IFJM # 25

Poured with rain last night but time for us to go back. Went past the large lizard enclosure - the Director's own gene-regeneration programme.



He was surprised by the colour variations.

IFJM # 24

There were large flocks of birds in the swamp lands. The Director knew where the fingers of hard land reached into them. This world is mostly low-lying and the zoo is looking to make more use of the land.



The director read my journal so now he knows. He also shared that his family owned the planet but asked me to keep that quiet.
PS. we found an ideal spot for tourist accomodation.

IFJM # 23

The Director's dog - yes he has a real dog. Not a man I thought would have a toy poodle.



Apparently she goes everywhere with him except the large animals' enclosures.

IFJM # 22

Mondo was sick and unable to drive. When I queried why he was needed the said They Director had wanted to go out to the swamp area to look at the viability of a wild-fowl area. He is an animal person - not at all mechanical. I sort of volunteered.



After a day's drive - the Director relaxing in the hut. I didn't realise we would be away overnight. I used some of Rondo's stuff that was in the 4WD.

IFJM # 21

You've got to be impressed by elephants. I am.

This poor old elephant is near the end of her days and has arthritis.
They are trying to find a replacement but they are becoming quite rare. This one was too old for breeding even when they got her.

IFJM # 20

Rock dog from the same planet as the jitterbug a very stony worls. A pack animal. Some drive the prey to the others lying in wait among the rocks. Their armoured backs are necessary because the prey herd gtallops over the top of them . Hooves made for travelling on rocks are very tough.



Of course, in their pen they are fed already dead meat similar to the tigers and cheetahs.

IFJM # 19

I had some explaining to do last night. I found the escaped haldinger for them but some **&%!!+* you can't please. In the end, all's well. They're still figuring out how to recapture him.

I said find an outside enclosure - like a canyon - and give him some company. He seemed happy with the herd of sprinboks.



These spots kept me occupied for a while.

IFJM # 18

Didn't get much sleep last night - much to-ing and fro-ing in the corridors. Before dawn I gave up and as it was my day off , grabbed some fruit from the kitchen and headed off for a good walk

Springboks getting their winter coats.
Uo-oh - haldinger hoof.



So - last night explained.
New Fact - haldingers like apples. We shared mine and he melted back into the bushes.

I crept back out of there before he decided this vegetarian was related to those human predators.

IFJM # 17

Simpson's Blue - a real mistake with gene manipulation. These animals are untamable, viscious but oh so beautiful to watch galloping across their large meadow.




I'm lucky most of my work is morning and evenings so I have time to wander for an hour or two in the middle of the day.

IFJM # 16

Raining. Had to copy from a large photo on the dining hall wall. Borrowed pencils.
Lynx.

IFJM #15

I got to thinking about haldingers. How come other animals that live in the same area are not annihilated by them?

Some of the animals are not very obliging when I am trying to paint them. My WC box was a great investment.

IFJM # 14

IFJM # 13

IFJM #12

IFJM #11

IFJM # 10

IFJM #9

For details about IFJM click on the icon to the right.




Today I had the task of escorting a tourist around because they have noticed I like sketching.
Roz sketching the gee-gawk - so called because of the sort of strangled sound it makes. Awkward except in flight or swimming.

IFJM # 8

They cheered me at breakfst. I am one of them now I have had the planet lurgy.
So now assigned to the small animal enclosures. The director says some one who likes numbers is suited to groups.

DUST BUNNIES give me the creeps. You have to admire their camouflage though. They stealthily surround their prey and then all leap together and smother the creature. - Janika

IFJM # 7

At dusk I can hear the high trumpeting call of the dinklops. (I had to ask though) Very distinctive herald of sunset.

If you are outside, a whirly bug might blunder past, fiskering.
It is early authumn. The only deciduous trees are imports - exotics. - Janika

IFJM # 6

IFJM # 5

IFJM # 4

IFJM # 3

IFJM #2

IFJM #1

IFJM - international fake journal month. From 1 April, i sthe brain child of Roz, a prolific journaller. http://officialinternationalfakejournalblog.blogspot.com/

Hand-made journal 6" x 8", heavy, smooth WC paper, coptic binding. Fake fur pasted over the binding because my coptic always seems a little loose.

rosella

Linda Blin's workshop on-line is concentrating on background colour for pages and getting started on a page. She says if the page has colour on it it is more inviting to hournal in. Also, she says you don't have to finish a page before moving on. We some people do. However, the problem is I now have 8 more pages in colour and only started to finish 3 of them.

The link for the workshops is http://www.strathmoreartist.com/vjworkshop2011.html .

Although the workshop 1 was February, March for Workshop 2 and May for 3, they will be available on-line until August 2011.

So one Idea Linda had was to spray water on a page, drop paint on then squish araound with a credit card. Where the paind drops often stains the paper more and the water softens the scolour so a very random effect - serendipity strikes again.

Page below shows this and of course I embellished a little. Still adding to that page and not even counted in the 8 total under action above.



Then my credit card had a pile of paint so I wiped it on the next page and had a brilliant orange I didn't know what to do with.

Being Sunday I went for a bush walk late afternoon. I found two rosella feathers and when I next looked at the page, there was a saprk. Don't you love that spark of creativity when you have two separate things that are going nowhere by themselves and suddenly they morph into something whole?



Well, I can hear those who know rosellas saying loudly that it looks more like a budgie. But I got the colour and he's a happy fellow. Water soluble crayons on acryllic backgound.

An artists View of the Natural World

ATC's made for a swap through Illustrated ATC's

Pen and couloured pencil.
I used the ideas from the on-line Strahmore Journalling workshop number 1 - shading to help item come forward.

earthquake - broken earth

Journal spread I started wednesday 23 Feb 2011.

trying something new

I was mixing paint the other day and squeezed some Payne's grey out. It was gummed up around the nozzle and came out in a blobby line. I thought 'draw!' and I did.

I had a 4x4" wrapped canvas square I had alredy painted.



I went to a friend's 80th yesterday and she was thrilled to get it as a gift. Ria and I met through doing a writing course at Massey about 10 years ago. with two others we met regulary as a critique group and have remained friends. All of us also do art. The other two also made the long drive down to Sunset Station at Port Waikato - 1.5 hours motorway driving for me and another half hour for them as they live in Puhoi nother of here.

My sister and hubby came up from Whakatane yesterday to visit Mum and we went around to our daughter's for tea so a very social day. I feel a bit more recovered from the disaster news that has been overwhelming.

Christchurch earthquake

22.2.11
So many stories coming from the earthquake.

At work we received the news from our sales staff as they evacuated the building just after 1 pm.
Shock.
All the conversations this week have started with the earthquake - do you know anyone? Are they safe? A reaching outo for human contact.
our NZ flags throughout the coutnry at halfmast. My eyes fill with tears every time I have cross the harbour bridge and seen them there.

My husband's brother lives there and Alan was able to contact them within minutes afterwards because i emailed immediately. Our sister-in-law had gone into the city sentre and just got out of her car when it struck. The car in front of her was crushed. Hers only had a bumber dislodged.

Several cousins are safe. Friends, and wrok colleagues - all people we know are safe.

Currently over 100 dead and over 200 still missing and hope fading.

The whole of the central business area looks like it will need to be demolished.

So many lives dirupted.

House prices in Timaru goin gup as people exit Christchurch.

The after shocks still continue.

And they were barely recovering from the September quake that was bigger, but less devestating . This one was shallower and more more destructive.