Snowdrop Hall

Today the weather was pleasant enough for me to take to my bike for a spin today, first 20km plus one in a while.

I wanted to go and see if the snowdrop display at Kelham Hall was out yet - as you can see below, it was! - and just get some miles into my legs. The sun was already going in when I set out at 12, but as I headed into town I got a brief glimpse of something fluttering overhead, a black butterfy-flutterly shape that I'm guessing was probably a hardy red admiral.

Something else black I noticed was by the bypass roundabout, where in a little rubbish strewn dell next to this insanely busy junction, was a tent where someone had decided to live rough in a black tent. The milk and orange juice outside the tent flap was a nice homely touch, I thought.

And I thought there were only rough sleepers off the cycle path.

Kelham Hall was indeed white with little flowers, although it seems to be not as amazing as it was three or so years ago. Lots of other folk were out looking too, and amazingly there were campers and caravanners on site. Still a little chill for that, I would have said.

From there I cycled through Little Carllon and Bathley, quiet posh villages, on quiet roads, before heading over to North Muskham to have a look. Here I was delighted to see a beautiful drake goldeneye swimming about with a fleet of tufted duck.

They really are handsome!

Then, back into town for cafe stop and tea, as lots of folk on expensive Bianchi and Colnago racers flew past me!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCRackeredNature 19.02.17

Sketching in the Wild

So, today was the day I decided to have a crack with the pencils and sketchpad I bought for my birthday, and took myself off into the wilds to draw at North Muskham Lake.

OK, it's not really terribly wild at all, but I cycled there the long way round through Little Carlton and Bathley, before riding past all the Sunday horse riders across to the village itself. I was a bit overdressed on the bright day, and enjoyed getting shed of my jacket and gloves when I arrived at the lake.

Resisting the temptation to do any cliche holding pencils up to my eye routines, I set up on the little boardwalk in the reedbed at one corner of the lake - if I say they were reeds (and horsetails too) now you won't have to struggle to identify them from the drawing.

I can't draw at all, although with my shaky hands, I draw better than I paint. Clumsy clumsy clumsy. I thought the best thing was to go at at quick like an impressionistic sketch, like the lady in the 70s Flake advert.

This also meant I didn't have to make much of an effort with the trees and water, which I also find impossible.

I sent the results to my sister, who did however say they were acceptable and as a proper artisdt,  she'd know.

That's the only reason you are seeing it now!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 23.10.16