Guiting Power The uncanny way that a vicar is able to pedal a very heavy bicycle at a constant speed no matter what the gradient of the slope or the load carried in the front basket. There is always a front basket. Continuing my series on possible meaning of Gloucestershire names, this place is in the Cotswolds and probably does not see a lot of these gentlemen these days. Continue reading Guiting power, the unknown force.
Hucclecote One of those parkas your dad or granddad used to own in the seventies that you never bothered to throw away. The undefined fur on the collar is somewhat perished and moth eaten. It has no waterproofing qualities at all and never did, and if mistakenly worn in wet conditions will act like blotting paper. May have the slight smell of patchouli oil, the rennants of a visit to a music festival but more likely to give off the odour of cow manure. Here’s another of my recent drawings for my little book of Gloucestershire names and their true … Continue reading More about the true meaning of Gloucestershire names
This is the last photo that I’ll be posting on here, and is in the Canadian Rockies. From now on my writings and photos will be on http://www.unknownitems.com and this site will be dedicated to drawings and cartoons, the odd bit of writing here and there and perhaps a poem or two. It’s a bit of a reorganisation, a tidying of my drawers so to speak. It will also give me some idea of what is the most popular stuff, the drawings or the photographs/writings. So if you have been following me here, feel free to follow me there : … Continue reading Walk this way please.
It’s been like winter here today so here’s a reminder of what it can be like.Taken after my trip to Paradise a few weeks ago, the Forest of Dean Brass Band playing in the park and this chap playing the tuba. I bet he plays rugby too! Wet days like today are ideal for drawing at the desk, no distractions and as can be seen by today’s activity on the blog a chance to catch up with Siberian border guards. Continue reading The red headed brass bandsman…
A ‘didbrook’ is a blow to the belly which results in the recipient expelling all available oxygen from the body in one breath. It’s a term used often in rugby: ” He got a right old did brook dinner” is … Continue reading Didbrook
Here’s today’s almost finished rough. I’m working on a little book of place names and their meaning. ( I’ve made them all up of course ) Tibberton is a small village on the outskirts of Gloucester going west, but I describe it thus: Tibberton The way a female Tuffley walks after a night out on the Abbeymead. The heels of her shoes clatter on a wet pavement, generally accompanied by some choice language like: ” It wos you wot sed these shoes were ok Dawn but they’s crap, oh bugger av just lost me cheps” which loosely translated means ” … Continue reading Tibberton
How good to get back to the drawing and the ideas. I’ve been working on a small book for a hypnotherapist and this little rough idea came out this afternoon. Sometimes the first drawing is the best and this is … Continue reading Hippycamper or hippocampus
I don’t normally post about holidays but this is the exception. The Orkneys with a group of fellow walkers was the plan and a good plan it was too. It rains a lot in the Orkneys and for those of you not familiar with where I’m talking about it’s north of the very north of mainland Scotland and consists of many islands. We got there by flying to Inverness and then transported from there by fine ‘minibuswalkercarrier’ vehicle to the top of the country. It was raining, and grey, all day. It got more and more bleak the further north … Continue reading Orkneys, weather or not.
Yes, I was on holiday and walking a fell ( that’s a roundy type hill to those from outside the UK ) and it was wet, very wet. Walking through a boggy field littered with sheep and marsh orchids and … Continue reading Would you put your washing out on a day like this?
My chum Richard who was at college with me some years ago, does walking, and occasionally I join him. We meet midway between where we live and this is conveniently the Mendip Hills in Somerset, just a mile or three … Continue reading Bluebell fields and a grand day out.
Came across this drawing today and thought I’d share it with you. Makes a change from border guards. It’s that time of year again with birds flying in from all over the place to spend some time with us over here. I’m a bit of a bird watcher but am not that good at recognising them, apart from the common ones, and most people can do that. Continue reading Birdwatcher or twitcher?
We were blessed here in Cheltenham with a visit from famous graffiti artist Banksie about a year ago when he painted this blank wall on the end of a terrace of houses. I thought it was a good joke given that Cheltenham listens to the world through GCHQ, and it brightened up the house facade. A year on and this is the result. Nothing very funny about this mess. Wrangles about who owns it and who can profit from it have made it into this, together with a visit from someone with more paint and a lot less talent than … Continue reading Banksie revisited, what a shame.
Paul Davies Cartoons & stuff 