Oh, It Has Been Too Long.

I had almost given up on writing here, my initial creative spark had fizzled out and I have not been on any adventures in these cold winter months so felt there was nothing really worth writing or sharing. But now this is all about to change as I have signed up and am starting two FutureLearn Online Courses. They have some really interesting courses from universities all over the world, and they're free, bonus! I think everyone should go and have a look.  https://www.futurelearn.com

The first course I signed up for Our Hungry Planet: Agriculture, People and Food Security (from the University of Reading) lasts six weeks and looks at how the food we grow, eat, buy and throw away relates to the global issue of food security.

The second, from the Open University which starts next week, called: Introduction to Ecosystems. This one is basically what it says on the tin, a look at the natural world and how the 'web of life' works, it is also a six week course.

I'm really looking forward to starting these courses and seeing how my opinion changes as I learn

Doctor Who and Peter Capaldi

I don't really want to do a review or anything like that, had enough of critiquing with the OU. And I'm not a weird fan girl, in fact those fandoms usually annoy me. Women bitching about companions and how pretty the Doctor is, OK, OK I admit Matt Smith and David Tennant are pretty, but that's not what Dr Who is about.

I loved Doctor Who when Doctor Who was really not cool. At home, my fridge and my bedroom would be filled with pictures of Daleks and Tardis(es) hmm, what is the plural of Tardis? From pictures I had tried to draw to newspaper cuttings. I had toy daleks rather than the latest doll. I had a big fat pen with Doctor Who written on it that my Dad bought me, it had a chain thing and that was my sonic screwdriver for years and years. I actually got it when my Dad took me to see Jon Pertwee in Doctor Who the Musical back in the late 80s, I cried all night because we didn't meet him afterwards. I wanted to be Sarah Jane Smith and Ace (I even named my hamster Ace), I was even in the fan club! This was in the mid 80's and my seven year old self was a Doctor Who geek. It helped me later in primary school too, I remember amazing my year 6 teacher who told me I was too thick to do anything in my life by telling him that "the circumference of a circle by its diameter equals the Greek letter pi", I knew this because it's a line Tegan used to the Master in the Five Doctors.

I've watched every single episode of the 'new' Doctor Who, I loved Peter Eccleston and the energy he brought to the role and the amazing new stories being written for the show. I loved David Tennant, I didn't even mind the Rose thing too much, even though I knew it shouldn't be happening. Thanks to Deb I've even seen David Tennant live in Straford in my favourite play (Richard II), I think he is one of the best actors on the planet at the moment. I just found it sad that his Doctor started to turn into some kind of Messiah. And Matt Smith, maybe I did turn into a bit of a fan girl (tiny, tiny bit) with him, I first saw him a few years before in 'Ruby in the Smoke', I had to warch the credits to find out who that yummy bloke was. I've seen most of his t.v stuff since then. OK he was not the best Doctor, I don't blame him, he had rubbish stories and was a little  too slapstick at times, but I loved River Song.

And now we're onto the Twelfth Doctor, Peter Capaldi (I first saw him in Dangerous Liaisons in the late 90s when I was going through a Glenn Close is an amazing actress phase, and loving everything Sunset Boulevard). After six episodes I can already say that he, is the best Doctor of all time, despite the naff story lines he has had so far. My favourite Doctor was always Jon Pertwee, and Peter Capaldi reminds me of that Doctor, but he (Peter) is just so much better. I've noticed that there has been a lot of robots in this series of Doctor Who, I wonder if that is because of how wonderful the word 'Robot' sounds when Capaldi says it in his Scottish accent adding around five or so more r's to the word.
I loved Capaldi as Malcolm Tucker. I LOVE 'The Thick of It'. (Was also a nice surprise when Chris Addison who plays Oliver Reeder made an appearance on Doctor Who).

He can sing:

and was the lead singer in a Punk band, back in the day: 

He is great at swearing:

He looks great as a woman (dammit) he looks better than I do:

                                      

He is an incredible artist to see here and here for example, he also knows his stuff about art too:

And now, think I've babbled on enough today so, as Malcolm Tucker would say.

Witley Court

I am slacking at doing this blog, I feel very uninspired at the moment so not really done much lately. This week we went to Witley Court in Worcestershire, it's very peaceful and beautiful there. I didn't really take many pictures as I was just enjoying the countryside, I liked the area more than the house. I liked the way the sunlight hit the building though.

There was one little building I did fall in love with there, it looks so Romantic, I love how this photograph shows the fields in the background.

And no trip to Witley would be complete without getting a shot of the fountain.

And lastly I found a fairy tale mushroom.

So yea, I highly recommend Witley Court, it's around 45 minute drive from Birmingham, it's not vegan friendly though, so if you want to visit the tea rooms as a vegan bring your own food and milk as they have nothing. 

Some Drawings and Paintings and Books.

Finally got round to taking those pictures of my pictures.

Excuse the 'curling' I've not got frames for them yet and guess it just happens with painting huh? Anyway, this is one I made for Wib's room he loves yellow and I thought the symbols suit him, altohugh I think I got wisdom a little bit wrong, the two boxes should be under the sticky out bit, grr.

Acrylic and Felt Tip

This next one I have made for my Bedroom, May paints are running really low and I'm almost out of all the colours so I tried to use up bits. I may make this one again when I get some more paints as the orange bit and dark green seemed a really good idea at the time but I'm not so sure now. This is my hippy sun.

Acrylics

I had to go to the library today to take some books back, but ended up bringing a load home with me and as the Co-Op is just over the road I had to go in to get some vegan doughnuts.... mmm Custard vegan doughnuts, sweet awesomeness with custard treasure, oooh with coffee and dunking and.....sorry I digress. Where was I? Yes, I got a loads of cool looking books out (and doughnuts) and I will try to do a drawing a day.

The Books I took Out

Hey, no such thing as reading too many vegan cookery books. the rest are all art, they had crafting ones too, but I think seven books is enough for now. I started on the Fantasy Art book right away, I've not even got to the instructional bits yet and felt a bit of creativity come over me, so here is my charcoal wizard. He doesn't look very happy but I'm kinda pleased with him.

Charcoal and pencil

I've never really drawn people before in my life, except piss take pictures on the guild website so this is my first real attempt, and boy how hard are eyes and noses to draw?

I'm going to Merry Hill tomorrow and will hopefully get some more acrylics AND finally get some glass paints, can't wait to try glass painting, I've been saving up coffee and jam jars to practice with.

Bit of a Break.

It has been a over a week since my last post, I've been suffering from 'man-flu' which has now turned into a chest infection, so I've been feeling like death. The five a day challenge is on hold and now Wib has picked up my bug too *sigh*.

I have however been up to stuff. Last week was non league football day and we went to see Halesowen Town play Workington. It was a really good match, Workington were quite a dirty team though and we (Halesowen) lost 1-0. It was a great day out (despite losing my voice through man-flu and feeling urrghh) and I'll defiantly be going again.

I spent the rest of the week sleeping mostly and making nice homemade soups, but Wednesday I went to Edgebaston to see The Bears play Northampton. What an amazing day out. Saw Trott and Hain get a century each, had a look around the museum  and generally relaxed for hours and hours of wonderful cricket in the sunshine. I got some nice pictures of Trott and I'm gutted in a way that he has not made the England team but that has to be good news for the Bears as he is immense.

I have also been doing some painting I'd post them but I have no idea where Wib has put them, so I'll post them later when he gets back from the shop. But I think I've flooded this blog post with pictures already.

5 A Day- Stourbridge

For today's 5 a weekday challenge Wib and I went to Stourbridge. The town with no sign posts, at all. The pedometer recorded just under 7 miles so we smashed the challenge yet again.

We went to the Glass Quarter today via the canal towpath, it was rather beautiful and quiet along the canal, I recommend it for a nice walk out, saw some beautiful dogs too.

We went to Stourbridge to visit the Ruskin Glass Centre I wanted to visit the Red House Glass Cone too, but Wib took so long getting ready we just didn't have time, sadly we missed a lot of the shops at the Ruskin too as it was late when we arrived. They do however have a cafe which serves locally sourced orgainc food, they also do vegan! However I brought some pasta and pesto with leek and mushroom I made in the morning as I'm used to not being able to eat out any more.

So with most of the studios closed, we didn't get the full experience but we did see an awesome guy who engraved and embossed bottles and glasses. You take in a bottle of champagne or a bottle of J.D or Beer or whatever and he would write on it and draw stuff on it, it was so cool, he was working on a wedding bottle when we went in. I wish I had the courage to ask him if me would mind me taking some pictures but I didn't feel it was appropriate. We also saw a guy blowing and molding glass with his hands, in was very hot in that room but what am amazing skill I would LOVE to learn how to do that.  We saw a woman painting an enamel bowl thing which was so intricate and beautiful. But my favourite studio there was Kairos Sculpture http://www.kairos-sculpture.com/  check out his website and go visit, such an interesting guy who is really passionate about stone carving and is also really knowledgeable about the stone he uses and it's source and very interesting. You can see on his website many of the sculptures we saw today.

All in all we had a really lovely time today, and I can't wait until my next trip to Stourbridge. Tomorrow is non league day supporting grass roots football so Wib and I will be doing our bit and going to see Halesowen Town play for the first time.

The Hels 5 A (week)Day Challenge and the Zoo

Without the Spoon Challenge and stuff, I've not really had anything to post. Unlike a Certain Gwen I suck at finding stuff like that. So I'm making my own challenge. The 5 a (weekday) challenge. That is, I am going to try to walk at least five miles every weekday (because there are too many people about on weekends and people freak me out).

Today Wib and I walked 7 and a half miles around Dudley Zoo and had an awesome picnic of Hummus and Sweet Potato Pakora.

 Sadly I didn't get any pictures of Daseep today but I got one I'm really happy with of Benji the orangutan.

And for the first time in almost a year we saw Inca the bear actually awake!

Not sure where we are going on our adventures tomorrow, but I'll add a photo and stuff when I get home.