A Treat

Yesterday Dorothy and I went to Kew Gardens. I have not been for years and expected to enjoy it. But in addition we went to see the Chihuly exhibition and that was fabulous. Large coloured glass works of art all over the Gardens. There was also an exhibition in an art gallery which I did not like so much. I decided because the works looked better sited amongst greenery.

We also looked at the Marianne North paintings which need another visit. All in all a lovely day and the cream tarts in the Orangery Café were fantastic!!

I do not seem to have done much this week. Off to printmaking now. I have run into problems with the tablecloth I am weaving in Biederwand. Without paying any attention, I have created a draft which needs 5 or 7 lifted shafts and there are too many mistakes! So I am going to try reversing the draft and as the deadline for submission is rapidly approaching, I must do that soon.

Gallivanting

Friday and Saturday, Dorothy and I put the dogs into the dogsitter's and went off for the day. On Friday we went to Savill Gardens. Very good, immaculately kept. I wonder if the Queen goes round and says Weedy!! Because it is not weedy at all. The Rose Garden is past its best though a few were left. See below. They have two cafes - very nice

Afterwards we went to Hilliers Garden centre which is a mile or two away and had tea in their gorgeous café which looks out over fields. The garden centre is equally gorgeous but then Hilliers has been around for a very long time. My husband would not patronise anyone else  and he was always ordering raw and exotic conifers and maples. But we had a sizeable garden then. When we wnet in we said to each other, No buying plants. I should have known better. WE came home with a lovely hibiscus!!

We were less than  30 minutes drive from the dog sitters. So not so tiring as I expected.

On Saturday. back to the dog-sitter and then by train to London Victoria  and on foot to Buckingham Palace and the Queen's Gallery where they had an exhibition of da Vinci drawings. She owns 500 of his drawings and 200 of them  were on display. The big problem for me was that some of the drawings  were very faded and the light was very low (conservation). But all in all, a good day. I was interested in the modern buildings on Palace Road, very avant garde and I wished I had taken my camera.

On Sunday we had a restful day. I was worried as I have not done too much exhibition viewing since last November but I seem to have survived. And today, I must do a few tasks, like weaving. I have discovered that you can buy perfectly adequate picture frames from Ikea and have been framing some of my lino cuts. I  have bought several frames and have only one left to do. 

London for the Day

Dorothy and I have not done an exhibition in London since last August - due to me being ill. So yesterday (Saturday) we sallied forth to The Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition and enjoyed ourselves no end criticising. Lots of lovely etchings and prints. In years gone, they did not appear. And something else that did not appear - - architectural models and phots. I was so struck by that room that at the end, I returned to that room and did it again. Great fun.

We also looked at the Students Show. Ah well. I am still in the era of 1950. I did not understand or appreciate anything.

After several hours, we went to Waterstones which is just across the road. My idea was a manual on Photoshop CC and Lightroom as I have just bought a contract to these. I did look up amazon but there were so many books that I thought I would like to look inside. Hence Waterstones. Well It was a disgrace. All they had was Photoshop etc for Dummies. I mean. Waterstones!!!! So that failed and we went home very tired but I did survive which was Dorothy's worry.

And I took some photos with the Canon from the train. Battersea Power Station under re-construction for Apple.

Home again

We were supposed to return from Dorset on Saturday. On Thursday, it was torrential and the dogs were unenthusiastic about outside - so was I. On consideration of the weather forecast, we went home and got ever such a lot done - as is often the way when you get handed an unexpected spare day. And the week went well. This means I have accomplished a lot of deadlines. But I have not sorted out the Dorset photos yet though I have realised that the ones of Crofton beam engine are much better than I thought at first. But it will take be some hours to sort everything out. I have now got Lightroom but no user guide or manual.

I have also bought a very grand printer for printing photos. Fortunately WEX Video (the supplier) has presented me with £120 worth of high class paper to practice on the printer. I am looking forward to this.

And the attached photos are taken by the canal.

And I am getting somewhere with lino-cuts. I have put one (neatly framed) into an exhibition. Much encouragement from the tutor. I seem, without recognising it, got much more ambitious.

Bowlease Cove

Went to the coast and walked on the shingle, not very comfortable but the dogs loved being off lead. A few photos taken.

Crofton beam emgine

On Saturday, we set out in two cars, and removed ourselves with all the clobber that two humans and two dogs need for a week in a holiday cottage in Dorset. Dorothy took the dogs because I was stopping off at Crofton to view the beam engine there.  I took hundreds of photos. It was not a steam day so I must return on a steam day to see it all working.

More photography

Last Sunday I went to Vauxhall and took photos of skyscrapers and modern architecture. I have not got to the end of this topic yet and I intend to go into London Bridge station and work around there and later to take the boat up and down the Thames, photographing as I go.  So here are the results of  last Sunday.

Battersea Power Station from Vauxhall Bridge

I discovered later that this is the new US embassy

Next week (starting tomorrow) we are in Dorset and I intend to spend the week on the coast, rocks, shingle, the lot. WE are taking the dogs to a rented cottage. Should be interesting especially as the weather forecast says it is going to rain all week!!