31 March 2009

Preparation of stretchers




















Before I go any further, I would just like to say,
to any misdirected web surfer, that this is not
a 'how to' site, but you can find all the very
useful and correct information if you visit
Sue Vesely , which I did this morning,
after embarking on my own, personal,
canvass stretching adventure.

Having bought 2, 12' lengths of, finished, 1"x2"
wild pine, from the local builders yard, and then
setting T to work with his power saw, cutting
the 45' exactly measured angles. (I know this
because I bought a protractor specially,
once I remembered what it was called, and then
spent an interminable amount of time
marking them out. I did suggest he may
want to use a table and a vice but he seemed quite
happy and confident working bent over the old
breadfruit tree root in the yard)
My initial mistake became apparent,
having sanded down the now cut up lengths,
nothing what so ever to do with the precision
cutting of the power saw operator, or the fact
that one of the lengths of wood was thicker than
the other, oh no, the problem apparently lay
with the angles.
Undeterred, and spurred on by brute force
and determination, the industrial stapler and I
joined forces until, give or take a gap or two,
the wild pine was tamed into something vaguely
rectangular.
I now turned my attention to the fact that I did
not have any edging, not having studied
Sue Vesely's excellent site until my return
from the builder's yard.



















Cutting off the pelmet of one of the bamboo blinds
seemed to me to be the best, free and immediate
course of action and, I have to say, the little strips
seemed to work admirably, all things considered,
although wood glue would, most probably, have
been more efficient than the PVA School glue that
I found in my tool box.



















Spurred on by this success, and having finally
located the canvass, (yes, safely put away in a
black plastic bag, which is where we put things
if we don't want them to get damp or eaten, and
I only had to open four bags before I got to the
canvass and I did find that lovely fabric that I
bought last year, anyway, I digress,) and having
searched endlessly for my scissors before recalling
that my father-in-law had borrowed them to
trim the clumpy fur from his poodle, I was
delighted to discover that the kitchen scissors,
performed wonderfully well, and the end result?




















All primed and ready for action.

29 March 2009

Slightly more than '25 Things About Me'

YingYang at Blah Bloh Blog, is responsible for this post, having 'called my name' in the '25 Things About Me' meme. Hers is a hard list to follow, for, somehow, she has compiled some heart wrenching, soul baring truths with rib tickling humour, acute observations and a delightfully spontaneous 'joie de vivre'. So here is my evasive response, ( see the quiz results below) but one that I hope everyone can have some fun with and , perhaps, glean a little about themselves that they did not know already. (Surprisingly accurate, yes, I have always aspired to be a tight rope walking astrologer although, surely, my hygiene is more than passable.)
In this spirit, I invite Guanaguanare , Guyana Gyal, Minerva and Deb to share their '25 things'.








Your Life Path Number is 5



Your purpose in life is to life freely and collect experiences.



You love life - new adventures, new people, new ideas.

You are very curious, and you crave novelty in all forms.

You tend to make friends easily, and you enjoy the company of all types of people.



In love, you are fun and even a bit intoxicating. But you won't stick around for long.



You are impulsive and spontaneous - which sometimes leads you to do things you regret.

Sometimes you can be overindulgent with food, sex, or drugs.

You have many talents, so many that you are often scattered and unfocused.







You Are An INFP



The Idealist



You are a creative person with a great imagination. You enjoy living in your own inner world.

Open minded and accepting, you strive for harmony in your important relationships.

It takes a long time for people to get to know you. You are hesitant to let people get close to you.

But once you care for someone, you do everything you can to help them grow and develop.



In love, you tend to have high (and often unrealistic) standards.

You are very sensitive. You tend to have intense feelings.



At work, you need to do something that expresses your personal values.

You would make an excellent writer, psychologist, or artist.



How you see yourself: Unselfish, empathetic, and spiritual



When other people don't get you, they see you as: Unrealistic, naive, and weak

What's Your Personality Type?




Your Spiritual Number is Seven



You bring knowledge and wisdom into people's lives.

You are an expert in many fields, and you give excellent advice.



Right now, your life is about perfecting your skill set.

You are almost a virtuoso at the thing you love best. With some practice, you'll get there.



You are highly intelligent and intellectual. You have profound analytical skills.

But you also have the soul of an artist. You long to create.




You Are an Astrologer



You tend to be a fanciful, spiritual person with many interesting theories.

You are always trying to figure out how all the pieces of the world are connected.



You have a knack for predicting the future and reading people.

In modern times, you would make a good self help guru or a director of a non profit.




You Should Walk the Tightrope



Any subject you study, you aim to master. You enjoy being the best.

When you're good at something, you like to show off your skills.



You're the type of person who would practice years to walk the tightrope.

And you'd love the glory you'd get from walking it in front of a crowd.




You Should Live in the Country



You are laid back, calm, and good at entertaining yourself.

You don't need an expensive big city to keep you busy.

You'll take the peaceful life over the stressful life any day of the week.




Your Blogging Type Is Thoughtful and Considerate



You're a well liked, though underrated, blogger.

You have a heart of gold and are likely to blog for a cause.

You're a peaceful blogger - no drama for you!

A good listener and friend, you tend to leave thoughtful comments for others.




You Are a Dreaming Soul



Your vivid imagination takes you away from this world

So much so that you tend to live in your head most of the time.

You have great dreams and ambitions that could be the envy of all...

But for you, following through with your dreams is a bit difficult.



You are charming, endearing, and people tend to love you.

Forgiving and tolerant, you see the world through rose colored glasses.

Underneath it all, you are brimming with passion that you keep hidden.

Always hopeful, you tend to expect positive outcomes in your life.



Souls you are most compatible with: Newborn Soul, Prophet Soul, and Traveler Soul




Your Home Says That You Feel Settled and Calm



You come across as somewhat intellectual. You can be quite insightful at times.



Your hygiene is passable, but you may be hiding some dirty secrets.



You are a very domestic person. You enjoy decorating, cooking, and making things homey.



You are a very nurturing person. You find meaning in taking care of others.



You feel settled in your life. You have enough time to focus on little details.



You are not a very self sufficient person. You depend on others more than you realize.



Your friends see you as courageous, dynamic, and bright.





28 March 2009

Earth Hour

VOTE EARTH


TURN OFF YOUR LIGHTS FOR THE PLANETS SAKE!

On Saturday 28 March 2009 at 8.30 pm, we want a billion
people across the
world to turn off their lights for an hour - for WWF¹s
Earth Hour.

Homes, businesses and iconic landmarks in more than 1,000
cities will go
dark, sending a truly dramatic message to world leaders -
simply by turning
their lights off.


Please forward this to as many people as possible. Time is
ticking away and
a lot needs to change!

26 March 2009

Meditation



















Beneath the shade of the mahogany tree
she washes turmeric, in cool river water,
simultaneously cleansing her muddled mind.

23 March 2009

Coconut Beach Restaurant and Bar


































It is true, Grenada is blessed with an abundance
of wonderful places to eat out, meet and make friends,
and sample delicious local and international cuisine.















But, if you want to sit with your feet in the white sand
of Grand Anse beach and enjoy a glass of your favourite
drink, whilst being serenaded by lapping susurrating surf,
as you watch for the green flash after the sun slips into the
Caribbean Sea, then there is only one place , in my opinion,
to go.



















Coconut Beach, French Creole Restaurant and Bar,
Grand Anse, St. George's, is where you will have the
chance to choose from the mouthwatering menu or
simply sip a glass or two as we did, meet our good
friends Curtis and Chester and ,( not that she will
thank me for this fun but unflattering photo,) the
irrepressible, delightful owner, our good friend,
Mrs Pat Henry McIntyre.

19 March 2009

Grenada Arts Council

The Grenada Arts Council, following the success of their Annual Open
Exhibition, decided to hold a juried show. News of this welcome
event arrived at short notice. I was trying to force a three painting
series, as stipulated in the rules,which resulted in a lot frustration,
an errant muse and a headache. Then I remembered these small
illustrations that I have been working on, with a view to submitting
them for use in the tourist, hospitality and agricultural sectors.
Nothing ventured etc.



















Cocoa pods and beans drying on the galvanise
Acrylic on canvass 8"x8" Sold




















Nutmeg tree Acrylic on Canvass 8"x8
Sold




















'Saffron' (turmeric) Flower, stem and tubers
Acrylic on canvass 8"x8"
Sold

The show runs until the end of the month in the old Bain's sports shop in Young Street in St George's, where you will be able to see, and have the opportunity to purchase, an eclectic delight of work by local artists.

7 March 2009

Buenos Dias Mi Amigos

Muchas, muchas gracias y todos los amigos de Colombia, Los Rollos Bogota, el Bingo Santander, Manitee, Pedro el Leon! y todos los amigos, dispénseme, no recuerdo todos, pero, muchas gracias y todos por un dia perfecto.
I was helping my mother in law in the bar at the waterfalls today, and these lovely gentlemen from Colombia, who are here in Grenada helping to upgrade the electricity supply, came and spent some time with us.

5 March 2009

Closer













Felled nutmeg tree trunk detail.
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