Let’s imagine we live on some far-flung planet which “has no weather. ” Too far for its parent star’s light to reach it. Absolutely no day/night demarcation. Nothing. Just…well, nothing.
Bit like here, really!
Oh, alright! Maybe I have exaggerated a little. Just a little. All the same, meeting Vivien’s challenge has not been easy!
Those brief moments we did have blue sky…I was nowhere near a window. And now it’s raining. Again. And the scanner clearly does not think we have dull, grey skies! If the rain lets up tomorrow I’ll use the camera…
And now it’s yesterday’s tomorrow…Still grey, blustery and rainy. But often, those grey skies are more changeable than the bland days of blue. You know why, don’t you? These clouds, being at lower levels, are torn apart, blown around visibly by the winds. Usually, when we see “clear blue skies” there are no clouds to give us an idea of scale. But it’s windy up there. Just ask an eagle!
Anyway…here are a few camera snaps of some very quick sky sketches. Mr. Fujica has a better eye than Mr. Canon. 😉
May 7, midday, looking north.
And the same view about 15 minutes later!
When the rain started I rushed first to close windows, then grabbed the nearest paper – copy paper so of course it’s all cockled! (I think it is an almost-blank page that came with my Bank statement. Pretty accurate, actually!)
May 7, around 5.30pm.
Driving home;by the time we’d gone 500m beyond this streak of colour, the sun had gone . The tropics, remember? May 9, early afternoon (before 2 0’clock, as I went out then!)
May 12, 4pm
…and 30 minutes later- another shower coming across. 
The evening one was a colour pencil “quickie” in the car, washed with a damp brush later; the others are water colours with a brush and, apart from the bank paper, all on off-cuts of Fabriano printing paper and all through my living room window.
Gee! It’s a long time since I did little studies like this. I should probably do it more often. Thanks, Vivien!
There’s been some pretty wild and wacky weather across the Tasman. A terrific hail storm dumped a thick blanket of the icy stuff on the beach town of Papamoa. Then, for good measure, followed that with snow! Not a big deal in areas famous for skiing, but Papamoa? This is bikini country Surfboards and sharks. I can remember wearing thick woolly sweaters in winter when I lived there, but snow? Never! (And if that link is no longer current I daresay googling for hail in Papamoa will get you there.)
I’ve been sifting through some old photos from our raptor rehab. days. Why? Well, looking for birds to depict in lino. I’ve already pulled one print of a Ninox owl* and I’m trying to get a workable sketch of a barn owl. I love them all, but think the “barnies” may be top of my list.
These guys were hand-reared (by an experienced handler so there was no danger of imprinting) after a spring storm felled many nest trees. I think three were released and two became part of a breeding programme at a sacntuary. And now I’m trying to draw one of them!
But first – lunch!
* That print’s been submitted for possible selection in a show. I forgot to take a decent photo before I sent it off so, if it doesn’t make the cut, I’ll post it when it comes back!
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