Moth with a broken wing #458

Daily painting #458 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel 

This giant moth, it is about the size of the palm of my hand, is sitting near the ceiling in my kitchen. It has a damaged wing but I think I know why! On the floor below sit 2 beady eyed cats waiting for the sport to begin! The moth however is wise ...it has learnt it's lesson ...it is out of reach...risen above  its tormentors and taking a moment to recoup. It's wing is damaged but it can still fly. I have opened a window close by in the hopes that it will make a wise choice and free itself from trouble ....

My second to last painting of 2014. I wish you the same wisdom I wish for the moth! May your decisions be wise...may you free yourself in 2015 of anything that is bringing you down...may you continue to fly even when life sends you a challenge, it always does! As we bid our farewell to 2014 ...may your 2015 be everything you wish it to be....only you can make it happen! Now fly out the open window moth.....new adventures await!

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Lemon wedges #457

Daily painting #457 6"x6" oil on prime canvas panel

Today was the birthday of one of my dear friends. Melanie was my high school art teacher. We lost contact for a few years when I lived in London (many years ago) but we have stayed in contact since and we are now the best of mates! We have exhibited together in a show called "...a long story!" and in November she opened my Paintings in the post exhibition. She is one of those special friends who you know you can call on for anything and she will be at your side in a minute! A kinder person (and more naturally talented artist) I am yet to meet! So tonight we celebrated with a fabulous feast....all gatherings in my house end up around the table, sharing food, wine and wonderful company! We feasted on lemon and herb and peri-peri smoked chicken, huge Mozambique lemon and garlic prawns and delicious fresh salads. It was a feast fit for a king....in my case....a wonderful friend! I wish I could share more with you but other than the last few wedges of lemon put out to squeeze over the prawns, not much else was left! Happy birthday Mel....to a year of blessings and abundant happiness my friend! X

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Garden Rosemary #456

Daily painting #456 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel 

Tomorrow is one of my very close friend's birthday and we will be celebrating with a lovely meal here at home! I have cut some woody rosemary from my garden to use in a marinade I am making for some chicken which will be cooked over a fire to give them a delicious smokey taste. Of course I will be serving up lots of fresh garden salads with that ....it's just too hot to eat cooked food at the moment! The rosemary in my garden is beautiful ...it is in flower so I have cut a few extra pieces to put in a jar in my kitchen. I love the heady, strong aroma it gives off...and the dainty little lilac flowers are so pretty too!

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It's going to be hot! #455

Daily painting #455. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel 

It's the holidays....I wish I could have a lazy sleep in but the summer heat is a killer and it gets light so very early that my body clock is playing havoc with my sleep! Even with curtains closed and fans spinning to cool the room, my body just seems in tune with the rising sun and slumber seems near impossible as the Prussian sky quickly changes from around 4am. Today the sun seemed to just appear with no prior pink and tangerine glow to herald its arrival. The Prussian gave way to sudden blinding light....it's clearly going to be one hot, steamy and humid day today! The joys of Summer....wish she would bless us with some rain!

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Red chili red cherries #454

Daily painting #454. 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel 

There seems to be an abundance of red in my kitchen at the moment...red chillies, red cherries, red strawberries, red apples, red nectarines, red plums, red peppers! It must have something to do with the season...good thing I quite like the colour! 

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Broken candy cane #453

Daily painting #453 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

The family have all gone home, my kitchen is clean and most of the things have been packed away. The last remnants of Christmas celebrations can left for the morning ....my feet are sore, my body is tired (my children woke at 4.30 with bundles of excitement), my tummy is too full but my heart is even more full! A special day! Love my family beyond measure! X

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Christmas bells #452

Daily painting #452 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel 

Christmas Eve is magical! We attended the Nativity service at St James church, had a wonderful meal with our 2  special mums and grannies and I am finally catching my breath in the quiet after a busy but exciting day! My children are in bed asleep, the presents are wrapped and under the tree and all that's left is for me to wish you all a very Happy Christmas! 

I hope you all have a very special day!

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Christmas pudding berries #451

Daily painting #451 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel

Today has been about cooking more than painting! I do love to cook...as many of you already know! Today I did all my final preparation bits and bobs in the kitchen...all those little things that can be done ahead of time to make the Christmas feasting that much more enjoyable for the one preparing all the food (me!). As you know I am sentimental and our family loves traditions and rituals in that there is a comforting sense of nostalgia and familiarity in the little things that stay the same, especially at a time like Christmas! So the famous family Mustard sauce (for the Christmas gammon) has been made...you might remember I painted mustard last year, and the Christmas cakes, puddings and all the 'usual' family recipes have been paid homage in my kitchen today! On Christmas Eve we will have a dinner with my mum-in-law and on Christmas Day we will have the traditional Christmas family lunch so I have 2 Christmas celebrations to prepare for.....a busy time....but I wouldn't change it for the world! I feel grateful that we are able to share wonderful meals together, that we are able to spend time with family (missing those that are far away) and that these traditions and family values can be passed onto my children. It is a time of giving, sharing and family....and wherever you are and whatever your beliefs...I send you good will....we could all do with more giving, sharing, gratitude and good will....no matter the time of year! 

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Beaded angel #450

Daily painting #450 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel 

450 days of little daily paintings!! 

My mum is so incredibly clever and creative. She does not paint or draw but she is creative in so many other ways! A couple of years ago she made some beautiful little beaded angels. They are made using soft wire and beads and the skirt is made using safety pins and beads! I love little treasure like this that hang in my Christmas tree. Each little decoration tells a story....I am sentimental I know! 

If you are no longer receiving the daily Paintings in the post email, I apologize! I (actually Candice....thank goodness for her!) have had to fix some issues with my feedburner link and in doing so I lost many of the email contacts on the subscribers list! Sorry....PLEASE subscribe again by adding your email address and clicking the grey 'submit' icon! You will then receive the daily paintings every day in your mail box....even if it is only in the modern mailbox the "Inbox"! Thanks and I hope those technological gremlins now find somewhere else to cause havoc!

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Christmas roses #449

Daily painting #449 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

I bought some beautiful soft roses thinking they would last through Christmas but it has been so hot that they are wilting and even buds that haven't yet opened are drooping in the vase. Such a pity...but I should have known...roses in our humid summer heat do not last long! As a matter of fact I can relate...I feel a bit like those wilting roses! Today was sweltering hot and we all wallowed around in the warm swimming pool a bit like the hippos we saw in the rivers last week! I think we are going to have a very hot Christmas. So much for snowmen, snowflakes and icicles hanging on my Christmas tree...and as for Santa....he needs to loose the long pants and mittens, find some baggies (swimming trunks) and a pair of sunglasses....it's going to be Christmas in the sun!

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Family, food and South African chocolates #448

Daily painting #448 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel 

My cousin Jason is visiting from New Zealand with his partner Tanya and his little girls. They came over today for a meal and they are leaving in the morning for Johannesburg to spend Christmas with more family. Jason and I are only 6 months apart in age and grew up really close as youngsters...our Mums are sisters. He has lived in New Zealand for many years now and it has been too long since we have seen one another! It was so brilliant to catch up with him and our children got along so well. Of course Andrew made a roaring fire and we had a good old South African braai (barbecue) with boerewors (a traditional South African sausage) and Sosaties (marinated meat on a skewer) with traditional roasted butternut, bake garlic breads, salads and of course melktart (a South African type of cinnamon custard tart). I also had a bag of chocolates called 'Favourites' which are little mini versions of some of South Africa's favourite chocolates like pepperment crisp, inside story and black cat peanut butter bars.....but I forgot to put these out! So I now have a bag of chocolates that I really don't want around, with all the holiday food and celebrations I really don't need extra chocolates tempting us all! So they found their way into my studio....not the most interesting of objects to paint and I did have my kids peering over my shoulders like scavengers waiting to pounce on the chocolates the minute I put my brush down! 

The South African rand better not continue to drop any lower (I can be hopeful!) it is not helping me get to Chicago to see Candice and now I am adding New Zealand to my bucket list too! 

This really is a time of celebration, food and of course family! Jason it was awesome to have you and your family at our table....love and safe travels! X

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Santa decoration #447

Daily painting #447 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel 

I have SO many Christmas decorations and I have never left it until the last week before Christmas to put out all my decorations! But then again we don't normally go away just before Christmas....so better late than never! The house is looking really festive but I have to admit it doesn't feel like Christmas is just a few days away. Although I did get a good feel of the Christmas chaos yesterday when I took my son to meet up with some mates for a movie at one of our large shopping malls. Bad idea! I thought I would do some last minute (I always swear I will not do the last minute thing) shopping while the kids were at movies but golly gosh the combination of crowds, noise, Christmas carols and people bumping into me was enough to send my senses into overdrive and I felt like a rabbit who wanted to run and hide in the nearest hole! Can I rush off back to the quiet of the bush PLEASE?!! I am one of those people who would rather pay normal prices that fight crowds at sales and being stuck in the rush of people almost made me feel claustrophobic!  I cursed myself for doing the last minute thing yet again. But I finally have all my Christmas planning in order other than a few last minute food items that I will have to shop for on the day before Christmas. Luckily I had painted this little Santa decoration from the tree before I braved the shopping mall....I don't think I could have faced any more Christmas once I got home with sore feet, a pounding headache and a sense of humor failure not to be envious of! My mood quickly changed though when I realized my husband had a fire going (he had made a barbecue or as we call it braai) and was about to cook supper ....at that moment it felt better than any gift Santa could bring!

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Around 4.15am #446

Daily painting #446. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel 

I need to stop having such an early start to the day! The sun seems to have no sooner disappeared and it's popping up again ....and by 3pm I am ready to crash into a deep sleep. That's fine for the holidays when putting your feet up with a good book and having a little afternoon snooze is a treat...but summer is long and I clearly need to change my body clock! These early mornings are beautiful before the heat sets in and it is my favourite time of day but when sunrise is so early in summer...an early start means a really long day!

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Random...a match, a screw and a bee #445

Daily painting #445. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

So how does a random match, screw and a dead bee land up on my canvas for my daily painting you are asking, right? Well the story is actually really lovely...yet also quite random! 

We have an elderly Zulu man that works for us and lives on our property. Patrick has worked for us since before my daughter was born and he is like a member of our family! While we were away last week, Patrick took care of everything at home...most importantly feeding my animals for me! When we arrived home I found on my easel shelf a match, a little screw and a dead bee. Being of little significance I didn't pay them much attention until this morning when Patrick asked me if I found my things on the easel? I was confused! "A painting?" I asked him. He looked at me and laughed..."Haybo Cha (Zulu for 'yikes no!!') .....all those things you paint!" Well I was still confused. "Woza (come)" he said as he beckoned for me to follow him to the studio. He bent over my easel and I watched curiously (and confused) there was nothing on my easel....until he opened up the palm of his hand and revealed the match, the screw and the dead bee! I laughed and he smiled back and said "I found them on the floor ....all the things you like to paint!" I was so touched by his thoughtfulness and by the fact that 3 seemingly useless and arbitrary objects could be valued enough for him to leave them for me to paint. As my mind shifted to thinking of how random the objects are that I often paint (and yet they hold significance to me in some often strange way), he laughed and walked out my studio saying in broken English that I paint strange things! I was left alone smiling gratefully. My way of showing thanks was to paint all 3 objects. When I thanked him and showed him the painting, he shook his head and walked off laughing ....not sure if he was approving the painting but he clearly thinks I am nuts (crazy)!!

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Panda #444

Daily painting #444 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel 

Meet Panda....our beautiful Rottweiler cross black Labrador. She was a rescue baby from our local Animal Anti-cruelty League. She was just the cutest pup and at almost 3 years old (and weighing in at a hefty number) she is still as playful and clumsy as the first day we got her! Her face is so expressive and after being away for the week there is nothing quite as welcoming as the looks on the faces of your furry babies as they welcome you home! Panda and George (our dogs) and Shelly and Noo-Noo (our cats) ....we have missed you and you make coming home again feel just right! Our furry family....we couldn't live without them!

It felt like home to be back in my studio yesterday surrounded by my familiar comforts and to squeeze out my oil paint again ....well that just felt right too! Home sweet home (studio)!

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Christmas at the Shedlocks #443

Daily painting #443 pen, ink and watercolour postcard for the postcard art group NFS

My postcards came in a pack of 8 and I had used 7 ....so it seems a bit of a waste to not use them all up. Besides that after a whole day on the road traveling home and unpacking I really didn't have much energy for a daily painting ....so there ALMOST wasn't one today! I have arrived home to the sudden reality that Christmas is in exactly 10 days time and I have not one decoration up let alone a Christmas tree yet....and normally almost every room in the house is decorated....I love Christmas! So first on my list of priorities is to get some Christmas cheer in the house. Off to get a tree tomorrow and pull out all the lovely things that make home feel like Christmas every year! If you have mailed me or messaged me while I was away I promise to get back to you soon. With a weak internet connection in the bush (it is lovely to be back to my wifi connection) I didn't really look at messages ...and besides I was supposed to be on holiday, however sharing a daily painting which has become a part of life rather than feeling like work is about as much as I would allow myself to do. But I promise to tackle those emails and messages soon....but first it's time to full my house with Christmas cheer! It is always good to be home.....

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Hippo #442

Daily painting #442 pen, ink and watercolour postcard for the postcard art group NFS

Our last day ....my heart feels sore but my head is full of wonderful memories, my soul tank brimming and my camera loaded with amazing images and memories! We couldn't have asked for better game viewing on our last day. A leopard walking in front of us and jumping into a tree a couple of meters from our car with breakfast, a buck she had killed. We had 3 hunting female lion walk out of the grass and plonk themselves on the ground around our car. They sniffed the air, checked the entire area of bush around our car and then slowly stalked their way into the grass again....we were absolutely captivated watching them! We watched baby elephant clambering after their mum, so young that their 'little' legs seemed uncoordinated and their trunks dangled awkwardly ...their clumsy manner and playfulness was delightful! We have been treated beyond measure this week and nature has shared generously with us! I hope you have enjoyed reading a bit about our trip and I am delighted I am going home with some little postcards to share with the postcard art group! I hope you have enjoyed seeing them! I have to admit that I am itching to squeeze out my oil paints...I have missed them but it has been good to have a change in my daily routine and my beautiful studio at home, while I will be happy to see it, will be comparatively rather boring!
The last animal we saw this evening as we crossed the Crocodile River to head home to a quick supper and some packing up, was one single hippo wallowing in the cool water...so a little hippo postcard to end the week off....goodbyes are always sad so Kruger and the Crocodile River...'till next time.....thank you for your generous hospitality! X

It is going to take me a few days to download and edit all my photos so 2 pics taken by my husband with his phone camera..

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Scrub Hare #441

Daily painting  #441 pen, ink and watercolour postcard for the postcard art group NFS

The night drive last night was absolutely fantastic!! We had a Zulu game ranger who entertained us with some of his cultures traditional ideas and he had an incredible knowledge of the bush veld and the animals. I know this southern part of the Kruger so well and know every little dirt road but entering the bush at night is such a completely disorientating experience. The intense darkness is almost indescribable other than to say it is claustrophobic as ones eyes just do not adjust at all....the pitch black seems to envelope you and every little sound seems magnified! As one sense is rendered useless, the other senses become intensified so sound and smell overwhelm you!
We shared the vehicle with some American tourists who were visiting South Africa and on their first Safari and first night ride experience. It was great to see their delight in every animal they saw (even Impala), we get so used to seeing some animals that we take seeing them for granted. It was interesting to see hippo feeding at night so far away from the water...they are actually South Africa's most dangerous animals in that they have killed more people per year than any other animal....and they are herbivores...herbivores with a quick temper! We saw prickly porcupines with their quills hanging at all angles like they are having a bad hair day. We saw civet, genet, white tailed mongoose and a range of other nocturnal animals. Sadly we didn't come across a pride of lions lying in the road...they often lie on the road at night because the surface of the road retains some of the heat from the day, and sadly no jackal or wild dog but we did come across 2 packs of hyena! One pack was stalking along the road looking really creepy at night and the second pack were scuttling around an area at the edge of the road in a dip. The ranger told us they had a den on the side of the road and one of the females had just given birth to a litter of pups so they were probably guarding the den. I didn't need any convincing to steer clear. We saw so much and I won't bore you by telling you about each one but I do want to share with you the little Scrub Hare.
It is a common hare and breeds abundantly in the bush as it is very often on the dinner menu of a
large variety of predators. However in an attempt to fend off predators the hare has been blessed with speed and the habit of running in a zig zag pattern to try slow down its larger predators. It has not however been blessed with any cleverness or cunning and last night we landed up with one in front of the Land rover and he clearly thought he was being chased by the largest predator ever! Rather than moving out of the road and into the bush (the vehicle was moving very slowly) it proceeded to hop in front of us in a crazy zig zag pattern thinking it could throw this huge predator off. The rangers top priority is to ensure that all the animals are safe...no shining spot lights directly into their eyes or scaring them for example, so he decided to cut the front vehicle lights and spot lights off. He thought this might scare the Hare less and it would hopefully move off the road and into the bush. The rangers other priority is obviously to keep all of his passengers safe so when he cut the lights to the bellows of one of the American tourists (who was clearly also experiencing the 'bush darkness' for the first time) he almost lost a couple of passengers from sheer fright! He thought better of it (a heart attack in the bush at night at least an hour away from civilization is not a good idea) and he quickly put the lights back on, to the relief of many! We waited for the Hare to move off which of course it did but as I said yesterday the bush teaches you patience...and a whole new respect for the dark! What a hive of activity there is at night, no wonder in the heat of the day most animals are sleeping off the bush party from the night before!
We arrived home at about 11.30 pm with 2 very tired but happy children so today has been a restful day. A chance in the heat of the day to sleep off our bush adventures from the night before.

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Tree squirrel #440

Daily painting #440 pen, ink and watercolour postcard for the postcard art group 

These skittish little creatures always give us a giggle when we see them. They scurry about like the White Rabbit in Alice and Wonderland like they are "late...late for a very important date"!! They live in hollows in trees. They live in large groups for greater protection and secrete a particular scent which they cover their living area with and rub over the tail and bodies of those they live with so that they can be easily identifiable as all having a similar scent. They are very territorial and won't tolerate any other squirrels coming into their living space who don't carry their familiar scent. I am so glad I don't have to share the same body scent as my husband and son when they have playing sport....I think I would also scurry around like I was mad! 

Jokes aside....I am actually writing this post but unable to send it. After the storm the other night I have had a really weak data connection on my laptop and as soon as I try to do anything with images the connection crashes....it is also taking ages for me to even access my blog! I haven't as yet even loaded yesterday's blogpost because it simply won't allow me to! Very frustrating but then maybe I shouldn't have the distractions of electronics with me in the bush! That being said I do love to share my experiences with you, especially some of you who have maybe never visited South Africa. I hope I can share just a little of our beauty....South Africa does not always get the best press publicity but nothing can beat this little piece of heaven on earth ....the African bush! If you have never experienced it....I hope that one day you might and if not I hope you enjoy hearing about it from me....if only I can receive a strong enough data signal ....!!! If there is one thing being in the bush teaches you it is patience ....maybe tomorrow I will be able to share! (Holding thumbs!!!!)

We are off on a night drive tonight in the bush. At night one is only allowed to travel around under the guidance of  a game ranger. Night being the time when many predators hunt and the animals vision being far superior to ours at night, it is only safe to travel with a ranger. The dark is so incredibly dark it is almost claustrophobic but with a search light the rangers guide you and hopefully find some nocturnal animals .....too excited for words!!!! (Hang on I seem to have used a lot of those....more tomorrow)

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Blue headed lizard #439

Daily painting #439 pen, ink and watercolour postcards for the postcard art group NFS

I had to be a brave girl today....we saw LOTS of reptiles! Not my favourite creatures but probably because I have a totally irrational fear of snakes!! It is summer time so of course the reptiles are out of hibernation and enjoying the summer heat more than most of us! We saw so many Tree Igamas (more commonly known as blue headed lizards). The mating male has a brilliant blue head and is actually quite a beautiful chap (if I can view him from a distance). We saw a bright green snake considerably bigger than what I thought a Green Tree Snake is, so we are still debating whether it could have been a Green Mamba. I took a photo so once I have downloaded it and we can see it again, the family debate can continue...quite frankly any snake is dangerous to me and should be kept as far away as possible but that is only because I am totally ignorant when it comes to identifying them and whether they are potentially poisonous....and of course I have mentioned my totally irrational fear at the mere sight of them!!! It sends an adrenalin rush bolting through my body, my legs seem to turn to jelly and I feel like I am gasping for air!!! Silly I know and not so cool when you actually enjoy being in the bush because there are LOTS of snakes! We also saw at least 4 Water Monitors (lizards that can grown almost a meter in length) and my son was the spotting champ today, he spotted a Chameleon camouflaged in the grass alongside the road....not an easy thing to spot! We saw plenty of elephant, giraffe, buck, buffalo and the usual game but the absolute highlight of the day was finding a Cheetah female with three cubs. We followed her for about 20min watching the cubs play as she walked slowly through the grass. If they strolled off too far from her, she would stop and call them back and they would immediately come bounding over. As she moved in closer to the road my husband cut the engine of the car so that we did not frighten her or her cubs off. To our delight she strolled onto the road in front of us with her cubs as they played and rolled over one another, she then slowly moved off in the opposite direction. As her and her fluffy cubs drifted off into the surrounding bush we absorbed the silence, car engine still off, in absolute disbelief at how fortunate we had been and grateful that she had showed off her babies so generously to us! It is moments like this that will always pull at me, making me long for these adventures! 

Apologies for the really poor quality photo, my husband took it on his phone and I have not yet downloaded any photos from my camera, so this will have to do for now...pity he didn't get the cubs in who were playing just behind her....beautiful beyond words!

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Masked Weaver #438

Daily painting #438 pen, ink and watercolor postcard for the post card art group.

After 2 long days in the car, we decided to spend a restful day at home today. Home being our temporary abode, a rustic thatched house right on the border of the Kruger National Park overlooking the reserve and the Crocodile River. An abundance of wildlife wonders freely around like a huge assortment of buck, wildebeest, giraffe warthog, zebra etc. About the only things you won't find in our back garden are the more dangerous cats, elephant, hippo and rhino. Although all that separates us from Kruger is a fence so one always has to be cautious, on your guard and particularly careful at night. A fence will certainly not keep leopard out! We filled the bird feeders in the garden (you know how much I love birds!!!) and spent most of the cooler morning watching and waiting. The bird life here is fantastic but today I decided to share a little masked weaver with you. They are quite common and we do get them at home but I love the mating males dramatic colour! You will be forgiven for wondering why he appears to have a large green foot...well lets just say I had to create some impromptu foliage when I opened my ink pen and it splattered over my completed painting!!!! Grrrr...but such is daily painting, anything can happen and I wasn't going to start again!

As I painted I watched a hippo lumbering out of the water in the Crocodile River, a rather large lizard sunning himself rather close for comfort (reptiles are my least favorite) and some zebra were grazing the grass really close to the house....my studio couldn't get much better than that!

In my studio....

The heat of the day ended with a magnificent African thunder storm which seemed to roll in over the bush veld. We watched the lightening and heard the thunder and felt the gentle breeze which started to rustle every tree as the storm crept closer over the very dry Crocodile River...
You can see an image I loaded on Instagram by clicking here.

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Leopard tortoise #437

Daily painting #437 pen, ink and watercolor postcard for the postcard art group

What an amazing day! We were so spoilt! By 9.30am we had spotted the African Big 5...elephant, rhino, leopard, buffalo and lion! They were good sightings within meters of our vehicle! 

The herd of elephant were a huge herd and the matriarch was not so happy we had stumbled upon them. She kept a wary eye on us until her whole herd had moved off and my husband kept the vehicle in reverse and at a safe distance in case she decided to charge! Little babies only a few days old were tucked under their mummies tummies. In all my visits to the bush I don't think I have ever seen such young baby elephant and I thank the matriarch for being so protective. I have such huge respect for these amazing animals and their sense of family is something many could learn from! 

We tracked 3 huge rhino from the bushes down to the river in the mid day heat. In all we had 6 rhino sightings in different places which is good news considering we were told only 2 days ago a new born rhino had to be airlifted by game rangers from her mother who was found dead with her horn missing, such news infuriates me beyond measure! I wish I could share all the beautiful photos I took with you...I wish I share not only the beauty of the bush but the smells and the sounds and the incredible sense of peace one feels when you are sitting quietly just taking it all in...if only I could share it all!

But today I share a little leopard turtle which will be posted off to the postcard art group. The little leopard turtle is part of what we in South Africa call the Little Five game. The little five were so called by conservationists for visitors to also acknowledge the smaller - less noticed - but still enigmatic animals of the bush veld in South Africa, rather than always focussing on the Big Five. Each 'little' species is a contradiction in sheer size to the big five animals, but the first part of its English name relates to one of the famous bigger five animals. The little five game are Elephant Shrew (small insect eating mammal with a long nose), Buffalo Weaver (a bird probably the easiest to find), Leopard Tortoise (an endangered species), Lionant or Ant lion (a large species of ant) and the Rhino beetle (so called because of the horn like structure on its head). We were lucky enough to spot Buffalo Weavers and a Leopard turtle on the side of the road yesterday...but the others would be impossible to find from the safety of a vehicle, one would have to be on foot with a game ranger.

We returned to make a fire and cook supper outdoors (for those of you familiar with my blog you will know what joy this gave my husband!) and to enjoy the last of what Africa had to treat us with...a beautiful sunset over the bush! For all the trouble, violence and bad publicity South Africa often receives...tonight I feel privileged! I feel a huge sense of gratitude that my family and I are able to experience this and tonight I wouldn't choose to be anywhere else in the world! My heart is in Africa!

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Dung beetle #436

Daily painting #436 pen, ink and watercolor (for postcard art group)

We have arrived safely at this little piece of heaven on earth! We have spent a large portion of our day in the car today and so finding time to paint was a bit difficult! We have recently had postal strikes in South Africa and this has affected both outgoing and incoming mail. I belong to a postcard art group where we regularly share hand rendered (in any medium) postcard size pieces of art. It is an international group and I am the only South African. This week piles of postcards started arriving much to my delight...they have obviously been held up during the strike. I now have a long list of people who I need to reciprocate to and so I decided to pack my watercolor, pen and ink materials this week in the hopes that I could make some little postcards to send off to the postcard art group. Because I will be spending this week in the bush, a few typically quirky South African images might be fun to send off...
On our arrival this afternoon we backed some celebratory refreshments and went off to have sundowners at the fence bordering the Crocodile River. We saw water buck, hippos, buffalo and 2 large elephant cooling themselves off in the river in the late afternoon heat. My son Ross suddenly shrieked with delight and we all sat upright looking for the source of such excitement thinking he had spotted lion or even better, leopard...but we soon realized he had his face towards the ground and he was following something moving with amazing speed along the ground. He had found to his delight a very large dung beetle rolling along the ground with a neat ball of dung(animal poo). Dung beetles are hugely important for the eco system and are amazing little creatures, they can roll giant balls of elephant dung up to 50 times heavier than themselves.
Tomorrow we are heading off at sunrise into the bush...hope we see some interesting sights. On our top lookout list this holiday is cheetah, wild dog and jackal. There are also lots of babies around with spring just past!
I promise to keep you updated. We have no wifi and my data connection is weak, slow(for loading images) and at times non existent...but I will continue to paint daily (I did pack my oils paints too) and I will have to hold thumbs when it comes to sharing online....

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Planning day #435

Daily painting #435. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

An early start with the daily painting today. I had to finish off the commissioned paintings of a family farm for a client and have then spent the rest of the day organizing, planning and packing for our trip to the Kruger National park. We are leaving tomorrow morning, Monday, at 4am to get on the road early and make a good start. We will hopefully reach the Swaziland border post early. The trip is about a 9 hour journey by car and we travel through Swaziland, an independent land locked country inside the borders of South Africa. Having to exit South Africa to enter Swaziland and back out to South Africa again is time consuming and while the border posts on the South African side are not too bad, the Swaziland border post is a 3rd world African experience! The roads are also pot-holed and you can share the road with a number of means of transport like tractors and donkeys and even the cattle being herded off to goodness knows where! So we plan to get on the road early and hopefully miss some of the craziness. I can't wait to get to the bush...I love the smells, the sounds and the natural beauty....it's like soul food to fill the soul tank!

I will try to share some pictures via Instagram so you can follow me at www.instagram.com/heidishedlock

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Farm study 2 #434

Daily painting #434 oil on primed canvas panel NFS

The second little study for the commissioned paintings I am working on this weekend. Then it's time to pack my painting things up, throw a few clothes into a bag and sort out some food....we are off early on Monday morning to the Kruger National Park, South Africa's largest game reserve for a weeks holiday! Be sure to follow me on Instagram (heidishedlock) to see a few of our holiday pics! Heading off to the bush is right up there with one of my favourite things to do! 

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The farm #433

Daily painting #433 oil on primed canvas panel NFS

I am going to be working this weekend on some larger paintings of a family farm for a client. I prefer to paint from life and where possible if I paint from photographs I like them to be photos I have taken myself but of cause this not always possible and in this case I have to work from the photographs that have been given to me. So a little planning sketch today just to get myself familiar with the images and the land....in preparation for a weekend of painting! This little 'planning painting' was so helpful. I can already see where I need to improve and what I need to change. It is especially important to do drawings and planning sketches especially when you are not familiar with your subject!

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Breakfast and a spoon #432

Daily painting #432. 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

My last painting class for the year today....and tomorrow my daughter finishes Grade 5 and my husband goes on leave from work....the holidays have arrived!

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The greeting #431

Daily painting #431 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

That magic time when day and night share the same sky in a momentary greeting....

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Green chili #430

Daily painting #430 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

My mother-in-law has a friend who gives her a weekly box of organic produce from a home organic vegetable garden. She regularly drops off produce with me which I accept with glee (and you regularly get to see in my paintings!). This week some rather lethal looking green chillies were in the bag. I think I am probably safer painting them than cooking with them!

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Scarlet lid and a brush #429

Daily painting #429. 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel 

It didn't take long after the big studio tidy up for me to find my things lying around again...oh dear! 

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