poetryandart

This is one of my favorite paintings -- Royal Gardens .  this is oil on canvas.  I enjoyed painting it.   You can buy a print at Pixels. Com -- https://pixels.com/featured/royal-gardens-cheryl-godden.html We still have smoke here in south western Washington State !!  Its not fun to deal with -- It makes my eyes tear up and makes me sneeze a lot.  I have to constantly clean my air conditioner filter.  But enough complaining at least it is not in the 100s degrees anymore it has reduced to 80s, and for that I am grateful. As I type this President Trump is talking at at a rally in Montana -- hopefully their Big Sky is clear and not full of smoke.  He is quite a speaker !!  I enjoy listening to him, he is not like a boring regular politician that will put you to sleep listening. My neighbor grows apples and grapes and roses and all manner of things in his garden.  I stopped to talk to him today when I was taking Candy for a walk.  And he told me that one of the grape

It seems that stores are competing to give us cash back these days.. no matter where you shop!  The downloadable apps are everywhere.  My discount bread store even has an app!  Last time I went there a bread "outlet" store, I was standing in line and heard the cashier say to the man at the check out desk "do you want to download our app"?  It was as if he heard that in a foreign language, he just stood there and looked blank - stared up at the poster on the wall that showed the picture of the downloadable app and said "no," in a very slow uninterested way.  I thought I was in a bread store, now they have an app... but I am learning.  Big Lots has an app - my local nearest supermarket has an app where you can get free rewards as you are shopping through the store just click - yes, I want my free item and go and get it (I must admit I like that one).  But some of them are a little more difficult to understand.  Maybe if they all did the same thing and all th

It is beyond me how firefighters can work in these climates and conditions.  I read somewhere that these fires would not be so great if the land management people would clear out the dead brush and debris between the trees.  I don't know... sounds right though -- less combustible material. It has been very hot here -- hovering in the 100 plus range to 80s -- too hot for me.  I don't feel like going out much.  Candy doesn't seem to like it either - it puts her off her food somewhat and she sleeps a lot. I keep busy in the house with a variety of things. There is always housekeeping .. ugh and then I sew and paint etc.  My sewing machine broke (the ankle of all things broke), and so I got a different one used from a thrift store.  That was gambling to get one used from a thrift store,but so far so good.  I have only used it to make a few repairs though.  We will see.  It is unusual piece of equipment, in that it is all real metal - and it is an Italian made machine that w

Recently I read a book about Princess Louise - the daughter of Queen Victoria of England.  It was a biography and a very detailed account of her life.  I found her life of quite a bit of interest in that she was interested in art and poetry as I am.  She also was a sculptor and she had done a sculpture of her mother Victoria and placed it in Canada as far as I remember.  Anyway, the book detailed her life quite extensively.  She appears to have had a miserable childhood, and was more than a little depressed.  She then became an adult and got married and lived some of the time in Scotland and some of the time in England. She loved to work in her garden in her Scottish yard and plant and pick flowers.  She was quite a sensitive soul - but she also had a great sense of humor.  She was at a flea market at one time and picked up a tea pot and a nearby policeman said you have to put that down madam, with which she replied "quite right, officer", and went on her way.  A nearby sta

We are having 100 degree weather right now, its going to be in the higher 90s and 100 plus weather for at least a week here on the Northwest of the USA.  That makes it very difficult for the fire fighters that are battling fires in California and other places in the West making extreme heat all the more hazardous. Here this weekend we have hydroplane races and an Art Walk in the Park and I really don't know how people can stand to be out on the water or anywhere outside with these temperatures.  I took Candy for a walk early while it is still relatively "cool" if you call 79 degrees cool.  And while in the park I took this picture of the river that is just behind our house about a block.  I watched a man set up his umbrella atop his boat which is anchored in so he doesn't drift. I always thought (coming from London UK) that umbrellas were for rain -- but no, here where I live now they are to keep from getting sunburned.

MORE PLAY DOUGH ART Today is Friday the 13th...I am not superstitious, but if I was, I would be hiding under the table today. Ha! I have been making some more play dough art -- and having a lot of fun doing it as I hope you can see from this picture: In the background is a C for my name in gold - to the right is a strawberry ice-cream cone with a cherry on top.  To the left of the C is a wedding cake a three tier one, and to the front of that is 3 golden pancakes with strawberries on top and to the right of the pancakes is a pink and blue clock set at 10 minutes to 2.  In the middle is a blueberry pie-yum. When my children were young I made teddy bears out of play dough with a cookie cutter in the shape of a teddy bear, and I let them make them with me, they couldn't hurt themselves with play dough.  We colored them with acrylic paints, and then I put a hole (we did) on the top of the head, where we could string ribbon through when they were finished to be hung.  Af

SUMMER IS DEFINITELY HERE We have 108 degrees here today in the eastern part of our state where I live and its TOO hot... even for my dog who just lays around all day, until the evening when it starts to cool off.  I can not keep the grass green in the front yard no matter how I water -- its like I told someone "it dries out while I am watering it".  Whew... its going to be in the 90s-100s all week.  Now that is a HOT SPOT that comes free as oppose to my new LG phone where the hot spot does not. Anyway, it is definitely summer now here in the northern hemisphere.. and so I thought I would post my "SUMMER FARMLAND" painting -- it is oil on canvas that I did several years ago now, probably about ten years ago as an estimate.  It has bright colors and taken from the inspiration of the farmland that we have around here in the summer. SUMMER FARMLAND Oil on Canvas I have posted this painting on Pixels.com under Cheryl Godden gallery page where you can

  Just posted this on a website called Pixels for print making.  I painted this a few years ago.  I had a lot of fun painting it -- this one seem to come easy for me to paint.  They are not all like that unfortunately, I wish they were.  Some are hard work! This is oil on canvas.  A study in flowers mainly.  Painting is my most fun/interesting thing to do and I either cant find enough time or enough ideas to paint.  It helps if I have a blank canvas sitting here staring at me to give me the inspiration and the umph to paint.  I have been painting for about forty years now and I still feel like I have just started because there is so much to learn about the art.  But I will keep on practicing sort of like a doctor practices, you are always learning.

 GOT A NEW DIGITAL PHONE Ok, so I just did the "get a new phone" thing... you know -- a cell phone. I thought it was time to upgrade since I had had this one for ten years, and found out that it would not "talk" to my computer!  I was well used to this one... knew where all the buttons were without looking or asking anyone. And then--boom--my usual Internet connection was not available and that's when I found out that my ancient (ten years old) cell phone would not be nice to my computer and talk to it.  So off to the cell phone retail store I went to talk about a new phone that WOULD talk to my laptop and be friendly. It turns out that the phone that I was getting was not in the store and so had to be ordered, but before you leave the store you have to pay a fee to cover something or other to go with the order.  Not sure what.  Anyway, I paid it -- told that my phone was on order because they didn't have one in the store, and that it would come

 CANDY AND CHEWY (How I named my dog) Candy is her name.  I called her Candy because she looked like caramels - could pass for a tootsie roll or cotton candy because of her tail.  Candy likes to "drop-roll-and spin" especially when she is playing with her friend Chewy.  And then she likes to run figure eights around him when we take them to the baseball field.  We go for walks up on the dike by the river and she meets a lot of dogs up there - some big ones, some small ones: all kinds and sizes.  It helps her to see she is not the only dog in the world. When she gets bored she likes to play with an old shoe or blanket or scratch the sheets on my bed like she is burying something to find later.  Mostly she likes to walk and play with Chewy who lives next door.  She is only nine months old, so everything to her is brand new.  She has to stop and smell every flower, every blade of grass and picks up things like pine cones to bring home. She is very kind and swe

Yesterday I started a new account with Pixels.com and put three of my paintings on there for prints and sales.  I listed: Lady in Blue Oil on canvas and: Windmill days Oil on Canvas on pixels.com and also I listed Aylesbury Bridge a landscape from my mother's childhood Kent.   I hope this will be a new outlet for my paintings...  you can buy prints on shirts, bags, mugs, books, all kinds of things.  Take a look when you have time its very exciting to be able to print your things on stuff you will use probably on a daily basis.  The prices seem to be very reasonable.  Try it! I found this site by looking at another site called Quora where you answer questions and someone had mentioned this site for artists.  I dont go to Ebay because it is glutted with paintings, at least last time I looked anyway.  I needed to find a niche that was more for me -- less for Ebay.. ha! If you like my windmill days painting

SUMMER IS NIGH When the sun breathes through the mist of the morning and the moon takes a step back from the horizon and the leaves poke out from the cold black sticks of the winter's leavings and the squirrels run up the trees. And the frost of the evening leave the low parts of the garden And the daffodils show up through the hard bleak ground And the tulips lift their blossoming heads And the blue jays flit from bough to bough. Know that summer is nigh Know that summer is nigh and the warmth is blooming Under the brush and the leaves dropped from last season. And the moving of the earth is a stirring And a brand new bud is growing. Know that summer is nigh And there is a breaking of a new story An awaking of a new dawning When the trees shall clap their hands. @cherylbrand

THATCHED ROOF COTTAGE When I was young (about 8 to 10 years old) our Mother took us to visit her Aunt, her Dad's sister May and her husband Uncle Robin.  It was me and my two sisters and Mother that went.  They lived in the country and they had a thatched roof cottage.  Well, we got into trouble for climbing up the ladder that was perched against the house and we decided it would be "high jinks" to pull out the straw from the roof!  Well, we found out that that this is unwritten commandment in England it is "thou shalt not pull straw out from the roof of our house"! So I have a humorous anecdote about thatched roof cottages.  I also am very fascinated about country life in England.  Well, recently I found a book called 'OUR VILLAGES' a nice hardback copy and in leafing through found that it held lovely pictures of old England and its villages some in antiquity.  This is where I found the inspiration to paint this picture of a thatched roof cott

I just came back from walking Candy my dog, that is... after devouring one of my favorite things: Strawberry Crepes -- or as we say in England where I hone from -- pancakes. These pancakes are to die for anytime that it takes your fancy - you don't have to have a special occasion to make them.  This recipe makes about four nice size pancakes and then I put on some sprinkled sugar and top with whipped cream. Don't worry about your diet when you are eating these - they are all natural. My kitchen "sweet moments" recipe is pretty easy . To make for one: 1 cup of flour (not self rising) 1 egg dash salt 1/4 - 1/2 cup of milk (I use whole milk) Take a frying pan - I use the large size, put some oil in the bottom of the pan about 4 tbs per pancake and place on a hot ring on the stove.  Pour enough batter to go around the base of pan lifting and tilting the pan until it covers. Turn and fry pancake on the other side until golden. Fill wi

I scored 96% on the "Can You Name These Biblical Figures?" quiz. How will you do?

I opened up my computer one morning in 2007 and found an email from a social network from a Mr. J.  Price.  I had joined this network several years before and had only been contacted by a few school friends, so I didn't expect any amazing or stunning communication from this web site. after opening the email from this Mr. J. Price, I found that this person was asking if I knew a Mr. Shelby Garden.  I though how strange, and reached for my purse to get my credit card out to pay for the subscriber charge that was necessary to be able to answer this unknown person. I typed in the credit card number and while I was getting busy ready to answer this pertinent query, I was thinking that maybe it was a friend of my dad's inquiring.  I said Yes, I know this person - it's my dad!  When in a sudden-- in a flash it swooped into my brain that this could be my long lost brother.  My dad had remarried when I was about 14 years old to a lady with whom together had a son.  I knew th

My name is Cheryl Brand (Brand is writers name).  My legal name is Cheryl G.  I have been writing for over 30 years.  I have four books published in the Christian genre and can be found on Amazon. Com or any bookstore. I live in Washington State USA and have been here for 45 years.  In case you don't live here or have not looked at it on a map -- one side is very mild climate such as I grew up with in England, and the other side is desert -- such as I had no idea about before I lived here.  It can be very hot up to and over 100 degrees, and very dry.  In the fall there is a lot of pollen and some people call it the allergy capital of the world.  On occasion there are desert winds that are quite forbidding -- most people will retreat into their houses to escape such a wind.  I once had a car that had the paint taken off of one side of it because it was out in one such wind all day in the parking lot where I worked.  So with that in mind, I would like to post my poem called SAND BL

Today is May 19, 2018 and it is the day that Prince Harry weds Meghan Markle.  So in the theme of love and marriage, I thought I would post an article that I wrote a few years ago. Love to hear your comments on this. CHRISTIAN UNDERSTANDING OF LOVE The Christian's understanding of love has to do with his understanding of God.  God is love.  He is the personification of love, and since we were made in His image we are also creatures of love. Love is our natural realm to live and have our being in because it is in our nature to love.  we were made to love and to be a representation of love.  The kingdom of God is made up of love, peace and joy. When we are not moving and expressing love, we are least like ourselves, because we are made to reflect God and His attributes.  We are a reflection of God in the earth -- our true desire is to be compassionate and look out for our brother, and to be interested in the welfare of others. Love is patient, Love i

                                                         RISE I am going to rise like a helium balloon Like the leaven resting in bread I'm going to rise like an eagle in the air Like the bubbles formed on ale's head. Were gonna rise up from this place called earth Were gonna take our exit - stage left Were gonna leave and shoot to the stars And no one will notice and be bereft. Midnight -- at the midnight cry Some spring night were leaving here When you hear the men coming Shouting "hes here the bridegroom - no fear!" Were gonna rise, to meet Him again The one that we've loved through the years Were gonna put on our veil and carry the lamp And go up at the trump where there's no tears. @cherylbrand Poem from "FOUR ROWS OF STONES:  POETRY FROM THE HEART" by Cheryl Brand

THIS IS MY NEW PURSE I just finished making my latest purse.  I have been making them now for about six years. This one was made from a dress that was hanging in the closet for at least three years and I decided that since I had not worn it -- I probably was not going to wear it.  So I took the dress (which I liked the material just not crazy about the design of the dress), and came up with making a blouse out of it and then with what was left a new purse. First I cut the dress in two pieces, one big enough for the blouse, and then enough left for a purse with the remaining piece.  Next I make a pattern out of paper (whatever paper I happen to have in the house)  you can use brown paper from a bag from the grocery store or parchment paper / wax paper that you have in your kitchen.  I have even used left over Christmas paper that is on a roll sitting in the back of my closet waiting for next Christmas to come out. The pattern is made from a design that I sketch first on a pi

NOSTALGIA Every day is a page In my blue photo album. Every day is a new part written in my blue journal. I’ve lived I’ve died A thousand times-- And not looked back in time But when I do --the Nostalgia hits me like a Tsunami that is about to Crash on the shore: And I can not hold back The memories or the sorrow From what went on before There is in no comfort in you There is no platitude That can make me feel Better about you - The ache will never leave Nostalgia. @cherylbrand

NELLIE WAS HER NAME My Grandmother was born in 1907 somewhere in England after only 6 years post Queen Victoria's death and was given the name of Nellie Isabella Watts.  She was born in Croydon in the Southern part of England in Kent. She was born to two people with the last name of Watts. Her Dad died when she was only seven years old, he died from a football (soccer) game when a football hit him in the head and caused a fatal concussion. So she was raised by her mother only. She went through two world wars in her lifetime. At one time she went to the hangers to help build airplanes. But the thing that I remember her talking about the most was walking home from work to her home through bombs being dropped on her beloved home country in World War II. I remember her saying that she had to duck into doorways and lobbies and at times stop at a pub "to get some Dutch courage" to get home. She had my mother in 1930 so she was 23 or thereabouts when she did. She married

Its Mothers Day in the USA today May 13 2018. When I think of Mothers Day I automatically think of my Mother and my Grandmother of course. My Grandmother was also my God Mother.  So yes, I think of those and my other Grandmother that lived across the road from us where I grew up. My Mother will be 88 this year on her birthday in October, so I have had a long time with her in my life.  When I think of her on Mothers Day, I remember all the great things she did for us when we were children, like taking us camping for instance at Epping Forest in Enfield.  Showing us how to set up a tent and camp as if that we were going to live there for ever.  It was heaps of fun.  The only thing I didn't like was the creepy crawlies that could get into your tent otherwise it was a wonderful time for me and my sisters.  Another lovely thing she would do in the summer would be to rent a room at  a bed and breakfast at the ocean.  Sometimes our grandmother would come with us.  I remember that she

Some of my earliest memories of childhood was of my mother and grandmother meeting at the "pub" and taking us with them to have a 'drink'.  They would buy us a lemonade or orange soda and a bag of crisps (chips in America), and if it was sunny outside place us by the big tree on a bench in the front garden or if it was raining and cold we would be able to go "inside" to the children's section where we could play darts or cards or something until the adults came to get us. Most meetings official or unofficial would be made to be at the local pub, also called a public house.  It's where people would feel comfortable and able to relax while discussing international or personal matters.  Friends would meet there after work to let down and be able to spend time together maybe over a beer and a steak and kidney pie. The pub is sort of a "hub" for the locals - a place to go to meet up with someone or gather with friends for an occasion.  Its

There comes a time when I just have to have a yummy chocolate brownie with nuts in it.  Some people don't like nuts in them, like my son for example, and some people don't want raisins in the cinnamon rolls either -- but I have to have them or I don't really want to eat the cinnamon roll.  Picky huh? So, anyway back to my kitchen -- I don't really enjoy being in the kitchen I would rather be oil painting instead unless it is that I have an urge to make a dessert which I do enjoy doing.  Apple Pie is my signature dish well known in my family for being the best apple pie you can find in the West.   Its very simple really -- and I love to make them. They are not hard to make -- if you keep in mind that the trick is keeping everything very cold even your hands (I run them under the cold water faucet if they get warm).  First I get the flour pour that into the food processor, then cut up very cold butter and add that into the flour with a pinch of salt.  Whirl that up until

Its April 18 2018. I would like to share about a new hobby I have taken up -- its modeling with play dough. Its been great fun and I think you might like it too if you are looking for a new hobby. They are paper weights made out of play dough and then dried and glazed. I tried two different glazes to see which one I liked better. One was a decoupage glaze and the other was a clear varnish and another was a spray varnish from the hardware store. I liked the effect of both of them for different textures to the finished project. I find that they are quite handy when wanting to "pin down" paper (which is what they are for), or for conversation pieces on the end table in the living room. I know crazy .. "you have too much time on your hands", I can hear some people saying. But its art and I love art and there is no bad art -- and haven't made play dough for years since my kids were young and we would make play dough teddy bears that were waxed and rib

Just got back from my morning walk with Candy my dog and it is still very windy out there. In one sense, its good in that not a lot of people are out there. Oh, there are the die hards that are biking along the bike path (all ages) and some skate boarders listening to their IPhone music and dancing to it while they skate, and they manage to stay up and without falling over while they do it. Amazing... Lots of fresh air and Candy took a stop at the river's edge to see if there was anything in the water of interest that she could bring home and bury in the back yard. Not today though, there was nothing for her to find. Not much wants to be out there lol.

I wrote this article a few years ago at Purim. I am putting it up her on my blog because Purim just passed last month in 2018 in March. Its a fascinating story to me about Esther and Ashasurus in the book of Esther in the bible. Leave me any comments you may have I would be interested to read what you have to say about this article. The Book of Esther The book of Esther is a book about love. God's love for His people. Esther is a type of the church which God enjoins himself to in Holy matrimony. She is His first love and only love, and He gives His life for her. He loves her and says that she has 'doves eyes', and calls her away into His garden to be with him for ever and for ever. It is a love story: the greatest love story ever written. Esther is also a mirror of the gentile nation even though she was Jewish – a mirror for the reason in that we share an equal part with the Jewish people at the time when they were rejected and we had not yet been accepted.

Its another windy day here in south western Washington State. The wind blew all night is still blowing this morning. Here I thought I would like to post my latest oil painting. Its of Aylesbury Kent Uk of a bridge over water. It is near where my mother grew up in Ashford Kent. I remember Ashford because she took us there to visit our grandmother and great-grandmother when we were children. It was a quiet place with a park across from their house as I remember it. Anyway I decided to paint this as it was an image similar to my memories of my childhood. I was also taken with the composition of the image. Its done in soft tones and hues of grey, blue, lavender. I have it on my wall in the living room in my house. Its oil on canvas and 24" x 18 ". Email me if you are interested in it.

I actually have a dog. the first dog that I have ever owned. She is a lovely dog -- the vetenarian said that she is an Aussie Sheepdog miniature. Who knew, I would not have. I know or I did know nothing about dogs. I have been learning a lot though since acquiring my lovely sheepdog that I named Candy. She is sweet, and obedient, and is caring. You say 'caring'? Yes, I watched the way she was with a dog that I was dog-sitting for about a month, and she was incredibly kind to the other dog. She shared her bones, her bed, her toys everything. They played well together and she would kiss him a lot so I knew that she really liked him. But the thing that impressed me the most about the way she was with him -- was that the first night he was with us (he slept on the couch, his favorite place), she slept there also all night so that he wouldn't be all alone --when she usually slept in her dog bed next to my bed on the floor in my bedroom. She was and is a real "

I am back -- after several moves some I wanted to take and some I definitely did not and after having to say goodbye to a few computers since the last blog... I am back. I hope to be able to get back into the swing of things here on blogger. I enjoy writing, I enjoy typing and it is a fun place to talk about poetry and art. Poetry and art is my life. It is extremely windy here in Washington where I live today... its incredible .. the wind is whistling through the crack in my front door, and it is blowing things down the street like my neighbors lovely pillows that she has just put on her bench in the front yard. I would like to put a poem here that I wrote a few years back probably about 4 years ago, which is unpublished at present, as today's wind reminded me of this. WIND OF CHANGE Can I bring a wind of my Spirit To change the times and seasons Of your life? Can I bring a tempest To test man to the Limit? To change your life? Can I send my Holy Spirit To cleanse and