Hey bloggers

Here I am with my new (old) baby. And it's coming on quite well thanks. Quite a few honks and squeaks here and there, just between friends. But, it has been some 20 years since I last picked up a sax. It is a warm gooey feeling all over again though. Even looking at it, all gold and sparkling in its soft and hard case, makes me bubble inside. Its about as old as me, but they say that good things come with age (don't they?)

It's been really funny reading some of the sax stories on the sax forum. Especially ones about people practising in their cupboards and wardrobes, because of the noise! I'm reading these seemingly perfectly normal conversation about whether someone should add some clothes, to mop up the sound! It's so very funny! What lengths the sax player will go to to play  Can't blame them I guess.

I'm lucky in that we are detatched. But, of course you can't play noisy things in Switzerland on a sunday, or indeed be noisy at all, or even leave washing out. All of those are against the rules in Switzerland!! And No joke! And of course all the shops are shut on a sunday. You can quite legitimately call the police if you neighbour has left out his washing on a sunday! And they do! Party-goers have been known to attend a noisy party, then ring the police when they leave!

But, on the plus side you are guaranteed a wonderfully peaceful sunday, with no mowing lawns or other annoying noises.

Anyway, I've been working on some commissions these last two weeks, so been a little busy. It's lovely to fit some sax time in though. And hubby is back from his adventurous travels, which is a huge relief.  Wonderful to know I steered the ship safely for those three weeks, and didn't hit any reefs, or do something very daft. I wouldn't want to ring any emergency service and try to conduct a conversation in french.

Anyway, popping over the England soon to visit family. Should be great, not to mention fattening myself up over there a bit. The food is getting to me here now. It's a job not to lose weight. I do love to try new food, but it is very dull and unvaried here. And of course you have the incessant problem of smoking in restaurants, with never a non-smoking choice. Rather off-putting really.

We've had a real turn in the weather lately, too. It's turned really autumnal. So I guess that beautiful sweaty summer is on the wane now  Time to put away all those lovely summer frocks and tops and bring out the long-sleeves I think. Still, I don't think I'll notice the grim weather this year, not whilst I have so many projects on the go. Autumn is always great painting weather for me, not too hot and sweaty to make real progress.

C U soon www.boundlessgallery.com and www.moorethanart.com

Cheep cheep cheep

I took this photo on our balcony when we lived in Neuchatel. Isn't he a cutie? But I was thinking how rarely I photograph birds. And the reason is, they are so difficult to capture. Not literally - but on film. Just as you've switched your camera on and framed the shot, they're gone! They are so quick! So, I did manage a half-decent photograph here, because I had an almost captive audience in this newly baked loaf of bread.

Anway, yesterday; I was just grabbing my bedsheet which had been drying in the garden, when something tiny fluttered from the fabric. It then kind of spluttered into our hedge. On closer inspection I realized I had startled a baby-teenage sparrow, which then kicked up a fierce squeaking. It was very cute. It had one of those splatted beaks - you know with that yellow-baby outline, that presumably disappears over time. I chatted to it for a while. Then left it in peace, to squeak to its mum or dad.

Then, Axle (our dog) came lolloping into the garden, wondering who I was talking to. He looked at me inquiringly. I told him I was talking to a baby bird. He walked right past the baby bird and didn't see it. Then he sat down and began rolling about in the sun. I watched the pair of them for a while. The bird sensibly decided to shut up squeaking. Then I left them to it, thinking what a great protector Axle would be for that baby bird. After a time the baby bird began squeaking again, but Axle was far too relaxed to pay any heed.

It's just it amazes me how relaxed the birds are with our dog. Somehow they know, it isn't a cat, or dangerous like a cat. In fact, they make a point of coming down to feed at the bird table when he's close by. Quite sweet really.

You can just see a couple of birds on our bird table, having a happy time with some bread. And there's Axle chewing his bone.

We have trained him to (reluctantly) chase a cat, if one's in the garden. But what's the point of having a dog, if you can't train him to deter a cat from eating a bird? I say reluctantly, because really he can't be bothered to run and chase it. He'd much rather lie on the grass and eat a doggy chew, or just generally lie, without any particular purpose! He does chase the odd cat, but looks at us as if to say: 'why?' But, since he's learnt he gets a treat out of it, he sometimes chases with the real gusto of a younger dog!

Scares the shit out of the cat though! There are a lot of cats here in the country. And they do act like they own the place (maybe they do) They stroll around, meeting other cats for chats. They sit in fields, watching grasshoppers, until they can be bothered to pounce. Then they (deliberately, I'm sure) wait until you are driving through, to dart across the road, when they know they could've waited. Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against cats. I mean most of us eat meat. But I'll never forget when I was a child, seeing a cat playing with a baby bird. Maybe, that's why I'm allergic to cats. In protest.

Well, no harm is ever done to the cat - but you should see the expression on its face - when it thinks it has the garden to prowl all to itself, because Axle isn't always in the garden! Sometimes, he likes to do the same thing in the house - i.e lie around inside.

It is quite handy that he's a laid-back dog though, because he still has this sports injury on his leg. I think he did it climbing a set of very steep steps. So, I'm calling it a 'sports-injury' because it sounds more impressive for Axle. It is getting better very slowly. So, I have to make sure he doesn't really play with his favourite ball. But it is difficult. Because every now and then, he runs into the garden and sits next to his favourite ball, looking at me fixedly.  

Axle has actually got one cat buddy. She lies in the grass, much like him, not bothering to run when  approached. He usually comes up and sniffs her nose. And she seems to like him doing that. She just sits there, and sniffs his giant nose in return. But she never budges an inch. Then we resume the doggy-walk. And I'm sure she's told her catty friends that he's not a chasing menace. Because none of the other cat neighbours can be bothered to run, when he appears either. Or maybe, cats are just a good judge of character. Perhaps you should take your cat on your date. See what he thinks.

www.moorethanart.com and www.boundlessgallery.com

Hello bloggers, are you sweaty??

My goodness, it's hot here in Fribourg, Switzerland. Puff, puff, pant, pant. Every day the thermometer keeps creeping up. It's making me scared! Yesterday it was 32 degrees! Will it go any higher?

Here's a little snow and ice from last winter, to cool your sweaty arm-pits! Don't worry, that snow will be back soon enough.

What has Boomoore been doing? Of course you want to know!

Well; Boomoore told me, (whispered in my ear) when I was driving my car. He said, he's seen a beautiful field of Swiss sunflowers, and could we stop and have a look? So, what could I do but oblige? But, no sooner had I stopped, than Boomoore was off, playing in the field of sunflowers! Studying the bees, trying to find the sunflower seeds! It was a job to find him! But, finally I did find him, in the tall sunflowers. Having a ride!

Boomoore rides a Swiss sunflower.

I think he thinks he's a real cowboy, riding that sunflower! He's so funny, isn't he? With his little cowboy hat?

I've been having fun, too. Doing a lovely new oil painting of a beautiful oriental lady. She's coming on very nicely now. Not finished yet though. I think she'll look lovely in the living-room. Might do a few Limited Edition prints, too. If she whispers in my ear! That would be Chinese whispers then

As you can see, there's a lot to be finished: like the hair and the flowers and the face. But, I've been working very hard on getting a beautifully soft skin-tone. Layering up those oil glazes. I've called her 'Essentially Female', because those colours and the feel of the woman, are so completely feminine. I've added a little lace, to bring more softness to the painting. Hope you like it. I'll show you her when she's completely finished.

I do apologize if my site still takes a while to download and still sounds a bit like churning cheese. I will be working on that problem over the next few months. It's a problem with having so many photos. I need to reduce the size of my photos. I'm trying to think of a joke there......but I can't seem to find one. I'll leave a gap --------- for you to make one then!

Anyway, did you enjoy celebrating Swiss day? All those flags flying and those fire-works banging for the first of August. Annoying weren't they  

Well, can't say I did a lot, except feel like an old grouch, complaining at the fire-works banging into the night, waking me up! Well, with my husband away on business, you tend to feel a bit of a 'billy-no-mates' when everyone is having a fun time, except you  

Anyway, the light is fading now. The grasshoppers are chirping sweetly and the birds are getting ready to tuck-into bed. So nighty-nighty.........

www.moorethanart.com  and www.boundlessgallery.com