11/31 - Barking at the moon ...

I'm back from my travels and thought I would share some images out of my very personal journal, not usually for sharing but carefully cropped it won't do any harm! It's Fudge the dog again ... It has bi polar tendancies, you never know what you are dealing with!

10/31 - Studio time!

I have decided that it's time to go back to painting on canvas. I've not done one for many, many, months now and have a wonderful picture to work on which I will be doing over the next few weeks. I have spent the day creating a 'studio' in a quiet corner of the house and ready to go... slight drawback in that I'm away most of the week. I promise to keep drawing/sketching daily but will have to post them when i get back!

Brothers in arms ...

I had to admit defeat and start again with a slightly different pose. I had overworked the previous one and there was no going back! I think this one flows better, what do you think?

9/31 - It's up in the morning and on the downs ...

Its poppy time in Lincoln! We have hundreds in the garden and they are all over the fields and the hedgerows. They are not up to their full capacity yet but the colour they put into the landscape is awesome!

8/31 - Come sail your ships around me ...

This is Ullswater in the Cumbrian Lake District, the brown sails are a tradition around those parts - you should read Arthur Ransomes 'Swallows and Amazons' if you ever go there, it brings the book to life.

7/31 - Work in progress ...

I'm still working on this commission. I've some work to do on bringing in some depth. This is my second attampt at this, the first one was in pencil but it became smudgy. Sometimes it's better to stop and start again, I'll keep at this one for a little while longer.

6/31 - You went looking for me, dear ...

That Stephenie Meyer and her 'Twilight' books ... I'm a real advocate for reading and stuff but someone told Sarah they were a ripping good read. I've not really held a proper conversation with her since. She was sat outside next to the river in Scotland, at a wonderful patio set made out of reclaimed wood - something you would just love to have in your garden. It seemed to grow out of the ground ...

5/31 - Through the woods, and frosted moors ...

While in Scotland we walked for miles in the mountains and forests. We came to this place where the trees thinned out and I took this photograph looking directly up... there is nothing in the world which grounds you more than standing underneath a bloody big tree! If you have a bad day, go find the biggest tree, look at it and feel small and insignificant for ten minutes. You can spend a fortune getting the same result from a psychologist! :-)

4/31 - No time to draw ...

... so I drew time instead! William's watch, which is always on the side in the bathroom or on the table or elsewhere. Never on his wrist. I've not had a watch for years and get by somehow. I hate being late for anything and would rather turn up early and wait. I find it less stressful.

3/31 - I can't stand the rain ...

Fudge the Terrier, who knows no fear, can challenge the biggest dog, relentlessly pursue anything that is faster than she, won't go out of the door if it's raining... She got up this morning, I opened the door and she sat there, looking at me and the rain and went back to bed. I'm 6ft 4in, I look stupid dragging this carnivorous, rat catching, rabbit chasing, hound from hell out for a walk, she spent the morning looking out of the window - shame on her!

2/31 Burn, baby, burn ...

Just got back from the first ( and maybe the last) BBQ of the season! Kids enjoyed the bouncy castle, wife enjoyed chatting and the one glass of wine, I say one glass, the host kept topping it up. She's now asleep on the sofa. I was the nominated driver, have you ever had barbeque food without beer? Really doesn't work at all. I've done all my jobs today so tomorrow I can start on a canvas, Wey hey!

1/31 - You can't give me the dreams that are mine anyway

So here we are. I am starting my 'Every day in May' challenge. I'm happy to share the journey with you and I'm going to use the opportunity to work through the backlog of work I have and share a bit about me. There will be work that I have to do, work I should do and (the best bit) work I really want to do - which sometimes is way down on the list of priorities! I'm not telling you which is which...

I'm starting this by excluding many of you, my apologies!, a piccie of Jim Royle from the TV series The Royle Family. I could be Jim, the series is based in my home town, Manchester. I know lots of Jims, life goes on around him, he has his seat in front of the TV and is fully conversant with the ways of the world, and happy to share his opinion on them, he's a spectator. That bit scares me, I could be too! Hence the challenge... time to get out there and be bold. Stay with me and share this journey - could get bumpy!!

Every day in May

I must have a screw missing ... Like i'm not busy enough as it is!

I blame Karen Blados, I asked Karen how she finds the time to post material as often as she does and she posts a link to a fabulous site French Toast Girl (Elena Nazzaro)
Here's how it works:
Commit to create something every day in the month of May. 31 separate paintings, or take 31 photos, make collages, or write a page of your novel every day.

Yes I am a busy person, but sometimes not busy doing the things I love to do, so a little self indulgence from me...

And I will walk 500 miles...

... and I will walk 500 more... Just got back from Scotland. A week in a fabulous place (Thank you Hannah and David). 30 feet from the river Leny, window open at night and all you can hear is the water over the rocks, slept like a log but up early for a pee (only so much sound of water can the bladder take). Walked for miles in the forests and mountains, William at the back discovering 'stuff' so it took twice as long as planned. Happy days :-)

I have a dream ...

My son Dan and his partner Will were not aware of the risk involved in falling asleep on my sofa. Stay there too long and you get sketched! We had a great weekend - the best of times!