The road by the home hole on the Old Course deserted. We're close to the shortest day. My i-phone informs me that sunrise today will be at 8:41 and sunset at 3:34.
In the block of flats that Donald Trump tried to buy ( but failed to get financing for ) all the windows are dark. The apartments here sell for $5 million plus. Most are owned by American corporations for 'entertainment' purposes. No corporate executive in his right mind is going to be out and about on the Old Course at this time of the year.
We're out for half an hour in the pre-dawn half light. During this time we see two young Chinese tourists swaddled in rain wear and sitting on a sea front bench. They're completely engrossed in a game on their i-Phones. They ignore us and we ignore them. We do however greet an internet repair man. 'You're an early riser' we say. He tells us he starts before seven so he can pick up his children from school at three. His wife works in the university admissions office and is busy checking exam results. This afternoon he'll be finishing early so that he can take them to see Cinderella at the theatre
The ram and one of the ewes have been limping. The rangers Facebook page informs us that the farmer has been told and will be down to see them later this morning. You know you live off the beaten track when limping sheep are the topic of conversation. The ranger on duty informs us that the limping may be due to 'over zestful mating'. This raises more questions than it answers but we decide to pass this by in silence.
Christmas music # 12 to words by Longfellow. Perhaps his most 'political ' poem. The civil war verses are 'challenging' and are rarely heard. I wonder if it's still part of the high school curriculum ? New music isn't always successful but this fits the words well :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCos4OeiJrU
Which picture would you have bid on ? An auction of dog paintings :https://www.bonhams.com/auction/28776/the-dog-sale/?page=6
12 comments:
Well, my favourites were 106 Portrait of a Golden Retriever by Geoffrey Williams , it’s a soft eyed dog and must have given much pleasure to the dog’s owner. Next best, for me is 219 So Bad, by Marguerite Kirmse. That dog knew he was in deep trouble!
I sympathise with your short days, I love the longer summer evenings we are enjoying here now. No White Christmases here, and so many carols just don’t make sense for the children.
Moving quickly on from the sheep who might or might not have been over-zestfully mating, I am distracted by the auction of dog paintings. I love the Jack Russell #71 and think 'Puppy' would approve. The fox terrier drawing #212 appeals of course, as does the idea of owning an umbrella with a WFT on the handle #315. Special commendation too to the 'Poodle with a Tennis Racket' and, for nominative determinism, to dog artist Kathleen Frances Barker.
Cheers! Gail.
What a tremendous number of dog paintings - I shall take pleasure in looking at them in more detail later. Scrolling quickly through I was surprised to see that the portrait by Maud Earl of a French Bulldog looks the spitting image of my Paca. Then there is the painting no 235 AR of a Boston terrier, which also looks uncannily like Paca. She's a rescue dog, and her lineage was/is somewhat in doubt! My favourite too would be any Golden Retriever or Labrador - I have sketched and painted my Labs. several times over the years.
This morning I noticed how much darker it was, and how slowly it became light enough to see outdoors.
The decorations on the golf cart are seriously underwhelming!
It always brings a smile to my face, that he who must not be named, failed to spoil such a beautiful place. Such a pretty flock of sheep.
Hari OM
Having perused the offerings at Bonhams, most of them left me 'cold'... but I found myself lingering longer with the works of Maud Earl, George Soper and Reuben Ward Binks. It was the latter where I lingered longest.
I was totally unfamiliar with that Christmas poem/song until today, and thank you deeply for intoducing me to those words, which hold as much pertinence today as they did when written... YAM xx
I loved some of the funny captions on the sketches. I always enjoy the bronzes. Paintings of pups of any kind as well as retrievers are smile material. And of course, our pal Puppy was loved by every artist she ever met!
I could never choose just one. The sketches were pretty special, and the bronzes.
The music was special too.
I loved all of the dog paintings, but being “Staff” to a standard poodle, those paintings-especially the first one-are tops on the list
It was fun to read everyone's comments before clicking on the auction link. I also particularly liked the painting of a poodle with a tennis racket, as that is more or less what awaits me every morning, with a frisbee substituted for the tennis racket. I also enjoyed several of the hound portraits that captured their particular joie de vivre.
Puppy!
Love all the terriers! Puppy shines in so many of the works. Turning back to yesterday's crib conversation, just now a National Geographic email popped up on my phone with the question, how was Jesus born? The answer? Call the midwife. The midwife in the 15th century accompanying painting by Lotte Lorenzo is wearing green, not blue, and has a more gentle look, but there's our answer!
Having served under 2 much loved and never forgotten boston terriers I have to say
#235AR.
And all spaniels, in loving memory of my late father's gun dogs.
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