More Pooch Paintings

Its not all doom and grey mist being back at work. I enjoy the banter with fellow workers and it is also giving me a lead to sell more pooch paintings. Im happy to say that I am still developing my art skills and making a pound or two in the process.

I brought these two beloved dogs back to life in these paintings and their owner was delighted with the results.

Im not missing much summer either as the recent bad weather would have kept me indoors much of the time anyway.

A different season on Dumyat

If you have been following this blog for a while.. you will know that I took early retirement last November. I loved the freedom of doing what I wanted and when I wanted.

I even got up on Monday Morning's and said..I love Monday's..the hills will be quiet again after the weekend walkers have gone back to work.

I spent a lot of my free time climbing and exploring every way I could think of reaching the summit of Dumyat, my local hill. I loved the yellow, brown and orange colours of the winter hills, followed by the bright yellow blooms of the spring gorse that grows on its southern flanks.

I spent a lot of time in the country and loved watching it awaken from its winter slumbers. Perhaps it was because I had no stress and plenty of time, that I was very aware of the wonders of nature around me.

Then a month ago, the industry that was sapping my energy, contacted me and asked if I could help them out for a short while. I agreed and went back to work.

I guess I hadn't quite lost all my capitalist notions. Yup..the remenant memories of money motivation took over and I lost my freedom.


I love foxgloves. They used to be my signal that summer had finaly arrived. Unfortuntely, I have been that busy with work and pooch painting, I did not have the time to see if they were in bloom yet. I was very aware that the past few years I have missed seeing them too, because I was so busy , one way or another.

I made a concious effort to get out on Sunday just to find a fox glove or two.

I had seen plenty of signs of them on Dumyat during the winter so thought it a good place to look. I wasn't disappointed as they were everywhere :-D

Pink ones and white too, they turned the lower slopes of Dumyat into a radiant field of colour

Im glad that I took the time off my busy schedule to see them. They reminded me that it is all too easy to get lost in work and not see what is happening out side its strict confines. As I climbed higher on the slopes of Dumyat ..I started to loose sight of the fox gloves again in the grey mist.

As I walked, I imagined that the mist symbolised my work and the fox gloves my early retirement.

Moments later, I was surrounded by the swirling mist and put my camera away.

I got to the top of Dumyat by instinct and experience but I didn't see a thing except a grey swirling ..... yuch.

I have completed one month of my three month contract. It will be interesting to see if my capitalist instincts keep me at it if it is renewable, or if I chose to go with the freedom of the fox gloves when my contract expires. I guess I dont know myself as well as I thought I did ?