Soop's Special Kitcheners

Have added the photos to the album. There are at number 7-ish and 8-ish. Don't ask why!!!
I've made a little positive progress with pussy cat portrait. I think that now is a good time to stop and return with renewed inspiration tomorrow.
My love to all my Granspals. Farewell for now.

loopyloo- there are a couple of photos here on GN- but a few weeks ago when we had much less snow! Will take photos again when the sun comes out- it will be amazing. The little garden house next to the kitchen has about 5ft of snow on it!

It's a white out outside... more and more snow.

Soop- glad to hear you are much happier with today's results- can't wat to see the pictures.

Thanks granjura, rather relieved no snow here , five foot on top of really sounds somewhat excessive to me!

By the way, a niece is married to a black man and their offspring is considered mixed race. My niece tells me that her husband has never had a problem with being called black. He doesn't understand what all the fuss is about. So there!

Night night xxx

Agus sorry! I was devastated that I may have caused offence to someone unwittingly over the years, because skin colour to me means not a jot.

Granjura - snow in the right place, among people who are well-equipped to deal with it on a regular basis, is wonderful. Snow like ours, which melts and freezes, melts and freezes and turns our road into a skating rink, and which is not gritted, nor cleared since the local councils stopped paying the farmers, is just horrendous. And of course because many people like my son never get a chance to drive in it from one year to another, people get into a real pickle. oops - just seem loopylou has said more or less the same thing. Maybe we were parted at birth? As I walked through the village last night with a friend the puddles were freezing beneath our feet, a most peculiar sensation. We knew we would never be able to get back home safely down the steep hill, so turned back to get my car - which had a two inch thick layer of frozen half-melted snowy ice on it. I really felt like giving in. Yet two hours later all the snow in the village had melted. We could have walked home after all. If a foot had fallen I would have cried!

Soop I'm sorry about the pussycat portrait, how frustrating. How about a silhouette of them both against a seascape? All cakes in this house are home-made. I am too tight keen on healthy eating for it to be otherwise. Which reminds me - I must get the last half dozen teacakes from the freezer for DS to take back with him tomorrow. I have been hiding them from him.

Agus sorry! I was devastated that I may have caused offence to someone unwittingly over the years, because skin colour to me means not a jot.

Granjura - snow in the right place, among people who are well-equipped to deal with it on a regular basis, is wonderful. Snow like ours, which melts and freezes, melts and freezes and turns our road into a skating rink, and which is not gritted, nor cleared since the local councils stopped paying the farmers, is just horrendous. And of course because many people like my son never get a chance to drive in it from one year to another, people get into a real pickle. oops - just seem loopylou has said more or less the same thing. Maybe we were parted at birth? As I walked through the village last night with a friend the puddles were freezing beneath our feet, a most peculiar sensation. We knew we would never be able to get back home safely down the steep hill, so turned back to get my car - which had a two inch thick layer of frozen half-melted snowy ice on it. I really felt like giving in. Yet two hours later all the snow in the village had melted. We could have walked home after all. If a foot had fallen I would have cried!

Soop I'm sorry about the pussycat portrait, how frustrating. How about a silhouette of them both against a seascape? All cakes in this house are home-made. I am too tight keen on healthy eating for it to be otherwise. Which reminds me - I must get the last half dozen teacakes from the freezer for DS to take back with him tomorrow. I have been hiding them from him. I've just looked at the photos of your art - how lovely, you are very talented. But on the way past I saw the photos of your face all bruised - what happened? It looks very painful indeed.

Now how on earth did that happen?

Lovely photos again soop, I'm glad you are snug and warm inside.

This afternoon I finally had the last of my stitches removed and leg pronounced healed. I've been baking in celebration but the banana oatmeal cookies I made were too horrible to bring in. DH thought they were alright but said he'd rather I made some more flapjacks. He says he only got two last time. I've told him he is exaggerating.

Take care in the snow and ice everyone.

Hi soop just taken a peep at your photo page. HOW TALENTED ARE YOU? Love your work........ Hard to choose between the landscapes and those beautiful pansies! You deserve a and a

I know janerowena- I did live in Leics for 39 years until quite recently- so I do remember the 'wrong' kind of snow in the 'wrong' sort of place.

Off to look at Soop's photos.

Wonderful photos soop. My personal photographer will be taking photos of the snow and wonderful shapes blown by the wind.

There is 'only' about 5 ft out there- on the patio, we have had a lot more- but it does settle in the countryside and never adds up to what we shovel from the drive and patio. Sun is out today and it does look wonderful.
Taking some of the youngsters from the expat Forum here to try skiing for the first time, from Australia, the UK and India.

No need to apologise jane I just thought your post was meant for the other thread . Like you, I take people as I find them not what colour their skin is etc.

The scene outside the window is stunning. The wind is bitter and biting. Sunshine adding sparkle to the snow-covered islands. The sea is lively and even the smallest waves are white-capped.

Good morning to you all. Well done dustyangel...how lovely it is to hear that you are fully healed. Whatever it is that you bake and bring into our kitchen will be appreciated.

Thank you nannieroz111 for your kind comment.

jane you are right to mention the scary underfoot sensations when our weather turns icy. I am really afraid to trust my step on slippery surfaces. I fall over frequently. I'm certain that should I slip on ice, I would break my hip...or at least dislocate it.

I have a few wee jobs to attend around the house, after which I shall pop my arty-farty hat on and hope not to spoil the pussy cat painting. Early days and therefore time in which to spoil that which I've so far achieved. Heck as like...

granjura and soop thank you so much for snowy pictures. I love to see snow in photographs, not so keen on the reality so our 5am dusting which had disappeared by 7 am was just right for me. Stay warm!

You too, Purpledaffodil

Interesting discussion on racial descriptions. GS is mixed race and his uncle refers to him as a capuccino bambino which suits him perfectly. Black is fine, coloured is not, as a mixed race friend says "Sounds like I might be green". I think that particular c word is a throw back to days when people tiptoed around description. I'm not sure what the term is in the USA, but in Canada, "native Americans" has been replaced by "First Nation". I believe Inuit is what those people call themselves,whereas Eskimo was a label applied to them. All in all it is a minefield and this might be totally out of date already

Just a brief update re pussy cat portrait. I'm pleased with tabby cat but am doubtful that black cat will be as successful if I continue. Therefore, I shall sketch black cat again...no pain, no gain.

Looking forward to seeing the portraits soop , and I envy your patience too!
Had a slipping and sliding short walk to the postbox this morning- it was raining so I blithely assumed just wet out.....not rain on top of ice as I discovered when almost there !

loopylou rain on top of ice...the very thought makes me feel all dizzy and wobbly. Yes, I am patient. I need to be. Having had no formal training I am constantly aware of why it is that a painting loses it's freshness...over working is a sin...but, I still have a tendency to believe that I'm on the right track, until I realise that I've stepped over the mark. By then, of course, it's too late to redeem the best bits. Never mind. I'm definitely not giving up. By tomorrow afternoon (must watch the Andy v Novak final in the morning) I shall be happy to apply the initial wash. Sometimes I think that I am a devil for punishment.

No snow but plenty of blow.

Off to light the fire, feed the cats and read the newspaper.

Wishing all our lovely kitcheners a restful Saturday evening.

Sigh! What a blistering tennis match between Andy and Novak. There were times when I had to leave the room or burst into flame. Novak was a worthy winner. Andy played some blistering tennis early in the match. How on earth do two individuals play such inspirational tennis at such a blistering pace. I really liked Andy's speech. It was gracious.

Back to reality. Time for lunch. Still snow-free here in bonnie Kintyre. The bitter wind continues to blow.

The pussy cat portraits are slowly but surely "getting there". It is not an easy task to do justice to an all-black cat using a photograph, paint and water. However...I am feeling much happier than I did at this time yesterday.

Well done soop for persevering, looking forward to seeing the finished painting.
Bitterly cold here too but first crocuses are out, so ever hopeful spring coming (can't be soon enough for me!)

loopylou I love crocuses. Spring flowers, when they emerge, are so uplifting. I'm now wondering what to do for the best regarding a background wash. Once I've had the picture mounted, I shall take a photo. That could be a week or so from now. Thanks for cheering me on.

Disappointing result for Andy soop

I know nothing about painting so if I am making a ridiculous suggestion just ignore me but I was thinking, could you study Rory's coat, in the flesh as it were to help you with painting a black cat from a photograph?

I'm pleased to hear you are feeling happier about the painting. I know you will get there. You always do!

loopylou, I did notice it was just a bit lighter for longer today. Just that tiny bit of distinction certainly lifts my spirits.

Agus I do believe you are right!
Yippee, roll on and the feeling of warmth on my face...am sure I suffer from SAD, hate winter!
Weirdly I still have roses blooming....