All Change

This week will see something of a landmark for our daughter and her family. After six years of living in the city, they're moving a little over 10 miles closer to us, to a house in the countryside.

They've prepared well for the big day and, are at present, living in what could be a contender for the Turner Prize. A series of arrangements, consisting of stacked boxes, reels of adhesive tape and incidental groupings of small objects, missing, believed lost.

Earlier this evening, I took the opportunity to photograph the house and garden.

In six short years, so many memorable events. Major among them, the births of our three darling granddaughters. Their first steps, first words will help to warm the place for the next family.

Tomorrow I'm going to dig up a clump of pampas grass, to transplant in the new garden. I believe this particular grass originated in my maternal grandmother's garden. I could be wrong and, if I am, pampas grass is a nice thing to have in the garden anyway.

32

32 girls and boys,
bodies racked,
wait for heaven
in linear poise
beneath the flack,
their souls intact.

32 girls and boys,
a UN fact,
left this world
amid the noise
of a cheapjack,
broken pact.

(In memory of the 32 children, under 10 years old, who lost their lives in Houla)

Who Framed Nanny and Ga?

One of the many delights associated with watching young children develop, has to be the emergence of their artistic abilities and, consequently, the images they create. I've posted many times on the subject of SW's representations, and her efforts to interpret the world as she sees it. Some of her work has been inspirational. For instance, this blog wouldn't be called 'Square Sunshine' had it not been for her insistence that the sun was/is, indeed, square.

 Artwork by SW

But the real fun started when we discovered that we, the grandparents (or Nanny and Ga, as the twins call us) had now become the subject matter.  In this picture I have a fairly good head of hair, and Mags shows no signs of greying. And, despite our missing fingers and dotty facial features, we look really happy.

Artwork by Immy

In Immy's first stab at a portrait, we are both learning to live with tendril-like limbs, Mags has obviously forgotten to tip her coiffeuse, and I've settled for the Wayne Rooney look. The fact that my lurid pink body appears to be floating, could be attributed to sunburn, or a limited choice of felt tips.

New Build

There's a big call, at the moment, for new homes to be built. But forget high-flying architects and designers, what do they know?

No, if you want a cosy and affordable place to live in, leave it to the imagination of a five year old.

Courtesy of SW Developments

Here is an example of what I'm talking about. Hot off the drawing board (well, 'craft corner' table, actually) is this fine abode, well within the reach of first-time buyers.

Courtesy of SW Developments

And would you believe it? Open the front door, and there is a beautiful young woman on hand to give you the guided tour. Remember, this could be yours...with a little imagination.

Death Star

Please look.
You see?
His school book,
where he drew
a star for me.

Please listen.
Can you hear?
His mother
crying prayers
to keep him near.

Please speak.
Will you tell?
Relay our grief,
our greatest loss,
our awful, living hell.

(School children died when a car bomb exploded in Damascus, today. In the news report, the charred remains of a child's school book was displayed. There was a drawing of a smiling star among its charred pages)

Art of Persuasion

Our twin granddaughters entered their fourth year in a blaze of gastrointestinal glory, a few weeks back. During this sometimes noisy, always colourful event, there were clear signs that things would never be quite the same, post-recovery. Having been through an intense process of expressing from within, they've now taken to the paintbox, among other media.

Artwork by IMK

 Artwork by IAK

Both girls are also at a point in their development, where they make their feelings known whenever they feel under-represented.

  

Although, I'm not saying they went so far as firing their Scooby-Doo 'Vampire Slayer', in order to get these latest creative efforts on my blog.

A Twist of Beauty

The days have been predominantly grey, these past few weeks, both meteorologically and politically. But just as grey can be applied in a number of ways, so rays of light make their presence felt, even when the sun is hidden from view.

Artwork by SW.  

These characters - I believe - are from Beauty and the Beast. Although I think there may be a Rocky Horror Show twist in there somewhere.

Artwork by SW.

The twists here, though, are plain for all to see.