18/02: BRING ME SUNSHINE ......

It has been a beautiful sunshiny day here on the Kent coast - much appreciated by all the residents, human and goatie as I've just been reading on Ellie's Dairy Blog Sunshine and Goats  but the forecast is not looking good with bitterly cold temperatures, wind and snow showers forecast for the weekend.   So we must enjoy the warmth while we can it seems.

Thanks to  Jo  for the following picture ..... she knows how hard I've battled to get one over on our 'tree rats' and I had to laugh at this little fellow:

Ours have never been that polite ..... but with the garden bathed in warm sunshine this afternoon one of our residents couldn't resist a spot of sunbathing on the fence ....

I've been spotted but he really can't be bothered to move

and he just couldn't keep those eyes open any longer

looks almost cute doesn't he??

and I was thrilled to see the goldfinches back in our garden today - they've been absent for a few weeks now and the niger seed feeder is untouched.      S*ds Law, just as they arrived, so did the guys who mow our lawns for us.    We have heavy clay soil and following all the rain in recent weeks it has been impossible to mow lawns or clear borders/beds -  its all far too wet and claggy.    Anyway, we've had almost a week of dry weather and the guys mowed and strimmed and tidied.    It looks so much better - but drove off the goldfinches.    Hopefully, now they've remembered where the feeder is they'll be back soon.    This is one of the pair having a drink

but mostly the garden has been full of Great Tits and Chaffinches today

These photos were taken about an hour apart and you can see how many sunflower seeds had been devoured in that time (from this one feeder) ....

I really don't spend all my time watching the birdie(s) - but I do take frequent breaks when working with coloured pencil.   Its amazing how many coloured pencil artists suffer with wrist/back/neck problems and there has recently been much discussion on this topic on the UK Coloured Pencil Society's forum.   All agree on the importance of taking frequent breaks from the drawing board - my walks just happen to take me in the vicinity of the windows overlooking our back garden  LOL

Another update on the family group portrait .... subtle changes to skintones/hair colour etc and just starting to pull it all together a little more.

Right .... better sign off here and answer some emails.

I've received several requests to donate pictures/vouchers etc to animal charities and sadly I can't oblige them all as I have a busy schedule for the next few months but I always try to respond to all enquiries like this as they are all such wonderful causes.

I've also been asked to give advice to a 'newbie' graphite artist and that's made me think long and hard about what to say.   Probably the subject of a Blog Post in the next couple of days ....