AWOL

Remember this?

Moaning Minnie has become very big for her boots.

Whilst still very shy of people she has become a fearsome huntress.

She no longer moans continuously and we now call her Cathy,

pronounced 'Catty' here. Yes, I know. She has been content with her,

somewhat limited territory, comprising of the upstairs hall, bedroom

and veranda, up until now.

Last night, presumably by way of the adjacent breadfruit tree,

she went out,

only to reappear in the early hours just before dawn, when I recognised her commanding cries issuing from outside the front door.

She has become a 'catten', the feline equivalent of a teenager,

beguiling, belligerent and bossy.

While waiting for paint to dry,

Outside the studio window,

where bouganvilliae bloom,

the bass,

from distant speaker box,

has ceased its belly boom,

and now,

the smooth billed anis

does sing its' soulful cry

to calm and sooth and quell

the need

for curlews' lullaby.

liverpool anthem

Foul

Being creative
is, sometimes,
a soul searching
dive into the
unknown, and
in the words of

BLISS HILL
http://blisshill.blogspot.com/2007/08/day-in-studio.html
I find there is often a stage in my work, where I look at it and feel there are some major issues in there that possibly can't be resolved. But I know now to work on and get through to the other side,"

This is so true,
but, I wonder,
if she lives,
in the tropics,
where, in the midst
of our earnest
soul baring
searches,
mosquitoes and
house flies
bar our path
to 'the other side.'

Any distraction can topple us from the brink of the edge of knowing, the right stroke, the missing colour, the composition correction, just as you take a deep breath and dive, a house fly lands on your arm, a mosquito bites at your ankle or sings in your ear. All is lost.



But let us speak
of more serious matters.
Thanks to our cable
provider,
a misnomer
if ever there was one,
we were forced to watch
THE MATCH
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/21012008/58/premier-league-crouch-rescues-liverpool.html

on this.

Reading the countdown commentary,was not what we were looking forward to and lacked,
shall we say, atmosphere.
I know it was a draw and there was a home goal in there somewhere and how yer mean yer didn't know I was a Scouser, " yer wanna make sumthink of it or wa?"

...and to think I nearly didn't..............

Having been working so hard in Corn Buck and the house needing cleaning etc., and what with all the failed attempts I have made at posting images at Illustration Friday , (my shortcomings, not theirs) I almost didn't bother to do this, but, now, I am so glad that I did.
I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to penelope dullaghan and brianna privett at Illustration Friday and to snorkblog, without whose patient advice, none of this would have been possible.

Stitch

An abstract response this week to the Illustration Friday topic 'Stitch' ,

one of an aperture being held together.

Kakakakakakakakaka................

The three acres
of family land, known as
Corn Buck,
is where we
are working at the
moment.
These are today's
'before'

and 'after'
photographs.

We are clearing
the land.
We each have a cutlass.
It is hard work.


This was my
'before' area
today.







and 'after'

it is true,

T helped me.



Whilst the work is hard, creating callouses
and muscle,

(we refuse to use Gramoxone, (Paraquat)
as recommended by the ministry of agriculture,)

it is also rewarding and each day presents
new surprises.















































Such as the machine gun call of this
lizard cuckoo,
in the grapefruit tree, alerting me
to observe,
take a five
and delight in our island paradise.

.......two in the bush.

Having
endeavoured
to
photograph
these
two
birds
for
over
a
week
now







I
finally
succeed,

only
to
fail
at
identifying
them.

Finches
perhaps,
they
are
much
bigger

and more colourful, (with blue, green wings and russet and gold, and dark coloured heads, all caught in a moment as they don't stay still for long) than our bullfinches, enjoy each others' company and flit from the grasses to the trees.

Any
suggestions
please?
Perhaps Darrel at Green Withens Birding can help.

Monkey Business

A wild,

Mona Monkey,

the

most

recent

visitor

to

Annandale

Falls.

You Make My Day Award

The plans and
resolutions
for the
New Year,
including blogging,
art work
and fitness campaigns, that I so earnestly wanted to adhere to, have been somewhat thwarted by other realities, but my frustrations were instantly dissipated on receiving the above, from A Kite Rises. I sincerely hope that the delight that this gave me can be felt by my nominees, all of whom, 'Make My Day.'
In this spirit my awards go to;
A Kite Rises
Beholder's Eye
Colouring outside the lines
Cream
Green Withens Birding
Guyana-Gyal
La Gringa's Blogicito
Living Dominica
Merry go round
Passion for Painting

All of these people contribute, in different ways, to 'Making My Day', in their own and very special, unique way, with gratitude to A Kite Rises for giving me this opportunity to show my appreciation.