Snipe portraits..........

When driving home today we spotted this lovely snipe in the dyke back. Fortunately the camera was easily at hand and with a bit of careful maneuvering of the car Tom was able to snatch these photos!

Parton Haematite var. Kidney Ore

At the weekend we studied the weather forecast carefully, before going for a beach walk at Parton. While I sketched- click here- Tom went down the beach in search of fossils from the Coal Measures, that were dumped in the bay as spoil (for a past fossil hunting trip click here). There were numerous fossils including Calamites and plenty of partial fish remains (mostly broken scales). However, they were not the 'prize find' of the day- that went to a large piece of iron ore found on the foreshore at Tanyard Bay.

While Parton is known for its glassworks and coal, it is lesser known for its iron industry. The Parton Haematite Iron Company Limited was in operation from 1874, turning haematite iron ore into iron. This is common in the heyday of industry in the area with iron works at Lowca, Harrington and Whitehaven, all processing iron ore that came along the mineral railway from mines such as Florence mine. The iron ore that was smelted along the west coast of Cumbria was unusual compared to iron ore used in other areas as it was a specific for of haematite. A variety called kidney ore.

Haematite var. Kidney Ore, found on the Parton Foreshore.

Kidney ore is a type of haematite that forms when haematite precipitates into cavities and hence is unrestricted in how it grows. This results in a botryoidal habit which gives the look of 'kidneys'. Kidney ore, in the UK, is only found in Cumbria, and some spectacular specimens have been found from large scale mines such as Florence mine which closed in 2007- the last iron mine in Europe.
Kidney ore is very high in purity and due to this it is also used to create pigments such as Egremont red.

This is the first time we've found haematite at Parton, so it is evidently rare to find. It was fabulous to find a large specimen of what is (really very heavy!) kidney ore, displaying its classic botryoidal habit.

Experimental glass fusion

A great morning with friends spent cutting and arranging glass. This time I spent a while on a 'wave' panel. Supposedly based on water this will be fired on a wave mould and has kiln paper underneath to allow areas to drop even further. It'll stand on its side to let the light through....

My other pieces included a snowdrop bowl and an abstract pile bowl. We'd all clearly progressed and can't wait to see the results. Thanks to Roxy at RD Glass for allowing us to use her workshop and patiently hunted out the colours we needed!

Parton cottages

Yesterday, I sat outside in Parton, while the others were on the beach and sketched the cottages. Yes it was cold, but there were plenty of friendly dog-walkers to chat too and I managed to find a comfortable and not too windy spot. Sitting on a carpet tile provided insulation! The wind didn't make fr easy sketching at A2 and I gave up the charcoal part to finish at home. The top image was what I completed outside and the bottom image is the final piece. Not the easiest of subjects, but I was pleased with the result given no rubbers or rulers were used.

Fuchsias and Daffodils!

Some more spring-like cards; finished today.

Swansea skies...

Tom had a very pleasant walk out along the beach and then up into the Clyne Valley ...

The submerged forest......

Winter stalk-balls (in the dunes behind the beach); scarlet elf cup and witches butter (Clyne valley).

Snowdrop musings

A struggle to do anything artistic this week as I've been 'proper poorly', but here are a few thoughts added to a scan of a geli print.

Barnacles and Whoopers

A quick and rather foggy drive round the Anthorn peninsular this morning. Lots of lovely views of barnacle geese under the masts and on the foreshore - lots of lovely yapping sounds. Then less than good, but nice to see whooper swans by the bridge - very atmospheric...and cold!

Derwent Water relections

A very clam day, with lovely reflections early on in the day and a great round walk around the lake.

Mossy boulders near the Lodore Falls hotel.

Loweswater round ...

The day looked half reasonable so we decided to do a round walk including Owsen Fell, Burnbank Fell, Carling Knott and Blake Fell from Lamplugh. As recommended by the book we were using, we parked up at Lamplugh church, but it soon became apparent there was some serious access issues with signs everywhere saying no access to open fell etc. We questioned a fell runner who said he knew the farmer and he had permission to run on his land, but that there was an issue and that we might be better parking at Fangs Brow. Rather than feel uncomfortable walking on footpaths where we were clearly not wanted, we retraced our steps and started again! A steep ascent up the face of Burnbank Fell got us on track again...then onto Blake Fell. The cloud was down so we decided to go along the fence line to Gavel Fell and then follow another fence line down to the valley bottom and along the side of the fell over looking Loweswater - a lovely path. We had some lovely views of Loweswater and Crummock and glimpses over to Grasmoor. It was a cracking circular walk and possibly better than the original plan.

The first icicles of the year!

A lovely post top...

Atmospheric views! 

RD Glass course...more results!

Another visit to Roxy - this time with friends to make some fused glass bowls/hangings. The results were just lovely - such a variety and we really enjoyed ourselves, to the extent that we are all going back again in just over a week from now! This post I've included some before and after firing photos as it's interesting to see how things change and they are handy to have for planning future pieces!

Bee orchid - before and after

Abstract bees :tree bumble, great yellow and bilberry bumbles. 

Four lovely tea-light holders 

A spectacular feather 

Abstracted landscape 

Volcanic bowl

Singleton Park....

Over the weekend Tom took a break from revising - nice to be able to get out into the glass houses ...and the snowdrops are appearing outside too.

An Edge, a Gill and a Needle....

Well Napes Needle on Great Gable completes three paintings that I have wanted to do because I like the places. All have presented their challenges and I am pleased with the results - just to wait for the last one of Napes Needle to dry so I can look at all three together. They are all the same size and should form quite a nice threesome.

The plan ...

The Needle....

The Gill....

and the Edge. 

Early morning skies

A gorgeous walk out with the dog this morning. The sky was tinged with a rosy pink which soon disappeared by the time I got out, but the silhouettes of the trees made up for the fading colour.

Buttermere - round the lake

The forecast was slightly better for inland than the coast, which is unusual, so we headed into Buttermere for a round the lake walk. It was blustery and the odd wave of drizzle swept past, but not too bad and a good dose of fresh air was had by all. Nothing much to report, but lots of mallard sleeping on the shore out of the wind, good views of goosander and then a charming dipper on the return into the village. Quite a few people out and about and it still amazes me that people attempt to walk in the Lakes, in the winter, in white plimsolls and velvety fashion boots! A few people may have got a bit muddy!

Great views as always; the tops in mist.

Mallard and goosander.

Dipper. 

...I can never resist a waterfall. 

Early blackthorn in blossom.

On a pretty dull and drizzly dog walk there wasn't much to see. However, blackthorn in January, let alone early January is not normal!

Blackthorn in blossom! 

Dandelion, red campion, daisy ...there was also red dead-nettle and groundsel in flower. 

Candle-snuff fungus.

The Road to Caldbeck

A few years ago I painted the road to Caldbeck. It didn't sell and sat around at home. I then put it up in Hesket Newmarket Village stores, it sold and two other people said they'd have bought it if it hadn't gone, so here is another version in oils of the same view. Unfortunately it has quite a bit of sap green which seems to take longer than anything else to dry, so it won't be available for a few weeks but here's hoping!