Everything in America is bigger !

Halloween is STILL coming its been here forever , women dashing round shops brandishing sprayed ghosts for decorating the porch, its mind blowingly serious........... I have followed ladies round the store collecting pieces to ensure the spirit of Halloween does not fade here in Georgia! I spied this big beast in City Market in the historic District . This pumpkin is a whopper ! I have succumbed , I bought a real one as I would every year at home and am taking delight in trying to carve something strangely creative.

Pompey grey skies for a day

I have made all my students appreciate the beautiful type that litters the wall in Savannah I LOVE it ! Much of it makes me think of the hand painted signs we saw in Liberia when working with Save the Children, there are a lot of talented sign writers out there. Savannah has their fare share and it needs to be recognised.

Its half way through the Winter quarter and I have been wading through paper, portfolios , sketchbooks, ideas and mid term grades, what pressure for everyone, students and staff alike to make the grade. I set my calendar a day early as I was not going to be subjected to the last day dash for grades to be submitted, I felt in my first quarter here teaching. I still feel very much the new girl and yet the old one ! years of experience yet trying to make it all fit in to the jigsaw here in Savannah.
Days seem to roll in to one long week, there is a ritual for the days and by Thursday its celebration night with a cocktail! The weather has shifted from blue skies to full rain clouds, monsoon downfalls and thunderstorms, I welcome the Pompey grey skies a little it suits my autumnal mood and I only wish I was in my studio painting. The one thing that is missing is a good read of the Sunday magazines in bed with a cup of tea!
Mike is always busy ! though I am uncertain what he does do for the six hours I am away at the office! I have seen sneaky packs of fudge being bought and demolished without a bite! the bat smell is subsiding slightly and comes and goes with the change of the wind.

Cats can't keep away .........

Some people say that cats follow me wherever I go, I started to believe it wasn't true when I moved to Savannah, little or none to be seen in my garden despite the large vagrant population around the town, one lady has forty out on an island nearby.
However this morning a lucky white cat was found sunning itself by the grapefruit tree, I tried to not get too excited as I have started to miss my cats in Southsea after listening to them purring on the telephone! The grapefruit are ripening and we are not getting too excited every peach we have had purchased in the county of peaches has been a dry old disgrace.
I am getting notes ready for Monday and realise that preparation has become the name of the game, such a different timetable to
Portsmouth, where ideas were paramount , will this be the way of courses in UK when fees increase, skills are on demand, a balance of the two would be a wonderful place to be in!

Drawing on a Sunday

There is nothing more wonderful than being alone drawing in my studio, it has been a long time coming and I am set up and rearing to go. The thought of an exhibition in Morris Hall Illustration School, has made me very excited to produce a few new pieces which talk about crossing the pond. The humidity has gone, Mike has crept off to the auction house and I have three hours of head space to mull ideas around.