52 Week Challenge - week by week through 2013

[PyreneesPlot]

Cleared and cleaned the covered terrace.
Tougher than it sounds as not only as it full of muddy and cobwebby welly boots, gardening boots, bbq, charcoal table and chairs and general carp it also has the bed where our kitty used to sleep. We cleared out the kitty kennel on the day he was killed by a car but somehow the day bed had been ignored.
All done now - ready for the spiders to move back in!

[mothhawk]

Had my breakfast outside this morning - in a coat - it was cold. Well, it was four a.m. Saw seven shooting stars in ten minutes. The first one was the best, a long three second blaze across the western sky. The others were swift streaks. Love to see the Perseids. And in November the Leonids.
Challenge completed

[veggiechicken]

Week 33 Challenge completed!!
It wasn't the GH for a change, but to help a Grape, JeanieD, to adopt a puppy from an Animal Sanctuary in West Wales - the same place as my 3 dogs have come from (dreadfully bad grammar, I do apologise)
Jean drove to my house, then I took her to the Sanctuary where we met lots of dogs and the chosen puppy. then back to my house for the night. First time there have been 4 dogs on the premises but the pup was so timid she didn't want to socialise. Off went the the pup and her new Mummy the next day and they are doing well.
It was lovely to meet them both and I'm sure they are the perfect match. Here's a photo of the pup - excuse her eyes - they are really quite beautiful

[Hazel at the Hill]

Week 33 Challenge

Draw a Picture

Here ya go...



So that's my week 33 Challen.... no? Just kidding you!

Now this week's Challenge is a bit of an odd one - given that we spent about 3 years of our first 6 doing nothing other than drawing pictures, I bet, like me, the last time you drew anything was - er - when you were six.

Except if you are my big sister Helen, of course, who not only has drawn pictures since that age, but also charges good money for doing so.

We did so many drawings at that age not just to do all that tedious learning about coordination and as a precursor to writing, but also because we enjoyed it - drawing was fun!

So why do so few of us do it now? Because we think we are no good at it? Is it talent, or is it practice? Talent, undoubtedly plays a large part in producing a pleasing pic, but lets see what a little bit of practise can do - and lets see if it's as much fun now as when I was at primary school.

My first efforts did not bode well - although partly this was my choice of subject. Domino cat was rubbish as a life model - staying sphinx-like for about 2 minutes before wandering off. Oliver cat less of a fidget, but black cats are like black blobs to my untrained eye.



I went for some still life instead, and think I have a fairly recognisable trug, and passble beetroot and garlic, even if the courgettes on the left look like sausages.



So this evening I had a crack at emulating a print of Louis Degas 'Bird with a Bare Bum' which I have hanging in the bedroom. Actually, I'm not altogether sure that's what the original is called, but it's my house - my name.



And here's my go.



What have we learned? That drawing takes concentration - you have to immerse yourself in it. This makes it very therapeutic - mindless hobbies where you can daydream (e.g. winter digging on the plot) are restful in their own way, but hobbies that you have to give your full attention to (e.g. riding) mean that for that time, you can't worry about any cares or the stresses of life.

Oh - and that Helen's pretty safe from competition...

So that's my week 33 Challenge - done!

[Hazel at the Hill]

It wasn't the GH for a change, but to help a Grape, JeanieD, to adopt a puppy from an Animal Sanctuary in West Wales - the same place as my 3 dogs have come from (dreadfully bad grammar, I do apologise)

That's a great Challenge, VC! Well done - and what a cutie!

[Tripmeup]

Excellent picture Hazel, you have some talent for it alright....


[QUOTE=Hazel at the Hill;1161291]Draw a Picture

What have we learned? That drawing takes concentration - you have to immerse yourself in it. This makes it very therapeutic - mindless hobbies where you can daydream (e.g. winter digging on the plot) are restful in their own way, but hobbies that you have to give your full attention to (e.g. riding) mean that for that time, you can't worry about any cares or the stresses of life.
E]

Not sure about your example; had to do a double take

[Hazel at the Hill]

Excellent picture Hazel, you have some talent for it alright....

Draw a Picture

What have we learned? That drawing takes concentration - you have to immerse yourself in it. This makes it very therapeutic - mindless hobbies where you can daydream (e.g. winter digging on the plot) are restful in their own way, but hobbies that you have to give your full attention to (e.g. riding) mean that for that time, you can't worry about any cares or the stresses of life.

Not sure about your example; had to do a double take

Could've been clearer there, I guess!

It's true though - go horse riding with less than 100% concentration and you will soon find that you are not horse riding any longer...

[veggiechicken]

Week 34 - 19th - 24th August

Where are some of our regulars? Come back please - I promise not to shout

[Hazel at the Hill]

Come back please - I promise not to shout

I might - where are you, you slackers!

[Tripmeup]

Apologies.. I have missed a few weeks, sorry Miss VC
This week I want to put my Jalapeño peppers to good use, so I have promised herself and the kids( minus the peppers) I will make a nacho cheese plate...
Not the most difficult I know but we need fun one too

[PyreneesPlot]

Cleaned the windows. Yup, had to happen. Now lashing with rain ...

[Sheneval]

VC - Sorry for delay

Weeks 31 & 32 - enjoying 2 weeks holiday in Norfolk Broads completed

[Sheneval]

Week 33 - have been busy preparing for the Allotment show yesterday and my challenge was to enter my veg in the show for the first time - I got 2 x 2nds & 2x 3rds.

However my daughter did much better getting 18 places which included 3x1sts in Veg, 1x1st in Floral Display and 3x1sts in Homecraft and my grandsons got 3x1sts, 2x2nds & 1x3rd in the children's Animals from Veg. and Floral display.

[veggiechicken]

Congrats Shen and welcome back from your hols!! We missed you - its been quiet

[Sheneval]

VC - was rarely on last week and was so busy with the allotment had no time for the computer - I'll try and not take holidays at this time of the year in future - was a real rush getting veg ready for the show and even worse broccoli and cauliflower which were really beautiful before I left had seeded and spoiled on my return and sweetcorn whilst doing really well is just a few weeks short of being ready - ah well such is life and next year is another day or something like that