The lousy weather STILL hasn't burst my bubble!

“Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful.” 

~ Thich Nhat Hanh (Vietnamese Monk, Activist and Writer)

Despite the best efforts of the rain and the wind yesterday, it COULDN’T dampen my mood! Even my Bokke’s disastrous loss to the Wannabees didn’t stop the happiness bubbles that were oozing from every pore of my being! The very first sale of one of my artworks and it was SO unexpected! I hadn’t even seen the gentleman looking at my display. He just appeared in front of me asking if he could buy one of my photos on canvas!

Yes please .... and yes please again!! 

The photo on the canvas that was sold.

What made it even more delightful is that it’s one of my favourite pieces ... one of the pieces that was only delivered by the printers this week. It was it’s first public outing and now it’s hanging on a wall in someone else’s home. Proud doesn’t even begin to describe how that sale has made me feel!

It’s a different feeling selling a work of art to selling my cards. My cards serve a purpose, they’re not only beautiful, they’re functional and they’re generally bought with the recipient in mind. My photos on the other hand, are bought for their beauty and how they speak to the purchaser.

This is another of the photos I've had printed on canvas.

It bought to mind this quote by Edgar Degas 

“Art is not what YOU see, but what you make others see.”

This is the NEXT one I'm going to have printed on canvas.

Thank you Pukeko for being such mischievous little characters to photograph. I shall be making more canvas prints of some of your antics.

The last of the three I've just had printed on canvas.

What an awesome start to a weekend that’s been full to bursting with awful weather!

Sadly for my Bokke, and their myriad supporters this side of the world, it was not a success story for them last night. We’d gone down to our local pub to watch both games and ended up walking home in the rain in the early hours of the morning. It still didn’t burst my bubble!

We didn’t have a long ramble this morning though, much to the hound’s disappointment.

Kite Surfer taking advantage of the strong winds this morning.

For a start ... I’m tired .... and no, it’s not just because I was out late last night. It’s a physical over-whelming tiredness that I need to sort out. Secondly .... I’m struggling with my walking shoes .... I’m hard on them. They don’t last very long because of the distance the hound and I ramble each week and what they’re exposed to. They have to deal with all kinds of inclement weather ... with mud .... with sea water ... with sand. This last pair haven’t even survived three months and they’re falling apart at the seams. The last few days I’ve borrowed a pair of Callum’s but they’re not comfortable and as anyone that rambles will testify, comfortable shoes are paramount for enjoyable rambling.

You can see the weather's been torrid ... there are huge pieces of driftwood on the beach.

I decided today to buy a cheaper pair ...just to last a few months ... whilst I do a bit of research into what’s available for the terrain and the distance I ramble. I need something light-weight though, preferably water-resistant and with a good grip on the sole for the slippery paths and occasional rocks we have to clamber over. 

Just a thought ... my hound has perfect shoes ... the pads on her feet protect her against any terrain we wander over, they’re water-proof AND she seldom slips. 

Why can’t I find a pair of shoes like that!

The hound and some of her friends.

Playing with Sam at the reserve

Fetching balls with Pepsi at the steps

Exploring with Indy