Thursday 30 April 2015

More Journal Doodles - Holiday Memories

Is it REALLY the end of April already? Wowzers.....A third of the way through 2015, can you believe it? Blimey!

I thought I'd share a few more of the memory doodles with you (see previous post for the introduction). Thank you for your lovely comments and feedback on the last lot - is it something you'd try for yourself? I'd be interested to know whether you do have a go...

Childhood summer holidays were always spent in Wales. Every summer for three years, mum and I spent a week in a caravan on a Welsh farm. The farmer and his wife were lovely - and VERY tolerant of an annoying overly eager child! One year I was thrilled to find some 'weeds' with odd roots which I dutifully pulled up and took to them in a big bag. That was the end of that particular potato crop!

I helped to feed chickens, ducks and sheep and milk cows. It was awesome fun! There were two sheep dogs who were very friendly, the oldest of whom had my mum convinced that he was a suffering waif forced to live under the caravan, cold and damp. She fed him every day for the first week we stayed and eventually questioned the farmer's wife about his welfare. The lady laughed and said that he not only had a warm kennel, but also slept inside the kitchen in front of the log fire on a warm woolly bed....he just had learned over the years to con visitors by looking pathetic!

 Another year, we drove to Aberaeron in Wales (again) in a Volkswagon Camper Van and stayed on a campsite. Mum's boyfriend drove us there and he snored like Godzilla in attack mode so there wasn't much sleep! Because we had the van we could drive around every day and visit awesome places, including Portmeirion which is a spectacular and quirky town - where the tv series 'The Prisoner' was filmed. Aberaeron itself is a delightful place, as far as I remember....a fishing village with rows of pretty cottages. One day we were visiting a wool mill, then wandering around enjoying the scenery when an enormous flock of bats flew up into the night sky. To this day it was the single largest flock I've ever seen and was amazing to see.

 When I wasn't away with mum, I'd spend the summers with my grandparents, who raised me as much as my mum did ( I was lucky that way!)  Every day, after chores and shopping and cooking and bills were all sorted and done, we'd head out for some fresh air, either to the beach or to one of the many parks. Every day, my Grandpa would stride off into the distance leaving Grandma and me trailing behind. I'd hold things up even more for Grandpa by stopping to feed every bird and squirrel in sight! Grandma would teach me about nature and we'd collect leaves and flowers to draw when I got home.
 I LOVED being at the beach...especially when there were rocks to climb! My Grandpa would very nearly have a coronary every time as he was convinced I'd kill myself. He was a worrier and would provide cautions and warnings with almost monotonous regularity! "Don't climb the rocks - you'll slip and get trapped and we'll have to saw off a leg or you'll drown when the tide comes in!"  Isn't it a good job I lived in my own little fantasy world and didn't listen? HAH!
 That's all for today. I hope the sun is shining for you and loveliness abounds! Sending hugs from Shroo :) xxx

9 comments:

  1. I am loving all these drawings, they are so worm and full of life.
    I went to Portmerion once many years ago, it truly is a weird and wonderful place

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    1. It is weird and wonderful! I WISH I lived there! Well......caveat - I wish I owned it and lived there but no one else could come in! mooowahaha! Oh, but that the shops were magically open. It's good to be specific with unrealistic expectations! xxxx

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  2. Fantastic memories, skilfully drawn - love them! Hugs, Valerie

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  3. These are making me smile so much! The crafty dog made me laugh - I think our Cooper would try that but his big ol' pot belly would give him away. He actually sat with his head on my lap giving me puppy eyes because I was eating a carrot, a raw CARROT and not sharing with him the other day.

    Are these all in the same book? Like an album of snapshots.

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    1. Are you kidding me? A pot belly doesn't stop our furry friends being successfully pathetic - have you SEEN The Colonel? He's a rotund chap of ample girth yet still he makes guests (few though they bessedly are) feel sorry for him and berate me for my meanness with his long-term prescription diet plan. He has people convinced that he's kept in a damp basement and fed nought but rusty nails and broken glass and never allowed sunlight. He's good at it! I'm betting that if Cooper can be RADA level pathetic for a carrot then he's playing in the big leagues and could give The Colonel a good run for his money!

      These doodles are currently on loose paper - a few off-cuts that I had left over from trimming some copies of other stuff. I'll just keep them in a wallet for now 'til I decide what to do with 'em.We'll see how many I end up with! xxxx

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  4. I love your drawings, so sweet and full of memories. It is such a fabulous way of remembering, healing and sharing!

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