Happy Cycling

This is what we do when we finish a cycle ride. Get together for coffee and cake. Three of us are sporting our new Women on Wheels (WOW) cycling tops. This was an 'Easy Ride' so some of the people were first timers.

Sketching Time

Trying very hard to draw moths from my photographs this week. Not happy with these sketches of the Poplar Hawkmoth but will persevere as I do get better the more I practice. Would love to just dive in with some colour, but a bad idea if I cannot get the actual light and shade correct in the first place. The ink version is only half completed and hope to find some time today to do a little more.

Revelling in Ravilious

I really thought I was not going to get to see the Ravilious exhibition at Compton Verney which ends on 10 June. However, DH suggested that we went on Friday, but then changed his mind when rain was forecast.  We eventually went on Saturday and, although it was a grey start to the day, it eventually got out hot and sunny.  Both the Ravilious exhibition and the 'Created in Conflict' exhibition which is running alongside it are well worth going to see.  We managed to take in the 1 hour guided talk too which was fascinating. The grounds were looking stunning with the wildflower meadow just beginning to bloom with dog daisies.

More Moth Catching

Can you believe this is the same moth

Then there was a Poplar Hawk Moth

plus 2 Brimstone Moths and a small Waved Umber

Attingham Park

Had a nice walk at Attingham Park today near Shrewsbury. Lovely texture on this ploughed field and dandelions in evidence everywhere …

and lots of lovely flowers too

Cut flowers in the Bothy

Cycling Fun

Wednesday evening and did another Fitness Club Ride. A revised plan was required as the local Council have been putting chippings down on lots of the roads we use so we could not do the circular laps which we were scheduled.  Instead we did an 18.1 mile ride. It was not without it's highlights though. Sue had problems with her chain coming off several times on her 'new to her' road bike and three of us managed to fall off at various points on the route. No serious injuries and a jolly nice ride.

Our new Women on Wheels kit was delivered too so we will look very smart and co-ordinated next time we go out.

More Moth Trapping

Put the moth trap out again on Sunday evening and caught this beautiful fluffy moth.  I believe it is a Pale Tussock and is probably a female as it does not appear to have any orange-brown antennae which the moth book describes.  Apparently they used to damage hop crops in the past and had the nickname 'Hop-dog'.

There were also 4 of these in the trap. Cockchafer beetles or Maybugs.  This one is the male and the others appeared to be females as they did not have these splendid antennae.

There were 2 or 3 other moths in the trap but I have not been able to identify them as yet.

Them Hills, Them There Hills!!

Some of the lovely people I was cycling with on Wednesday evening.  We were on a Fitness Ride organised by Women on Wheels and we were the 'slow group', led by Sheena.  We were awaiting the arrival of the 'fast group' who set off after us led by Rachel. The location is actually at the junction where we turned off to start the long ascent of the hill up to Hollybush.  Managed to do it twice and the ride back down was absolutely great. Loads of fun and everyone is so friendly. Friend Sue (in the pink) got a puncture on her new (to her) bike on the way back to Hanley Swan but was ably assisted by Sheena and Rachel to get back on the road and ensured they were well lit as darkness had started to descend by that point.

Gum Arabic Birds

This was a piece of linen fabric I had previously used to transfer two separate images onto using Gum Arabic and oil based printing inks.  Think the colours were Sue Brown grey and gold.  This week I overprinted it with a pencil sketch image using the same method but a blend of Prussian Blue and Red Oxide. I now need to add some discreet stitching to lift the image.

This second image of a raven was sent to me by a friend who wanted it putting onto some pieces of her own fabric. I took the opportunity to add it to some snow dyed fabric I had lying around and am really pleased with it.  Looks like I shall have to get on with some stitching soon!

Had a 'Sewcial' Day

What can you do with a recycled metal light fitting and a kitchen sieve?  That was this week's challenge at the 'Sewcial' tutored by Kathleen Murphy at The Yard ARTspace in Cheltenham this week.  There were some interesting outcomes to this ...

Moth Trapping

I have been very fortunate to have been loaned the use of a moth trap this week. An activity I have wanted to try for a long time.  Captured around a dozen different moths last night, including these ....

Purple Thorn?