In the morning looking out my window, I was greeted by an unusual sight, sheep in the courtyard! I guess it would be very frustrating to have a garden here as the sheep kind of wander where they like, especially if their gate is left open. The owners of Cote Howe B+B told me it was hard to protect the garden and they try to put fencing around it.
This morning I was leaving Rydal Water, I was sad to say good-bye. I went out behind the B+B to wait for my friend Gary to come, it was chilly and damp. I climbed up on top of a big wooden gate with huge stone posts and did a balancing act as I swung my legs to the other side. The stone wall is fascinating in itself to study, notice the huge cap stone at the end on the left…I don’t know how deep it goes into the ground, but I’m sure it goes down a few feet at least. This is how the stones were set for Stonehenge and the other stone circles around England and Ireland. The big stone here is used as the post, the wall being built up against it and also gates can be hung on it. The wall has a niche in it, I forget what the owner told me it was for? Does anyone know?
Above you can see some beautiful forms of fungus’s and moss. It seems anything that wasn’t moving in England this fall, was covered with mosses! I’ll try to identify these later from my field guides, if anyone has some good identification, leave me a comment please!
There were sheep in the field, an occasional hiker and just a beautiful view looking towards Rydal Water and the path I took yesterday for my hike. I sat on a gate and sketched the sheep and path view, the bunny is from when I was standing by the garden and saw him there. I sat so quietly sketching that the sheep came right up under me, when I spoke to her, she was very surprised to see me! That’s the neat thing about sketching in nature, you sit so quietly engrossed that wildlife will come around you.Below you can see my original page, this is what I did as I sat on the fence, I painted it in while looking at the photos on my computer screen, using my tiny Altoids watercolor kit and just one waterbrush. You can see my tiny color tests in the spiral area of the paper.
I just love the way you do your sketchbook. The way you have drawing, then add color, and have some notes written on them as well. That just really appeals to me.
I also like your Altoids watercolor tin. What do you use for the little bins that hold the actual paint?
I laughed when I read about the sheep in the courtyard! We have sheep, too, and have a terrible time with our gardens. We never know when we look out our windows what we will see in the yard – sheep, horses (our own or the neighbours), goats or pigs!
Thanks for sharing your lovely sketches of England. That is a place I would love to go some day.
Hi Willow,
Thanks a lot for the compliments, I always mean to be neater when I do my writing in my field sketchbook, but then, I’m usually walking on rocks, or trudging through snow or something! I had thought ahead of time it would look nice to paint lightly over and around the words, I DO think it got a bit messy like I said. (But my back and neck really was hurting!!)
I have some other posts about my Altoids kit, if you look in the label list you can bring them up. I took apart an old watercolor pan set…just used them set in with Blue Tack. (I use blue tack for everything!) I was using this kit at home even though I didn’t need to because I want to always practice colors for when I’m out in the field.
Keep in touch, great to hear from you!
Mary
Whoops! The comment I made about it being messy and my back hurting was for the other post I just did about Rydal! Sorry Willow for the confusion! But I guess each post shows words on the page and painting around them like you pointed out.
Thanks!
Mary
Hi Mary,
Yes, I brought up all your Altoids labeled posts, and it just really intrigues me how you have experimented and tried things and come up with this method that works for you. I am always experimenting with things too, and finding ways to make things work that cost little or no money. You are an inspiration!
I can understand completely about the neck and back pain. The pain is so draining , and really saps a person’s creativity. I hope your neck and back have tamed down, are not hurting you now.
My best to you, Willow
Hi Julie,
I’m glad your enjoying the England posts..I still have so many to do..then there’s Ireland (I went directly after England!).
I used to have goats, and the only thing that kept them off the fences and pushing their way out was an electric fence…they were so rough on things and very tricky!
I have nice pics of the sheep from my trip and would like to do some paintings…one of these days!
Hi Willow,
I have always loved inventing things, for the studio or building stuff. I have some creative ideas I’m working on now, who knows what’ll happen!?
Thanks for asking about my back, YES, it is awful to have back pain! Mine comes because I have scoliosis, so it’s aggravated by too much bending, lifting, you know things you need to do all the time?! I find keeping active is the best thing for it. I really mean it in posts when I say I try to figure out ways to make my backpack lighter because I can’t handle too much weight.
I’m going to take some advil today and do work at the table. oh yes…and then the hot bath!
I’d love to hear more about where you live, I noticed pics of water. Must be wonderful. Email me anytime. mary@marymcandrew.com
Mary
Found your site when googling field watercolor sets…
The photo you took of the “fungus” is technically lichen. I believe it’s a variety of pixie cup in the foreground, and a few others (including some mosses) in the shot as well. Lichens are a symbiotic relationship between fungus and algae, and grow in a variety of growth forms. You can find out more at: http://www.perspective.com/nature/fungi/lichens.html. There’s a nice field guide called “Lichens of the North Woods,” which includes 111 MN species (but some of these species can be found all over the world). Enjoy! And happy painting.
Thank you so much for the great link and information! Someday I want to take a class about mushrooms, funguses and lichens…so much to learn isn’t there? I’ve seen and photographed some of the British Soldiers Cap, those are cool. Is the book you mentioned for the U.S.? I’ve looked at my post again and noticed the videos are gone! I posted these in 2008, I’ll have to go fix that!