Bonus New Year Resolutions Post

A lot of posts beginning with B this month!

New Year Thoughts 2018

I will continue to live more boldly, trying new things and staying out of my comfort zone.

I have joined an art class and will stretch my art more

I will eat fruit every day

I will walk more and go to the gym once a week

I will clear out the flat

I will climb Bennachie

I will get a new job

I will think about buying a new home

I will say yes to more new experiences

And no to things I don't want to do

I will make good use of all my London experiences

Do any blog readers have any resolutions?

Bananas on the Balcony

A picture of my banana plant at it's peak on the balcony. Having a balcony made me realise how amazing it would be to have a garden. The banana did not fruit but the tomato plants courtesy of my stepdad's son Andrew were fantastic. The banana also reminds me of the amazing huge banana plants in the herbaceous border at Buckingham Palace as I zoomed past in the golf cart.

There may be a bit if a gap in pictures and blogs for a bit as we are both moving and going away for xmas.

Until the New Year!

Baroque In Hammersmith

This is Bradmore House, in Hammersmith. The front facade is a rare and lovely example of English Baroque architecture from the C18th. The formerly very grand house, of which this was a small wing, has had a rather chequered history, being demolished in 1913. The front and two interiors were saved. The front was re-erected as part of the bus garage and the interiors given to a local almshouse and the Geffrye Museum. In 1994 the area was again redeveloped and the front rebuilt with a matching building behind (now a Chinese restaurant) and the Geffrye Museum interior reinstalled. 

The house is in an unappealing location as part of a shopping centre but this front facade can be appreciated from the churchyard over the road. It is one of my favourite local buildings. 

Backs of Places: Kensington

This is a small mews by South Kensington station. Mews were back lanes used to access the rear of posher buildings and for stables and staff living. Typically stables and or a coachhouse would open onto a cobbled yard or alley and people who worked with the horses would live above. They are now very desirable homes. In London it is always fun to explore small alleys where you may find older houses, obscure shops or interesting street art. 

House in Pimlico

While wandering with friends the other day I spotted this interesting house. It was on a back street in Pimlico and I am pretty sure it is a Georgian shopfront. Look at the big windows on the ground floor and the decorative woodwork. Further along the street was a painted sign for gas lamps, the kind of thing I particularly enjoy. Sadly as we were zigzagging back lanes I have no idea what street this was or where, but sometimes that has it's own mystery of something found and lost, a little pocket of history.

Drawing Horses 2

Finally got around to painting in the cowboy drawing I did at the horse drawing workshop. I tried to use colours like on the classic cowboy novel covers. Bold colours with lots of contrasting opposites. I tried to go as strong as possible. I used to watch a lot of cowboy films as a kid with my brother and Alistair was always a big fan of cowboy novels by JT Edson. I still enjoy the genre.

Westminster Abbey

And there is also an art post. Westminster Abbey as requested by my friend Stacie from my old work at the gallery. I often walk past this if I am going to meet Alistair from work. It is a jawdroppingly lovely building which always seems bathed in sun and always looks to be at the end of every street in Westminster.

My drawing ink here is Winsor and Newton nut brown rather than my usual black india ink and I like the effect of gentle age it gives.