Carina Leagues Club 25.03.2011

My grandson plays rugby league.  He is in the under 15's, and I went to watch him play a home game on friday night.

 

Sketching at the Mater Specialist Clinic 22/03/2011

I had an appointment at the specialist clinic this afternoon.  I was kept waiting for two and a half hours!  Got to love our public health system, not. :-)
Never one to miss an opportunity, I got out my trusty sketch book and pen.

 

Sketching at the Cannon Hill Bus Interchange. 21/03/2011

I missed a great opportunity this afternoon.  I had to go to the Transport department, and I forgot to grab my sketchbook!! So, I got a lift to the bus interchange, and spent a delightful hour and a half down there sketching.  I walked home, so got my sketching fix, as well as my health fix :-))

AUSTRALIAN OPOSSUM (Brushtail Opossum)

I have a visitor every night, as beautiful Opossum.  She has a baby in her pouch, which she allows out sometimes to hang onto her back.  She comes to eat her supper on my patio.  She loves seeds and apple.  Opossum's are nocturnal marsupials.  They sleep during the day, in hollow logs, or in suburbia under houses and when they can get in, roof cavities.  They are so sweet, and very timid.  They will bite and scratch if provoked, but in general they will run away, or roll over and "play dead".

This little lady was very patient.  She sat at the feeding dish eating away, while I sketched her.  Once in a while she would look at me long enough for me to get a face on sketch too.  I need to practice on that, though.

AUSTRALIAN OPOSSUM (Brushtail Opossum)

I have a visitor every night, as beautiful Opossum.  She has a baby in her pouch, which she allows out sometimes to hang onto her back.  She comes to eat her supper on my patio.  She loves seeds and apple.  Opossum's are nocturnal marsupials.  They sleep during the day, in hollow logs, or in suburbia under houses and when they can get in, roof cavities.  They are so sweet, and very timid.  They will bite and scratch if provoked, but in general they will run away, or roll over and "play dead".

This little lady was very patient.  She sat at the feeding dish eating away, while I sketched her.  Once in a while she would look at me long enough for me to get a face on sketch too.  I need to practice on that, though.

Royal Poinciana Tree (Delonix regia )

Royal Poinciana Tree (Delonix regia )
The Poinciana tree is indigenous to Madagascar, where it is on the endangered list. Everywhere else in the tropical world, the tree is a prolific grower. It has naturalised itself in Brisbane, Australia, and is a very popular shade tree. I have one growing in my back yard, and it rewards me every year with the most magnificent display of red flowers every summer.

(This species was previously placed in the genus Poinciana, named for Phillippe de Longvilliers de Poincy, the 17th century governor of Saint Christophe (Saint Kitts), who is credited with introducing the plant to the Americas. Because it is a legume, the tree has nitrogen-fixating and soil-improving properties. Quote from Wikipedia.)

American Bald Eagle

Micron pen. 9"x 12" 

  

I was having a play while my supper was cooking. 

Sketching at Wooloongabba, Brisbane.

I had a couple of hours to spare this afternoon, and was able to get out and do a couple of quick sketches.  I hate being rushed though, and plan to spend a full day out on the weekend.

 

Violin maker Ilja Grawert, had this cello on display outside his store, 20 Logan Road Wooloongabba.  He is a lovely man, so friendly.

 Logan Road Wooloongabba, used to house the most amazing buildings from the 1920's. Sadly the concrete jungle has pretty much taken over, but there are still one or two of these magnificent olde buildings there. This is one. It is now The Crosstown Eating House. It is right opposite where I was having coffee at Lunch on Logan.

This was a 90 second sketch at a local cafe, while waiting for a friend.

CAMPHOR LAUREL TREE with CROWS NEST 7th March 2011

Sketched from my patio, looking into my neighbours yard.

The Camphor Laurel tree, native to South East Asia, was introduced in Australia in 1822  The tree is now a declared menace.  It contains significant amounts of various chemicals known or suspected of being toxic and carcinogenic.   It easily ranks as the most toxic plant in Australian history.  Most birds suffer from eating the berries of the Camphor Laurel tree, either by sterilisation, or death.  Crows, like to feed on the top part of the tree, on the new berries.  They seem to survive the toxins, and they build their nests in the trees.  Only occasionally will a crow die, due to camphor addiction.  Sadly, some of our native species of birds have become extinct, because of these trees.

STORY BRIDGE

The Story Bridge was opened in 1939.  It was named after John Douglas Story, because he was the main advocator for the bridge to be built.  The bridge is an icon, and tourist attraction.  

In 2005, Bridge Walks started, and they are very popular with the tourists.  I have heard it is a fantastic view all over the city from the top of the bridge.  I am going to do the walk when the weather gets cooler.

I caught the Brisbane CityCat river ferry into Riverside place, at 4.00pm.  It was a very hot day here today, temps up around 34 degree Celsius.  By late afternoon the air was bearable, just.  

I sat at the Boardwalk bar and bistro, with a cup of coffee, and sketched.  I was there, until 6.30pm.  I had the pleasure of seeing the workers hurrying to the ferry for their journey home, and the stragglers claiming tables with a cold drink and discussing their work day at leisure. I sat there amongst the chatter and clinking of glasses, and watched the bridge for some time.  

 I tuned it all out, and started to sketch.  The time flew by.  By the time I had finished it was dusk, the lights were glittering in the skyscrapers, the sun was sinking, the Flying Foxes were coming out to forage.  I packed up, and hurried back to the ferry terminal.  I got there just in time to catch the ferry home.  I stood on the stern, hair blowing in the wind, watching the the sparkling city lights recede, and the Flying Foxes over head.  It was a wonderful couple of hours!