Out just after 10.00 this morning to make the most of the bright light, blue sky and ground frost. Just a quick trip to St Mo’s to see if there were any deer around (there were) and if there were any photo opportunities to be had (there were).
I had hoped that Mr Grey would be out near the shore fishing for food, but as I was walking across the road, he was flying above me in the opposite direction. I did get a shot of two one-footed coots on the icy pond. I guess it doesn’t hurt so much if you only stand on one foot, because only one foot freezes at a time. I walked down through the deciduous woods without a sign of any deer, then when I was almost at the small pond, two of them ran across my path about 100metres away. I walked on a bit and startled another group of five or six younger animals who sped away fast. I didn’t attempt to photograph them, it was just good to see them run.
Walked on over the hill at the road and got a few more shots of frozen leaves and dried thistles. The stuff most photogs like me take. My kind of photos, Scamp calls them. I liked the light on the pine trees beside the path from the boardwalk and got some good directional light on them. After that, it was back home for tea and toast.
Didn’t do much else other than make some bread and cook the venison I got yesterday for my dinner.
At night it was the Salsa Christmas Ball. I think we both had a ball, despite the floor being sticky with something unmentionable and there being very little room to dance when it seemed that everyone was on the floor at the same time. Because neither of us had work in the morning, we could stay as long as we liked. We liked midnight as a time to stay until. By then I’d danced with seven girls which must be a record for me. Still to see the Photo Booth photos, but I’m sure they will be hilarious. Great time with great people.
We went to Angel to meet JIC and Sim. All organised and planned by Hazy and ND’A (thanks again folks). After a bum steer with a dodgy looking Indian/Mexican dive and finding a tank in the process(!), finally settled on Jamie’s Italian restaurant and had an enjoyable lunch (Italian sausage and pappardelle for me). Then went for a walk around a small market we’d visited before with Hazy. Some strange things for sale there. Numerous stalls selling spoons and fish-knives(‘?’ again) and other things that will not be mentioned for fear of nightmares – just don’t ask! Some beautiful opportunities for photos in the low afternoon light, especially with the 9mm and 20mm lenses. After that JIC and Sim went for their train and we did the same. Scamp was in a bit of a rush to get back to Hazy’s, to make sure we’d be ready for the party. I’d rather have had a wander around Kings Cross, or even better Vauxhall. I really want to have a go at photographing those riverside buildings. They are quite a favourite of mine, but obviously not as good as the one on Ingram Street in Glasgow. We agreed to disagree on timings and I left Vauxhall for another day. I need more practise anyway, to do them justice. Got some more photos of grapes in Hazy and ND’A’s garden. Then it was time for the party.
Off to Perth today. Poor weather predicted, but aside from some misty, foggy stuff before we left, it looked good. Arrived in Perth in sunshine too. I’d broken my favourite watch’s strap on Monday and I wasn’t totally happy with the substitute watch I’d found. Last night I searched for and found my old Pulsar which has a metal bracelet, so that’s not going to break very easily. Unfortunately it needed a battery, so on my list of to-dos today was a battery for said watch. Scamp recommended Timpsons for the replacement. I eventually found Timpsons shop in Perth more by dead reckoning than by using my iPhone which couldn’t get a 3G signal in the centre of the town. All the phone companies are busy offering 4G-ready phones. Not much use when there’s not even a 3G mast nearby. Maybe it would be ok in Engaland (sic), but in Scotland it’s a no-no. Anyway, the nice man in Timpsons changed two batteries, yes TWO, one for the digital side and one for the analog apparently. I could say that he did it in double quick time, but that would be a pun too far 🙂 It’s a heavy watch, but at least I can read it without peering at it and the strap won’t come apart very easily. Sorted!
I did get up quite early(ish). Well, before 9.00 anyway. Started an oil painting on a square canvas. I tend to shy away from square photos and paintings. I always think a square shape is quite boring. Not as dynamic as a vertical rectangle (portrait format), nor as relaxed as a horizontal one (landscape). However, I’d seen an interesting oil at the weekend and was impressed with the way it used the square format, so I set to work. I was using water-based oils which might seem a contradiction, but they work well. I like the smell of oil paint and also natural turps, but I know that not all people find it so favourable, so I experimented with the water-based oils and quite liked them. They seem to dry quicker than normal oils, and that’s a pity, because I like the fact that you can work into previous layers and change them. That’s the difference between oils of any variety and acrylic. Acrylic dries quickly, too quickly for me. What I do like acrylic for is the ability to layer washes when using the paint very dilute – as watercolour in fact. Once a wash has dried, you can layer another on top without the fear of one mixing with the other and diluting it. I digress. This one was to be in oils and it’s sort of half finished at present. I’ll take a fresh look tomorrow.
