started to change our lifestyle to adopt to the heat. We get up at dawn, currently around 5:30 and get some work done before breakfast. I usually go out for a walk in the early morning and I have to say it is very very refreshing. However, the ground is rock hard and the drainage ponds have all dried up.

This is just not normal or should I say this wasn’t normal but I suspect that boat has well and truly sailed. Now we must start to adapt our lives to this new normal and all the time our so called leaders are bickering about, oh I don’t know what any more. What is clear is that they are giving next to no attention to the ever increasing effects of global warming.

To end on a positive (?) note there was a beautiful harvest moon this morning – so I guess that is something 🙂

Posted in Photography, Summer | Tagged Dawn, Drought, Everards Meadows, Global Warming, Summer | Leave a comment

Hot Days are Here Again…

Posted on August 9, 2022 by Guthlac

Here we go again! The summer heat is back. I was reading in the paper this morning that apparently Global Warming isn’t happening and even if it is we will develop technologies to overcome the problems – so what problem? This is being argued by the same people that said that technology will fix the Irish border problem after Brexit. Not sure how well that is working out at the moment.

In truth, we will find solutions to problems that is what the human race does but wouldn’t it be better not to have the problem in the first place? Also what about the many millions of people that live in areas of the earth where, because of global warming, can’t live there anymore? What will they do? I suspect they will find a solution to their problem by moving to where they can live, again something that humans have done since, well, there were humans. And how does ‘technology’ fix whole ecosystems that we depend on for our food? And and and…We may not like it but the earth’s climate is changing and we are contributing to that change so we either start to do something now, even though it is expensive, or later when will be much much more expensive. BTW that later isn’t as late as some might think.

Posted in Photography, Summer | Tagged Beacon Hill, climate change, Dawn, Global Warming, Heat, Mist, Ratcliffe on Soar power station, River Soar, Summer | Leave a comment

Walk in the Park…

Posted on August 7, 2022 by Guthlac

It is a while since I went for a walk around Abbey Park, Leicester. Last time was just before Christmas and I seem to recall a bit colder than today. Most of the birds have had their broods for the year and they appear to be taking stock before once more preparing to endure another winter. Talking of endurance the park itself has seen better days. The first time I walked around the park was in the 1970’s and there is a rundown feel about the place that was hanging in the air back then. So much for the benefits of Brexit…too political? I think not.

Posted in Brexit Britain, Photography, Summer | Tagged Abbey Park, Brexit Britain, Canada Goose, City of Leicester, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Lesser Black Back Gull, Mallard Ducks | Leave a comment

Embrace Your Inner Pork…

Posted on August 3, 2022 by Guthlac

Well I’ve started to draw again, not an electronic drawing, but just draw, graphite on paper. In 8 months I hadn’t touched a real pencil nor pen then just last week I felt the urge to once more embrace the real world. Where will this take me?

Posted in Art, drawing | Tagged drawing, Gunter, Sing | Leave a comment

The Last Month of Summer….

Posted on August 2, 2022 by Guthlac

I know I was bemoaning July in my last post but then I found a few more images from the month that changed my mind a little.

But time and tides wait for no man so Geoffrey Chaucer would have us believe, I’m sure there is someone somewhere that might suggest that this is fake news but such is life, and August is here once more but by the end of the month the flavours smells of autumn will be once more scent the air.

Posted in Jubilee Park, Photography, Summer | Tagged Butterfly, Calke Abbey, Collared Dove, Flowers, garden, Hoverfly, Jubilee Park, River Soar, Summer, Tree, Wood Pigeon | Leave a comment

Messed Up Month….

Posted on July 31, 2022 by Guthlac

July started with some vigour but as it progressed I found my powers of concentration evaporating just as the heat grew and grew. What is left is a husk of what should have been a good month for photography. For me it wasn’t. Hope springs eternal and with August almost upon us I hope things start to change. I’m not entirely sure they will.

Posted in Gardens, Photography, Summer | Tagged Ants, Flowers, garden, Summer | Leave a comment

Summer Sun…

Posted on July 9, 2022 by Guthlac

It has been a couple of lovely summer days: bright warm sun and a welcoming cool breeze. What could be better? Not much but as always real life has an awful way of putting a damper on things. Last year it was covid this year the cost of living. The results are much the same – staying close to home.

So I enjoyed myself in the local botanical gardens and then sitting on my favourite seat in the garden. There are far worse ways to spend the long summer day.

Posted in Gardens, Photography, Summer | Tagged Bee, Blackbird, Courtship, Greenfinch, Juvenile, Koi Carp, Robin, University of Leicester Botanic Garden, Woodpigeon | 1 Comment

The Last Boris ? …

Posted on July 7, 2022 by Guthlac

Is this the last time this person who is utterly unfit for high office will grace the posts of this small and insignificant blog? Somehow I doubt it. Just in case it is here are a few from the past. Enjoy?