Text and Image

[Iain]

Not to labour the point BUT I need the screen brightness quite high, and on a white screen it is blinding. My eyesight, the good eye, has deteriorated lately. I was told by a wonderful optometrist that the swelling could go down and the sight return to its former glory. Which is good news, but means I need to make do with inadequate lenses for now. Like some Victorian botanist, or something, I am being aided by the use of a magnifying glass. If my hearing were shot, I would no doubt be forced to resort to something equally anachronistic. "You will have to speak up!"

 

[Artyczar]

You poor thing!

Will you be sporting that handsome beard?

 

[joe1It]

Iain, spero che guarisca presto

 

[Iain]

Thank you, Art and Joe.
I wasn't trying to garner sympathy over something so trivial as the loss of sight. Honestly The beard will be there behind the beard-shaped mask.

I have been redoing the garden pond, hence the lack of input here. One aches in places one intends to inhabit, if you see what I mean.

 

[Artyczar]

That must be a nice break, doing that. I love doing stuff like that. It's very therapeutic.

 

[Iain]

This was one job I wasn't looking forward to.. I am glad I did not attempt it in winter, as is generally advised, but waited for the pond to dry, somewhat. I had placed the thin (crap) fabric underlay onto the flexible liner, to disguise the sheen, give the plants a rooting medium and protect the liner itself from UVL. I had no thought a few years ago of having to lift it...I must go out there now.

 

[Artyczar]

Will it have fish?

 

[Iain]

No, it is for the local fauna,, frogs, toads, newts, etc. Here are two such who have made the yard (garden) home.

 

[Enyaw]

I imagine you could have worst neighbors but I wouldn't send out the invitation. But, we all differ and you must like them.

 

[Iain]

I guess so. As a kid I was fascinated by invertebrates, woodlice, centipedes, things that were there, hiding under rocks, to be discovered.. I guess it is an extension of that curiosity. And a belief in biodiversity. Here one can play hopscotch under the streetlights, but you never win. There's always one slug, or snail, squashed under foot. They appear to be pure nerve.

 

[Artyczar]

It will be their sanctuary.

 

[Iain]

You be Beaker.

I be Dr Bunsen Honeydew.

 

[Iain]

 

[joe1It]

oh, i love the first, i see some sweet bunnies or dark bats.

 

[Artyczar]

I love these! The second one feels more complex, but I like that. And I love Beaker.

 

[Iain]

Thanks guys. Appreciate it.
I don't know why I posted the second, when I actually preferred an earlier version.

One can go crazy over combinations...
I call this Stage Fright, as it kind of reminds me of the mirrored lights in actor/performer dressing rooms.

 

[Artyczar]

It reminds me of that too! I like the scribbled line in the first one of these two, and how it runs all the way down to the bottom. Something about the whole composition is compelling, more so than the "dressing room" one, maybe because that one is symmetrical and I prefer asymmetry.

 

[Iain]

Thanks for your thoughts on those.

A Creative Compromise

 

[Artyczar]

Love that! Why didn't I think of it???

 

[Iain]

Thanks Art, appreciate that! if you attempted to draw a crow, it would look like a crow and not some weird crow-pigeon hybrid. Saying that, you did draw a rabbit-antelope-bat cross, but I guess that was intentional.