vivdunstan: Part of own photo taken in local university botanic gardens. Tree trunks rise atmospherically, throwing shadows from the sun on the ground. (Default)
vivdunstan ([personal profile] vivdunstan) wrote2025-06-20 06:33 pm

First garden outing of 2025

Our garden that is. It's taken until now for it (1) to be warm enough for me to sit out for any reasonable length of time, and (2) a warm sunny day when I'm not doing something else, even in another city as on the Capercaillie concert day! We were out from 4.30pm-6.30pm, when it was pleasantly warm, with a little breeze. Martin got our folding table and chairs out, in our usual excellent spot.

Martin sat with me for the duration, happily reading, and intermittently taking photos of planes and birds in our garden. We also had seagulls flying overhead at just 3 metres! From below that's rather terrifying, like seeing a giant plane from below whoosh overhead at speed. But we were more surrounded by sparrows, blackbirds, chiffchaffs and wood pigeons. Oh and #notourcat Isla was curled up, tail swishing happily, in the garden nearby.

I had a first tentative go at sketching. Very rough, very rudimentary, but I was enthusiastically trying it. Looking forward to doing it more. It's about 35 years since I've seriously drawn anything ... I also took out my latest society magazines from the Tolkien Society and Sherlock Holmes Society of London. And was reading a recently published book of charming paintings around St Andrews. And planning various other bits and bobs.





ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)

Yes ...

[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith 2025-06-20 08:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Sketching is good. Birds are fun to watch, if challenging to draw.

You might like [community profile] birdfeeding and [community profile] common_nature.
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)

Re: Yes ...

[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith 2025-06-23 06:42 pm (UTC)(link)
>> My husband's a keen birdwatcher and takes wonderful photos of them on his walks every week near our home.<<

Oh, how lovely!

>> So even if I'm not practically in a position to see the birds myself (I'm largely bed bound now) <<

Bummer. I've had friends in that situation -- one who had to stay completely flat, even -- and it can be very frustrating.

>> I could draw from his great photographs. Even in bed.<<

We would love to see the pictures, if you two wish to share.