The first drumming of a woodpecker

Did you notice that sunset has become later? I now walk dogs 30 minutes later than a few weeks ago. We have also heard the first drumming woodpeckers! We are just waiting for spring to come!

Mike has mounted my Great Spotted woodpecker finally. He is in my shop now. The mount is mahogany. The branch is Amelanchier, which has been cured for several years.

He is 7cm long and porcelain. Mike made legs from copper wire. I might make a large branch with several birds later this year. That would be fun!  

 Dadadadada! :D

Happy New Year and the last walk in 2014

Happy New Year! In Japan, New Year's Day is a big thing! It is the most important day in a year. Until the third, most places used to be closed expect for shrines where people visited to pray for their family's happiness for the year. There is special food prepared, so that nobody has to cook for three days.

As I'm away from my country, we don't do anything special here except for eating mochi, special rice cake, my mother sent me. We had champagne and Tempura in the evening. I finished the trilogy by Pullman. We watched Tin tin on TV. I rang my mother just before going to sleep due to the time difference. We had chatted for about an hour. Last two years, I haven't had time to tell her what exactly I was doing in detail because I was either too busy or too unwell. So it was a good catch up.

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On the eve, we had a long walk. It was cold but bright.

Pearl the whippet had been bored and when we saw her face like this, we got up and said 'Let's go for a walk!'

I'm bored....

This is an unusual little post box!

We walked down to Westgate garden.

There was renovation going on, but still Westgate looked nice!

Mike is taking photos and dogs were keen to chase pigeons! 

Let us chase pigeons and ducks! 

I noticed there is an apartment for pigeons! 

A bit damp, I imagine! 

 There are old trees there.

Rumour has it that this tree swallowed a bench.

Outside the garden, there is a nice Georgian house.

On the way back we bought double cream to do cream tea with Mike's scones, which spoiled our dinner! It's a pleasure to be grown-ups.

Tapir experiments

I can't believe that tomorrow is the end of the year! I thought I could do this and that before new year, but 10 days have flown past! Since I went back to the studio on the 26th, I have been nicely busy. There are several things I would like to finish before starting new works.

Tapir protoype

I have been working on a tapir. I made prototype and dismantled him to see how I would be able to make him in the most efficient way. If you remember, I made three tapirs, but it took me very long time to make them. There are ten people on Tapir waiting list. I have to find the way that I would be able to make tapirs more efficiently. So I would be able to offer a tapir at the affordable price, but also I don't have to work without wages for hours.

I had dismantle him, and tried a few things. I had already recycled legs, ears and tail. But it was hard to recycle the body! I hollowed him out and made a baby tapir with new parts!

After cutting up and all experiments, he shrunk a bit! But here is a tapir baby with gangling legs! :D

New born baby

Hello!

 

Our Christmas and Boxing day

Hello! I hope you had good Christmas. We have been watching lots of children's films on TV. (And I cry!) On the eve, I was peeking at the sky, just in case Santa was passing through. Mike was, of course, asleep. In Japan, there are no houses with chimneys. I used to worry how Santa could get into our house. Mother said he would come anyway.

This year I made a wishing list on Etsy and named 'Mike'. I had kept showing what I would like to Mike, but he didn't get any hint. Even after I showed him the list named 'Mike' I could see he was not sure, so I explained. 'I made the list as my wish list.'

The textile art is by Jane Horton, Bath based artist. I found her Etsy shop earlier this year. It is machine stitched. I like the style very much. I like the faces she stitches. They look a bit medieval; simple but spiritual. We will get a frame for it.

He also got me a little glass penguin. The other day, we happened to find the little glass studio in Canterbury. There were a group of cute penguins. When Mike returned to get a few, this was the last one. He is going to get a few more for me when they have more. Penguins need to live in a colony.

Two dried roses were sent by one of my best friends in Japan. I was surprised that they arrived intact. The secret was that they have magnetic at the bottoms and they were stuck to little steel strips inside the acrylic boxes. She also sent me green tea and snacks. How lovely!

 

I was going to order other things on 'Mike' list for him to give me until one day I went to a dentist and got estimated bill of £300 for simple filling. That blew me away. But I have recovered from the shock. I will place a few orders before New Year's day, anyway.

On the Christmas day, We had Mike's brother, Tony, with us for Christmas lunch. He had been looking after our animal family while we were away when we attended art fairs. He is kind to all our family.

Topaz usually barks at any guests and visitors. She is nervous. So we usually put her in the car in the garage during warmer months or in my office upstairs during winter when we have visitors. So when she started barking at him, we were not surprised. But eventually they settled on the sofa together. Look at this! We were shocked!  She had never done this to anybody else but us.

Topaz found her daemon! 

Our tree looks best in dark. :D

On the Boxing day, we wanted to have a relaxing dog walk. But they were keen and sure that there was a cat somewhere! 

Christmas coloured coats - but they wear them all year around! 

I was going to do more tidy up in my office/packing room, but didn't.

A box room on the boxing day! 

Instead, I played with these two! North Pole meets South Pole! 

Polar bear is now in my shop. 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you! Canterbury was drizzly this morning, but the sun has finally appeared. I had to go to dentist this morning. I was supposed to relax and enjoy the day. Mike and I are going to watch 101 Dalmatians to relax. There is nothing better than an old Disney film when you are feeling a bit tense!

This beautiful photo was sent to me on Twitter by hoek @jeanmarron. It is about love, happiness and all things about Christmas, I think.

I hope you have wonderful time.

Copy right: hoek@jeanmarron