Lots of storms again this week. Here are the chickens looking sheepish, sneaking a comfy seat under cover.
Friday, 30 November 2012
Art Week
Mon to Fri 26 to 30 November
This was the week our art group had decided to hold a winter version of a summer school. We wanted to experience a week of painting - mornings only, as we all have other commitments to manage. Amanda was keen to go large, so on the Friday before we all went out for a girlie shopping trip to the woodyard and toolshop for plywood panels, nails, screws, brackets, white paint and brushes. Then Amanda and I got on with putting the panels together with reinforcing batons, mitred corners and everything.
We are lucky enough to have the use of Jessica and Spiros' Mamma Mia restaurant as a studio, as they are closed for most of the winter. It's a great space to have. We spent the first day, Monday, getting the panels painted white, in between doing some drawing exercises and thinking about composition.
The idea was to do a self-portrait - virtually full size, as the panels measure 170 by 110 cm. We sketched each other and took photos to decide poses on day 2, and the other two got the first splash of paint onto those scarily huge white spaces while I had to run around sorting out some payments. So my first splash was Weds morning.
By Friday we'd realised we would need a lot more time, but the paintings had been through a few metamorphoses, and were starting to shape up.
This is mine, so far:
This was the week our art group had decided to hold a winter version of a summer school. We wanted to experience a week of painting - mornings only, as we all have other commitments to manage. Amanda was keen to go large, so on the Friday before we all went out for a girlie shopping trip to the woodyard and toolshop for plywood panels, nails, screws, brackets, white paint and brushes. Then Amanda and I got on with putting the panels together with reinforcing batons, mitred corners and everything.
We are lucky enough to have the use of Jessica and Spiros' Mamma Mia restaurant as a studio, as they are closed for most of the winter. It's a great space to have. We spent the first day, Monday, getting the panels painted white, in between doing some drawing exercises and thinking about composition.
Me, Amanda, Jessica - ready to go
Driven mad by the stress of it all
Dave seeking solace with like-minded blokes in the yacht club
Beginning of day 3, paint on panels
Day 5, still loads to do
The idea was to do a self-portrait - virtually full size, as the panels measure 170 by 110 cm. We sketched each other and took photos to decide poses on day 2, and the other two got the first splash of paint onto those scarily huge white spaces while I had to run around sorting out some payments. So my first splash was Weds morning.
By Friday we'd realised we would need a lot more time, but the paintings had been through a few metamorphoses, and were starting to shape up.
This is mine, so far:
Hollywood comes to Nidri
Saturday 24 November 2012
We were all summoned to George's Restaurant on Saturday night for the premiere of Robbie's promotional film which we'd all made fools of ourselves in. (See it at:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSxh6xKps-U ). Robbie and Sue made an entrance in the best style.
Rafters on site
Weds 21 November 2012
The final wood delivery arrived today, great news, the last
lap – in the wood frame part of the build, anyway. Huge lorry, small space, tall trees – the guy
in charge of the hoist was a bit stressed, and nearly helped our sun shadow
problems by lopping the top off one of the cypress. I was working in the shed, and Dave came
running in and said, ‘they’re putting the roof beam up’; so we dashed out onto
the decking just in time to see that the delivery hoist was being used to raise
the 14 metre long, 20cm deep beam into
position. Yiannis the woodworker was
then left precariously holding it in position while Rap helped stabilise the
rest of the delivery before he could go to Yiannis’ aid.
Fungus Fiesta
During our walks with Sid we’ve come across an amazing range
of fungus, none of which are in our mushroom and toadstool spotters’
guide. Bright red, yellow and
orange, among others. (Fingertips included for scale in the first shot).
Pickle mania
Dave has thrown himself enthusiastically into
pickle-making. Only a few jars of each
type: red cabbage, onions, piccalilli; as we only have a little bit of storage
space. This is the book responsible.
Walkies
Weekend 16 to 19 November 2012
This weekend we tried having Sid the dog as a long-stay
visitor, complete with his doghouse which we set up behind the camper van. The first night he whimpered all night, then
on Saturday night he slipped his lead and moved onto the decking, where he slept
happily on the rug by the sofa all night.
So that’s okay. The chickens and
the cats got a bit used to him, and he got very bored with them, so that’s okay
too.
We had lots of walks over the weekend as a result, exploring
our environment:
Amazing flower
growing wild that we couldn’t find in the reference books
Cyclamen are back in
action in the hedgerows
It must be nearly
Christmas, these don’t look indigenous
More burial sites
found by the archaeologists
Sid exploring a
mountain stream
Pine Forest
Saturday 17 November 2012
Must get the zone moved, look at those trees, the poor
writing hut is getting lost in the woods, and there's such a small window of sunshine for the zone and the water heater.
Then on Saturday, it came together. Amanda from art and her boyfriend Joe, and
Michael and Alison from the Winnebago, and us, moved the zone – very easy with
six people, not particularly heavy, it just flexes and needs support at each
side.
Now look – the shadow can’t reach it. It also opens up our view, the way it’s meant
to be.
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