Thursday 14 January 2016

Weather-wise Up, folks - Thursday, 14th January 2016 - it's getting colder out there !!!

Today it's been colder in our part  of Oxfordshire after  a really warm  start to 2016.

I think it's been colder elsewhere in the UK and we've all had more rain with some Counties having a very great deal of rain, with flooding as well as really awful flooding which I have to say I simply cannot imagine how terrible that has been for you and yours and I sincerely hope all of you are well and well, coping, with the fall-out.

I've just looked at BBC Look North (Yorkshire) programme on my iPad and the folk there are still having a terrible time of things.  At the PM's Question Time today Mr, Cameron was sending his deep sympathies to the people in the areas concerned. I do hope Mr. Cameron and his Government  manage to do more than just send their sympathy to all areas affected by this year's terrible flooding.

BBC Midlands was warning of colder and icy weather conditions to come tonight and beyond to the weekend ahead, where its still wet after recent rainfall.

Of course, its winter time when we anticipate bad weather, expecting conditions to worsen after Christmas.  Well, for some of us so far, its been a warmer start to the beginning of the year.  Much warmer too in the lead up  to Christmas which didn't help traders with their pre-Christmas sales.

Last autumn I took part in a Face Book featured quiz by somebody asking you to discover the weather in the year in which you were born.  Well, I was born in 1946 which hosted the worst winter weather conditions of the century.  Apparently, it began snowing on 23rd January and continued snowing until the end of February.  Then of course, flooding from all that fallen snow and subsequent ice happened,  bringing further misery to everyone. According to the online report of that year, the terrible weather conditions impacted very badly on rail travel and with most people travelling to work and elsewhere by train, life must have been really dreadful for everyone.  I don't remember anything about the weather, of course, even though I was born early on in the year.  And friends have told me of very hot summer weather too that year so obviously 1947 was a very difficult year for our weather.

Hey ho!  Good wishes to everybody coping with dreadful weather this year.  Let's hope Spring springs early this year!

My  family in Australia have told of bad to peculiar weather there too.  Perhaps its really time for all of us to become more savy about climate control measures, hey ?

Daisy xxx

Tuesday 12 January 2016

Joan Hammond Artist - Joan Hammond 1924 – 2006 Pastellist of International Renown - Tuesday 12th January 2016

Margaret Halstead shared her post.
45 mins
I love this work xxx
Pineapple by Joan Hammond - Artist http://joan-hammond.co.uk/

"
Joan Hammond 1924 – 2006
Pastellist of International Renown
Joan Hammond had been an artist since her childhood when she was encouraged by her elder brother, journalist and author Walter Robson. Her works are in private and public collections the world over. Her lifelong dedication to the production of work of outstanding merit and noted for her exceptional ability to capture the charm of childhood in a free and lively style.
She won a scholarship to the Hornsey School of Art, London, and took specialist courses at Brighton, and Canterbury Art Collages in the late 1930’s. Considered as a portrait painter of some note, she received commissions worldwide. She taught art and ran a successful gallery prior to settling in Wales, UK.
Exhibited in numerous galleries and stately homes, had work accepted by the Royal Institute and other prestigious venues throughout the UK.
Her home, at the foot of mountains of the Brecon Beacons National Park was within a landscape which inspired much of her later work. Watercolour, oil and acrylic paints alike, using techniques from light washes to heavy impasto, to fine brushwork or the palette knife all with equal freedom."
I thought all my friends would like to have a link to Joan Hammonds work and details xxx
JOAN-HAMMOND.CO.UK

Just follow the link to see more of this artist's work xxx


Hi there and Happy New Year to all my readers.   I thought you might like to see the artwork of Joan Hammond whose picture of poppies is shown above.  I simply love this work which somehow I've not connected to before.



Daisy xxx

ps When I've been totally work orientated....then interrupted by holidays I find it difficult to get going again ......do you know what I mean?  It's just one of those things hey!!!