The other day there were piles of feathers in the garden. I thought maybe a sparrowhawk had caught a pigeon. I cleared the feathers up.
Then today, I heard a magpie shouting from the garden. When I looked there was the sparrowhawk sitting on top of a pigeon. It started the process of plucking the feathers ready to get to the inside to eat.
I decided to try and take a video of the scene. This was taken through the kitchen window on a Panasonic Lumix camera.
Lately I’ve been doing watercolour painting after a break when I couldn’t find the inspiration to pick up a brush. I’ve been out with my camera taking photos, then turning them into paintings.
I’ve found the more I paint, the better my technique becomes. Each picture has something I think I’ve done well and lots of places where I could improve.
Here are a few of the paintings.
This painting of people on the beach was inspired after doing a jigsaw puzzle of the four seasons of Peter Brueghel the Younger. I like all the characters in his paintings.
This painting is of a disused railway building. The area around it has been turned into a beautiful community garden tended by volunteers. I enjoyed painting the building and I feel shadows and depth are improving.
This painting is of a boy walking on a bridge over a stream near where I live. Whenever I walk past the stream the bridge is always in a different place, moved by the local children.
This painting of a man walking his dog on a path through the trees is one of my favourites. I particularly like the simplicity of it. Quite often I’ll overdo things.
I often see dog walkers on my early morning walks. These ladies had been walking their dogs and stopped to have a chat. I like the way their poses are similar, and that all three dogs are watching me.
I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing these paintings. Do let me know what you think.
My grandson loves glace cherries so I made these cherry slices for him. He is coming to play tomorrow so I prepared these specially for him.
Topping
Set the oven to 170C fan, 190C or 375F
Line and grease the base of a shallow tin – approximately 12 x 4 inches or an 8 inch round tin.
Put the flour into a bowl, add the sugar and mix together. Rub in the butter until the mixture binds together.
Press into the tin in an even layer. Place the halved or quartered cherries evenly over the base.
Make the topping by creaming the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the egg a little at a time, beating really well.
Fold in the ground almonds.
Spread the mixture evenly over the cherries.
Place in the oven for about 35 minutes until the cake is set and golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
Cut into pieces when cold. This can either be eaten as a cake or with thick cream or ice cream as a dessert.
Enjoy!
Adapted from Good Housekeeping Easy-stages Cook Book 1972
This is a very simple summer dessert, a take on Eton Mess using summer fruits which are plentiful now. It also works if you only have a few fruits. I have made a version of this using damson puree instead of grated lemon.
Add the icing sugar to the double cream.
Grate the rind from a lemon and add to the cream. (An alternative is to add damson puree).
Whisk together until the cream thickens and forms soft peaks.
This can be used now or placed in the fridge for an hour or two until you need it.
Break the meringues into pieces.
Gently fold into the cream mix.
Put onto individual plates – this makes four servings.
Dot the fruit around. I used a mix of fresh raspberries and sliced strawberries.
Enjoy!
You can now find all of Nannie RaRa’s recipes in one place: Recipes
Since writing Jenny Wren to the rescue and and illustrating the book with my paintings, I decided to paint for fun rather than for a specific purpose.
I’ve been experimenting with both watercolours and gouache. Looking back over some of my earlier works I can see improvements.
Here are some of my recent works.
I regularly walk through the nearby countryside and this hollow oak always looks so good. It is a popular place for children who can go inside and maybe visit secret places…
There is a ruined church near us that caught the morning light so beautifully.
I’ve been trying to find the best way to paint bark and leaves. Here is a study of a tree with ivy growing round it.
I often take photos of birds, both from my walks and those that visit my garden.
Last year we had Great Spotted Woodpeckers bring their young along to show them where the food is. It was great to see the parent feeding the young. This inspired the painting of the three woodpeckers.
Along the river we get many waders. This is a dunlin.
And finally, here is a composite picture of several birds that I have seen nearby. Of course Jenny Wren and Bobby Robin are here, but Jason Jay was away. Can you recognise the others?
Nannie RaRa 