A sky full of birds

It has been a day of birds. Flocks of rook and jackdaw have been tumbling the sky with ragged black wings.

All day I have been thinking and packing.

I have packed a kingfisher, and owl, a bear or two, some paint, paper, brushes, pencils, towels ( you never know when aliens might be around), some wolves, a bowl, badges and bags, cameras and cards and nails and string ( always string). There are things in boxes and bags and bundles, and still I am not done.

Steady rain falls.

I have packed a good heart and hope and expectations, courage and a little foresight, and always, always a good book.

And all of this has bundled into a dragon van for its first big public outing.

Tomorrow I head off toward Oxfordshire and on Wednesday I will be setting up and settling in at Art in Action. Looking forward to settling down to paint.

Some years ago I had a dream of six kingfishers. A few weeks back  painted them, and one of the things I will do at Art in Action is gild them.

And I am please to say that today I was accepted on the "Mumsnet" blogger network. I hear them so often on the radio and usually am very impressed with all that they have to say, so proud to be a part of their blogging network. And very impressed with my friend Meg Rosoff, who is one of their 'featured' bloggers. Her new post is LOL.

Enough distraction. TTFP ( Time to Finish Packing).

Do you like moles?

Back home after a trip to Paris and I have spent most of the day trying to learn how to use a shephard's whistle. And Paris was a long way away, beautiful, tiring. The hotel was good and the view and the church lovely though I wish I had woken more to hear the church bells chiming away the time. The square was a selection of shops that sold wonderful food, including a small chocolatier with the most lovely sweets.

The British school was warm, welcoming, bright with a beautiful library and wonderful children. On the Thursday evening we were wisked away to Janne's house where there were small puppies full of tiredness and delight. Great evening of relaxing book talk with Marilyn ( from Norfolk Children's Book Centre) in a lovely bistro where half way through the meal some people just wandered in and settled down to play music.

I took my healing bowl with me all the way to the school and I think this was one of the things the children liked best. It is amazing how it can bring a hush to a whole room of children as they listen to its building singing. 

I painted ( four paintings, 3/4 hour or less for each) and the children were full of questions as to how and where and when and what. Favorite question still is,  "Do you like moles?". Infact I think that so far in my career that is my all time favorite question.

Home now and time to settle to painting again, though I am hoping to go searching for hares at the weekend. And hoping for good weather and a peaceful mind.

And while I was away the shortlist was announced for the Kate Greenaway awards and I was a little sad not to find Tell Me a Dragon on it, but very very pleased that Meg Rosoff's 'Bride's Farewell' was on the Carnegie shortlist. Meg's 'Bride' is a wonderful tale with and I fell head over heals in love with The Dog Man and Jack. Great to hear Meg reading from her book in the clip from The Guardian.