I discovered these two beauties after putting my two little beauties off to bed tonight.
A yellow ladybird with black spots and a black lady bird with red spots.
They were at either end of the blind but gradually crawled towards each other – when I caught them having a sneaky kiss I felt incredibly privledged to witness it, the hairs stood up on my neck. I switched the light off and went back downstairs to give them some privacy…
Turns out that these two are variations of the Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) also known as the Multicoloured Asian Ladybird and the Halloween Ladybird. The black dude is called H. axyridis spectabilis and the yellow lady is called H. axyridis succinea. If you would like to know more about them look here: www.harlequin-survey.org/
Moments like these convince me I must invest in a proper camera, one of these days…
So on Sunday we I took the girls to my friend Alan’s studios which is in a converted chapel in a cute village in Nottinghamshire. They had such a great time dancing around, knocking over lights and feeding the goldfish.
We couldn’t settle on which outfit she was allowed to take so at the last minute I said “just take them all!” It was so much fun and we captured some great memories. Makes me wish I had a studio of my own!
Alan’s website with more of his awesome work is here.
Dress: Nanny (not the hired help kind) – $0 Leggins: Newark Outdoor Market – $5 Sandels: Disney (jasmine) – Friends – $0 Hair: Mummy’s salon Stylist: Ella Morelle (6)
I took this on the way to taking Ella to school on the first day back after a brilliant summer. She knows I carry a camera with me all the time now, made this shadow and asked me to snap it.
Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird! No hungry generations tread thee down;
The voice I hear this passing night was heard In ancient days by emperor and clown:
Perhaps the self-same song that found a path Through the sad heart of Ruth, when, sick for home, She stood in tears amid the alien corn; The same that oft-times hath Charm’d magic casements, opening on the foam Of perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn.
-John Keats
This is near my local post office where I sit sometimes after the chaos of sending the mail. I don’t usually draw with this fountain pen but its all I had on me. I think I like its thick line.
So I am mooching about town on Tuesday and my friend Glyn calls me out of the blue:
Do you want to come and see the Beastie Boys in London? I’ve got tickets.
Um…Okay.
2 hours and 150 miles later and some shifting of reality I am standing at the front of the Brixton Academy with a big grin on my face and soon Mixmaster Mike is scratching for England. Its better in a mosh pit than it is on the Northern Line in the rush hour.
Here’s a typical interview they gave Charlie Rose a week ago.
On our last day in Grimblethorpe we hijacked this little boat and went rowing round the private lake for an hour.
The lake was teeming with wildlife and the girls were so exited; they thought it was very naughty to use someones boat without asking (it was part of the deal). They cried when we had to get off.
My arms had begun to recover from the insane trampolining session in Brighton but after this they really ached! Well worth it though, can you imagine how much fun these two had?
