MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

PEACE BE TO YOU AND TO ALL MANKIND  

     This year has come and gone in a blink, and yet so much had happened in the world around us and in our own environment, causing untold suffering of death, hunger, deprivation, loss, damage and flooding, that our hearts cry out for the afflicted, willing their troubles to soon pass them by.  Nature is more powerful than humankind, but Mankind must find a way to curb our greed and prejudice to live together peacefully, harmoniously without killing or harming each other.

     There was so much I had wanted to do, alas! achieved so little.  The inclement weather had not helped.  Even now as I write, many around the U.K. are suffering strong winds and flooding from heavy rainfalls that are playing havoc with homes and businesses. Our sympathies are with them at this difficult time as Christmas will not be kind to them this year.  May they find some solace after the storm, with good neighbours to comfort them and help them to a speedy recovery again.

                           WISHING EVERYONE A GOOD FESTIVE SEASON AND A
                               HEALTHY,  HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

Click on this link for THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY :http://causality.x10.mx/roy/  

Whose ancestor?

To enjoy more music and songs, go to: 
http://www.ptxofficial.com/music?page=music&album_id=10094"              

Well may you laugh!

Oh, la, la....

                                                              

It's time for me to go to bed before Santa Claus comes down the chimney with my presents.  Oh dear, we have no chimney here!

Not even a fireplace!

Speak to you again soon.

THE CHANGING SEASONS

The season of mists and mellow fruitfulness   will soon give way to Jack Frost

BABY GEORGE with the royal wave

The Romsey Art Group's Autumn Exhibition opened to a packed gallery at the end of September, attended by Test Valley Mayor, Janet Whiteley. Over the past two weeks it attracted numerous visitors, including our Spanish coffee morning group.  I was on rota duty for two afternoons, and had a brisk tea-time trade last Friday afternoon, thoroughly enjoyed meeting art lovers who give so much support for the work of our 300 members.

The Exhibition ended on Sunday, 13th October, coinciding with a chill in the air, as rain played havoc with the temperature, which dropped to single figures, with a North-Easterly wind sending shivers down my spine.  Hats and gloves will soon be needed to accompany raincoats and anoraks.

AUTUMN REFLECTED

I exhibited three paintings and three miniatures, all in watercolour, and had only a fortnight to paint and frame them, ready for the hand-in date.
      'Baby George' with his royal wave, recorded an important current event of the year; 
      'Autumn Reflected' was reminiscent of Fall colours in the States; and the colourful

MIXED GERANIUMS

      'Mixed Geraniums' is an effort at prolonging these hardy flowers in the face of strong winds, now buffeting our terrace.

Roy and I spent the last twenty years of retirement travelling to all corners of the world.  We more than made up for years of holidays we didn't have, when working almost seven days a week running our multi-faceted business of photography, exhibition design, and interior decorating.  The intensity and workload of such a variety of jobs, each with its own deadline, was extremely stressful.  Even as workaholics, we were more than ready to retire.

This year we stayed at home for a well-earned rest from travel, catching up with our mountain of diaries and notes of places we had visited and people we had met. Amazingly the year disappeared seamlessly and we didn't even notice that we have arrived at the autumn of our gap year.  How Time flies!

Tudor House now a museum

Leslie and Bob from Hamilton, Victoria.

In September we were delighted see our Australian friend Bob Martin whom we met on our Chinese trip to the Silk Route.  He and Leslie stopped with us for a week, en-route to other friends. We took them on a walking tour of our once medieval-walled city with underground wine cellars, centuries-old churches and four gateways that controlled the shipping trade of wine imported from France, and export of wool and manufactured textile.
  

We walked the medieval wall

Our roast lunch at the newly renovated Grand Cafe at South-Western House, took us back to its hey days, when it played host to thousands of rich Cunard passengers arriving by rail to board their cruise ships from Southampton. 

Hi, I am Amelia. I am one year old today!

Last month we celebrated a few birthdays, including young Amelia's first birthday.  She was such a delight and so excited at the party, that we felt she was fully aware our joy and happiness was all because of her. 

We just love being with Amelia, especially now that she could communicate with smiles, laughter and a lot of joyful noises that sound like words in any of the three languages spoken by the family: French, Chinese or English.  

A lovely group of friends

Her young friends at the party were all delightful little individuals with great personality, and it would be great to see how they will all grow up.  The parents worked very hard to make it a wonderful and great party for the children, but the grown-ups really came for the food!  We certainly enjoyed every morsel.



Next year I intend to make a conscious effort to catch up with family overseas, so we could be travelling to places we already know or meeting up with people with whom we have nearly lost touch.  Busy lives lose friends and families, and it's time to slow down once again in the same way we did twenty years ago. At the time we retired, we had to learn how to slow down.  We went to India for three months, to learn how to gaze as long as sheep or cows.

Click on this link:  http://jeanlairomsey.blogspot.co.uk 
for the next episode of my LIFE'S JOURNEY in India.

Oh, to be in England...

Cowes Week races

England is basking in the sun

And we are all enjoying the many events being staged around the country, in particular, the hot air balloon festival over Bristol; Cowes Week sailing events around the Isle of Wight; and the open-air stage performances and concerts, including the London Proms. 

We are fortunate to have the Plaza Theatre nearby in Romsey, their latest production of Les Miserables, a musical based on a story of justice, redemption and love by Victor Hugo, was so powerful, and the staging and cast were so brilliant, that I was moved to tears, in spite of having seen the West End stage show a few years ago and watched the film twice.  It was even more remarkable that the cast were all from RAODs Youth group, who contributed so much of the power, energy and talent required, for this show to move to tears not only the audience but also its Director Lisa Gilmour, during its production.  

Flowers to lift our spirit

Our terrace is now full of blooms, and feels almost Mediterranean. We lent a helping hand to Youzhi and Jerome in their new home; to get their garden ready for a BBQ, in time for their parents' arrival from China and from France.  Our young friends have done well this year: with baby Amelie born last September, they even found time to move into a three-bedroom family home before both being now back at work. 

Youzhi and Jerome

These working parents are the backbones of our economy and we salute them for their diligence  and enterprising spirit; for investing industriously into their future and ours.  If all young people were to harness their precious time into productive employment, they will grow the country's economy and our future prosperity.

Amelie now 11 months old

Full employment will help the nation to continue the good work of the NHS for our future health and well being, and also provide for future generations by reducing our current national debts; get earnings back on track; and to generate decent interest rates and good returns on investments. 

The highlight this year has got to be the birth of our future King, to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, on Monday July 22 at 4.24 pm. The healthy 8lb 6oz baby had no problem with the royal wave, right from birth at his first appearance in public on Tuesday, when half the world awaited with their cameras to record the occasion. 

Oyez! oyez! oyez!

From the moment  the Town Crier stepped outside of St. Mary's Hospital, with the red, white and blue feathers in his tricorner hat, ringing his bell, crying "Oyez, oyez, oyez!" to make the announcement, millions tweeted on the internet about the royal birth. 'It's a Boy' went out from the BT Tower, the Tower Bridge in London and the CN Tower in Toronto, switched to blue  to welcome His Royal Highness.   

My first painting of Baby George

A 21 gun salute from the Royal Horse Artillery was fired in Green Park, followed by 62 guns salute from the Tower of London, and the glorious peals from the bells of Westminster Abbey was followed by the 5,000 changes of the Cambridge Surprise Royal peal which sounded for more than three hours, to salute His Royal Highness, third in line to the throne after his father Prince William and grandfather Prince Charles.  All being well, he would become the 43rd monarch since William the Conqueror.

Prince George Alexander Louis was named just before 6.30 pm on Wednesday. He could one day be the head of the Armed Forces; the Supreme Governor of the Church of England; and Head of State in many countries around the world, as well as Head of the Commonwealth of possibly 54 nations.  As King George, he would join six distinguished monarchs thus named: the first King George took the throne in 1714, the second was crowned in 1727.  

King George lll was best known for his madness and for losing the American colonies but went on to reign for nearly 60 years.  His son was a Prince Regent with a notorious love life but with an influential taste in art, and was king George lV for 10 years. 80 year elapsed before the fifth was crowned in 1910 who lived through turbulent times including the First World War and the Great Strike. It was King George V who changed the family name to Windsor.

King George Vl

King George Vl , known to the family as Bertie (Albert), reluctantly became monarch when his brother Edward Vlll abdicated in 1936.  He chose to be George Vl in honour of his father. He didn't feel up to the job, according to the recent film, The King's Speech, but he was much- admired as a leader during the Second World War. His death in 1952 led to his daughter becoming Queen Elizabeth II, who last year celebrating her Diamond Jubilee, 60 years on the throne, and looked set to beat the reign of Elizabeth I.

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II 

The Romsey Art Group will be holding its Autumn Exhibition from Saturday September 28 until 6 October this year, so I must put brush to canvas soon to make sure my work is completed before hand-in date.  Do come and visit our Exhibition at the Mountbatten Gallery, Lee, near Romsey, Hampshire SO51 9LG. 

Summer flowers are colourful this year

Speak to you again in a few weeks' time. Hope you enjoy your summer wherever you are.

Royal Family in the pink

My Canadian Rockies at the City Gallery

The last couple of weeks had been full of celebrations, and we especially rejoiced in the brilliant sunshine, as and when the sun felt inclined to grace us with its presence.  We did have a couple of cold nights in between, but we are not complaining right now.

Stonehenge on Summer Solstice day

Last Friday was Summer Solstice, 21st of June, the longest day of the year, and hundreds of revellers and Druids flocked to Stonehenge before 6 a.m. to see the sun rise over the ancient ring of stones, but the mists played havoc with all hopes of a celebration, even though the weather stayed dry all day.

The 21st of June was also National Care-Home Day and our local Senior-living Sunrise of Bassett, invited us to join their elderly residents at a hog roast followed by St. Winifred's School choir of young voices, singing many of our old-time favourites.  The Mayor of Southampton helped with judging the art and poster competition, and presented prizes to the winners.  It was heart-warming to see some of their alzheimer patients responding to songs they could recall.

'The Queen' painted in 2007

The Saturday before, 15th of June, the country officially celebrated the Queen's birthday, who turned 87 on the 21st of April, with the tradition of 'Trooping the Colour', carried out by trained troops, Foot Guards and Household Cavalry, at Horse Guard Parade in Whitehall, watched by hundreds, and the ceremony televised to millions. This custom was introduced by King Edward VII in the 1700s, and the Queen had so far taken 61 salutes, the first being in 1951 as Princess Elizabeth, standing in for her father, who was unable to attend.

The 'Colour' referred to the brocade and embroidered regimental flags, held in high esteem by the soldiers and officers, to symbolise their loyalty to the Crown and devotion to duty.  The flags were carried into battle to mark the regiment's location, and their rallying points.  Today the Colours are brought out only on regimental occasions and important parades, like the Queen's birthday.

The Changing faces of our Queen - 2012

Last year the Queen celebrated her Diamond Jubilee (60 years on the throne), with a wonderful pageant of flotilla on the River Thames, that culminated in a most fantastic firework display.  Throughout June, street parties were held all around the country in her honour,  at one of which, my husband Roy and I also took part with a group of friends, and the Mayor of Eastleigh came along to wish us all a good time, which we certainly did.

The Romsey Art Group organised a special Diamond Jubilee exhibition, for which I painted Her Majesty's many faces.

The Duchess of Cambridge

After Trooping the Colour, the Royal family rode back in open-top carriages, cheered by thousands of people lining The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace, the splendour of the pomp and pageantry had to be seen to be appreciated.  Led by the Queen, the family, without the Duke of Edinburgh this year, stepped out on to the Palace Balcony, to watch the Air Force fly-past of a Sentry AWACS plane escorted by two Typhoons, A Lancaster, a TriStar and a VC10, followed by a colourful fly-past of nine Red Arrows, trailing red, white and blue right over Buckingham Palace and across central London.

The Queen looked really happy and in the best of health, knowing that the Duke of Edinburgh was recovering in hospital from exploratory surgery, but all eyes were on the happy, glowing face of the Duchess of Cambridge, who was making this her last official appearance in public, before the birth of her baby in July.  She has given the Nation so much interest and happiness, that we all wish Kate and William the best of family life and a bright future.

All the best of summer to you.  Shall speak to you again in a few weeks.

Life Is A Walk In The Park

Bluebells covered the ground as far as the eye can see.

With two long-weekends of public holiday in the same month, May sees us shedding coats, scarves and comfy socks after this cold period of wintry snow, intermittent sunshine, and more rain in April than we've had for many years. Suddenly spring was sprung on us, just as we entered into summer time. Spring flowers like crocuses, daffodils and tulips, made brief appearances and gave way to hardy camellias, which arrived late this year, and the elegant magnolia lost their flowers to the rain.

The colourful azaleas and rhododendrons braved the cold to reassure us of summer just around the corner, and then maybe we can envisage wearing shorts and sleeveless tops, but not just yet, as the deceptive sun still has a wind chill factor too blustery for me to venture out without a windcheater.  On our terrace, we've lost a few non-hardy perennials to the snow, but the deeply planted bulbs and corms survived, to brighten our patio among the conifers, roses and climbers.

Delicate bluebells

We had a couple of sunny days this weekend, warm enough for us to explore a lavender field on the A36 going towards Salisbury. The season  is too early for this most fragrant of edible flowers, but their tearoom serves a delicious, aromatic lavender cake, home-made with ginger, chocolate or pecan nuts, which, in a sheltered part of their garden, gave us the best of British afternoon tea this year.

It really felt like summer for a couple of hours, but the sun's warmth soon dissipated, so we headed towards a bluebell field near Motisfont, which we had visited in previous years.  Alas, this year the bluebells seemed washed out by the rain. It was still a lovely walk, with the pale bluebells swaying beneath the trees.

Painted in 2007 for Southampton Art Society

On our return journey we came upon yellow fields planted with rape, a brilliant contrast against a light blue sky, divided by hedgerows and deep green trees.  Summer is truly round the corner!

I once painted a rape-field through a gate that is not far from here, but that field is still green this year, waiting for more sun to ripen into gold. It's true you can paint anything you see around you, so long as it brings you peace and tranquillity, and allows you time to relax and immerse in nature.

Tulips at Chelsea

The Chelsea Flower show in London, is celebrating its Centenary with excellent blooms, prize-winning garden designs and innovative ideas: turning wasteland into communal oasis of peace and calm; utilising exotic plants from the desert and the rainforest to build contrast and drama, healing powers of Teavolution's 65 herbal plants, as well as an Artisan Garden, a Homebase Garden for the Alzheimer's Society, there's even a Get Well Soon garden to improve mental and physical health. Great inspiration for all garden lovers.

This panda looks like a lot of fun, so I put a twig in its mouth and swung him up a bamboo above an autumnal background, calling it:  An Autumn Lookout, which was sold a few years ago, when I was a member of the Southampton Art Society. Alas, travel and retirement make it difficult to find enough time to be a member of more than one art club. As a member of The Romsey Art Group, we   meet once a month for professional demonstration and a day of Open-studio for members to paint together. I try to paint about three pictures for each of the two exhibitions held every year, with one or two extra exhibitions for special events.

As a member of the Society for All Artists, (SAA), I have the option of attending one of their Regional or London three-day seminar/workshop for beginners, improvers, as well as professional and amateur painters, with lots of art demonstrations and new product lines, to inspire and to interact, where we can learn new techniques or test new products.  More importantly, it's a platform to rub shoulders with artists and art teachers, who could help with new gadgets or any painting problems we encounter. We get six magazines a year, full of tips on painting in different media, competitions to enter in each issue and a chance to be voted the SAA Artist of the Year.

Pembrokeshire in Wales

This landscape was painted four years ago when my husband and I went to chill out in Wales, after his many operations on throat cancer with six weeks of radio-therapy.  It was a gruelling time for both of us, but he has since recovered fully and we are enjoying our retirement travelling, writing, painting and saturating our computers with lots of photographs.

I look forward to talking to you again in a couple of weeks' time, when I hope to publish a few portraits painted for past exhibitions.

Life's many Challenges

This is my new blogspot, created to showcase some of my paintings, many have been exhibited, but only a few sold and the majority are cluttering up my spare room.  I shall publish some of these a few at a time, before I de-clutter our home.

In my Life's Journey, see jeanlairomsey.blogspot.co.uk, I have come to  many crossroads, the decisions for which have brought me here today, to Southampton, and life is still evolving. Life is still full of challenges and the journey had been long but every bit as interesting.  Right now my head is just above water, in organising this Blog, learning along the way.  Google Blogger is really easy and full of creative tips and tricks and I am enjoying all the discovery so far.  Try it yourself, you might like it so much, you could get addicted like my husband Roy. See his site at http://itravelstories.blogspot.co.uk

As a member  of the Romsey Art Group (RAG) I entered three paintings  into this year's Spring Exhibition, at The Mountbatten Gallery in Lee, near Romsey, went on  refreshments duty last Saturday afternoon, and had a great time, chatting to people who stopped for a cuppa and a piece of cake.  During the week, I took a small group of our Spanish coffee morning to visit the gallery, and was told that one of my Penguin paintings had just been sold!  How exciting! My first sale through this Art Group, bought by the Mayor's wife, Dr. Tippet, for her daughter-in-law.  I hope she likes it, too.


I was so happy I kissed the messenger for this good tiding - he was a new member of our Art Group and didn't know how to react to my joy!

I painted this friendly tiger in 2011, which didn't sell at the RAG Autumn Exhibition, but our friend Keith Field bought it for his sister's birthday last year.  She was interested in wild animals, but I hope this is not too ferocious for her.

Life is definitely what you make of it, and at the moment it's fantastic!