Soop's welcoming kitchen...

Always thought of you as Bellasnana anyway! Still recall that poignant post two (I think it was two) years ago. There is, and has been, a lot of sadness in the kitchen.

granniequeenie Thank you for the most beautiful autumnal photograph. If I may, I would like to use it for my next watercolour painting. Long ago, I imagined such a scene and painted something very similar. If I can find it, I shall share the image with you.

Bellasnana A big, warm welcome back. I have never stopped thinking of you as anyone other than Bellasnana

Maw Another warm hug for you from me.

Now to read through the mountain of messages from you lovely lot

GQ’s photo is lovely isn’t it? I love your watercolour too soop. It makes me wonder what’s the other side of the gate. Is it somewhere you’ve been?

corner Us lot deserve a treat of one kind or another.
I recall times when it was nothing out of the ordinary to repair motor parts on the kitchen table. Mind you, the mechanics of motors "in those days" seemed fairly straightforward. Computerised vehicles are anything but.

kitty As for my son...he wears a permanent smile and had himself a right royal birthday.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, to all the kind granspals who have welcomed me back. I feel much more comfortable back in my original persona.

Bellanonna Nowhere I've been. An image of somewhere that draws the person in to wonder what lies across the style. I've always liked painting pathways, gates and styles that lead the onlooker into sunshine.

crafting Thank you for your kind comment.

silverlinings and Morethan and annsixty together with any other Granspal who is hurting for whatever reason...no matter how tough times are, sharing with us lot hopefully helps in some small way.

The weather in my part of London is very deceiving because the sun is out but a howling gale is creating havoc.

Not a lot for me on TV tonight apart from the Strictly results but what is new?

Please all look after yourselves.

Maw I hope that Hattie is looking after you and giving you well deserved hugs.

Thank you soop

Many years ago when I was having treatment for breast cancer, I attended some relaxation classes.
One of the techniques involved sitting with your feet up so all of you was supported and with closed eyes imagining on a summer morning ,walking along a lane , finding a closed gate and then opening it, going through and then letting your imagination take you wherever you want. It was always peaceful and warm and silent apart from birdsong, it was very comforting and some people went off to sleep.
My vision of the gate was exactly as your picture portrays.

Oh can I sit by the fire please. I am frozen. I went out just about 2pm to buy a new toothbrush and realised when I got to the car park it was the local remembrance parade this afternoon. So an hour later I am just back home and shivering.
Put really warm clothes on next year. I always feel very moved my these events. The last post gets me going if they had had a piper playing "Flowers of the Forest" it would have finished me.

Dulce et Decorum Est
By Wilfred Owen

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs,
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots,
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of gas-shells dropping softly behind.

Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time,
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime.—
Dim through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,—
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.

Greyduster. I have just noticed you posted Carol Ann Duffys war poem
Decidedly an echo of Wilfred Owen there.

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Nelliem Powerful words...

ann I shall look out some similar watercolours.

One other...a scene I imagined. 'Dappled Courtyard'

It is time to say goodnight. Thank you for your company.

I frequently walk through the chemotherapy centre of the local hospital and am always struck by one of a set of paintings:

www.heinrichpalmer.co.uk/USERIMAGES/TheGardenDetail3.jpg

Sorry can't work out how to paste the image, do look though, it always reminds me of my childhood in Devon

I've just searched through this thread today, as I thought, Maw will have explained what has happened on here.
What awful experiences for both of you, Maw. But an end at last to his suffering. The beginning for you of a different life.
God has given you the strength to cope up to now. I hope you can rest for a while.

Similar sentiment from Duffy and Owen about the futility...

Soop you are a great watercolourist. I gather it’s not an easy medium to paint in. DH is a very good pen and ink drawer, I’ve got some lovely pieces he’s done, but when he uses water colours, well it just doesn’t work. We’ve had some nice holidays in the past though with groups, half of them painting and the other half walking. We didnt keep his watercolouring attempts but he enjoyed himself and I enjoyed my walks. Those were the days.

Beautiful pictures soop

You’re so talented soop, what beautiful paintings. I would be honoured if my photo can be of use in your painting. I would love to have that skill and noticed my favourite coffee shop is having a series of craft afternoons, including one on watercolours, it has to be said that my artistic skill is well hidden aka non existent. I mentioned to dd4 that I was thinking about booking in. Bless her she’s such a kind soul, but her facial expression (i.e. don’t waste your money mum) said it all as she tried to interest me in an alternative activity. Perhaps I’ll stick to my camera! Your paintings reminded me of this photo, soop, as did your memory Ann
A day of mixed emotions and painful memories for many today, for all sorts of different reasons. Sending a gentle hug for all who need it tonight.

granniequeenie I loved your beechwood photo too, and had the same idea as soop of trying to paint it. Unfortunately, unlike soop , I have little artistic talent - though I have just started attending a painting class where we learn how to use different media. So far we have only used acrylics and charcoal - very messy. I've been told that watercolour is the most difficult to master.
Why not sign up for those classes at the coffee shop? You've obviously got a good eye for colour and form.
I believe that soop is self-taught. Her paintings are brilliant and we are lucky enough to have her painting of our little Oscar which I treasure.

soop lovely watercolours. I do like pictures or paintings with gates in them. Leading the viewer on to wonder what is on the other side.

I think we are all a bit subdued at the moment. Isn't it strange how we can become so involved in the lives of people most of us have never met and yet care so much for their pain and sorrow. Thinking of you all - sleep well

soop as always those water colours are beautiful.

I have the heating on because when I first surfaced the sun was out but it was 2C here. This is November- how am I going to survive January/February? My local library will be full today, many people there trying to keep warm and save money at home.

Our library is nice and warm too but I find it quite noisy these days. What with coffee and chatter it's a nice place for people to meet and children to get to look at books and play but sometimes I find it hard to concentrate on finding a book. Last time I was there, 2 of the library staff were talking quite loudly behind me about whether one of them should have their hair cut or not. It got to the point where I was tempted to bring out a pair of ✂️