Muppet Wars

 

Muppet Wars Collage

Boxing Day - afternoon fun in Southend  -from and idea promoted by 'Custy' Roberts.

Good from afar, Far from Good

 

'Good from afar, Far from Good' - Acrylic and collage on plywood - George Roberts 2021 - commissioned - from the Bad Art/Lavatory Range.

Just to tell you once again

Who's bad?

Christmas 2021

 

We have a dear friend, who every Christmas, refers to her Christmas tree as her ‘Memory tree’. As we hang decorations on our own tree this year, we are reminded of Christmases past, places we have visited and people; grown, known, lost and loved.  

Each ornament we place has its own associated memory which informs us of who we are and what and who are important in our lives. We are shaped and made by our experiences and interactions with the wider world. Over sixty years, our Christmas tree provides a year on year record of our journey through time together.

In loving memory of George Thompson – an architect, guvnor and good friend to our family (1922 -2021).

Christmas Smoked Salmon 2021 flavoured with Jameson Irish Whiskey

Salmon into the salt and sugar cure for twelve hours then drain, wash and air dry overnight in a cool place.

Cured and air dried salmon into the 'smoker'

Charging the smoker tray with applewood and oak dust-chippings mixed with brown sugar sprinkled with a dash of Irish whiskey

Ignite the dust and stand well back

Remove the salmon from the smoker and air dry overnight in a cool place.

When smoking salmon it is sensible to keep a 'weather-eye' open for cats and in sourcing oak chippings it is 'andy to have a carpenter in the family!

This year we decided to give our fish an Irish rather than Scottish spirit finish. The final stage in the process involves painting the fish with a whiskey flavoured olive oil marinade. 

The finished article with its olive oil and Jameson Irish Whiskey Glaze

Making stuff at Christmas is particularly enjoyable as the aromas, tastes, sounds and colours are evocative of past Christmases and people who have come and gone from our lives. My Grandad Swinbourne was a fish-monger and I have happy memories of helping with the fish when I was a young kid over 60 years ago. 

Whilst I was salting the salmon, my partner played a Christmas compilation CD in the kitchen. Whilst I layered on the salt, Flanagan and Allen sang 'The Umbrella Man'. I remembered listening to this with my Grandad all those years ago. Merry Christmas Grandad!

Christmas Lights at Blickling Hall Norfolk

 

Christmas is almost upon us and thanks to  ou dear friends J&J we enjoyed a wonderful night with lights, mince pies, gingerbread men and hot chocolate in the grounds of Blickling Hall, Norfolk.

Barry the Snowman 2021

 

Our good friend and Christmas visitor Barry the Snowman 'rocked up' in Oulton Broad on the 3rd of December. This is one of the earliest appearances in December since pagan times and augers a 'cracking Christmas in the making. What Barry doesn't know about having an exceptional yule celebration is just not worth knowing!

GradientXterminator

 

Messier 31 . Data  rework - Credit Pip Stakkert.

" Our generous 'Observatory Sponsor' Anita Roberts has kindly donated new data processing software and  consequently I decided to ask our imaging expert Pip Stakkert to reprocess the image of the Andromeda Galaxy M31. The data was collected earlier in the year using the Observatory's Altair Astro 66mm Doublet Refractor and the Canon 600 DSLR camera. With Christmas on the way we have good reason to believe Santa may stop by to present us with a narrow Tri-band filter which will enable us to reduce the affects of light pollution and sky glow". - Kurt Thrust current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

The last of the Summer Sky - a widefield image of the autumn sky over the roof to the Observatory Visitors Centre. The Pleiades star cluster is clearly visible in the top left, the Summer Milky Way may be seen top right and The Andromeda Galaxy is a small smudge of light towards the top centre of this image.

Nearly Full on the 17th of November 2021

 

Easy to forget how exquisitely beautiful our Moon is!

Look what's up!

 

Orion the Hunter peeking over our hedge, a really pretty constellation.

Every year after 'the clocks go back' and as the evening temperature becomes quite chilly. our old friend Orion levers himself above our hedge at the bottom of our backyard. Orion heralds the onset of winter but never the less, we always look forward to his annual appearance. Can you spot the constellations Auriga the Charioteer and Taurus the Bull and also the Hyades and Pleiades asterisms?

Winter, Barry the Snowman and Christmas are definitely on the way!

This evening low in the west, the planet Venus is a bright star amongst the branches of our neighbour's apple tree. You can just make out that its current phase is gibbous.

Tartiflette - big flavours without meat or fish.

 

My Tea on a cold autumnal night.

" Boiled potatoes sliced and mixed with fried; onions, garlic and wild mushrooms, layered with lots of sliced Reblochon cheese and fresh chopped sage and rosemary from the garden. All these tasty ingredients nicely arranged in an ovenproof dish  and covered in a slurry mixture made from a teaspoon of Dijon mustard and half a teaspoon of sugar added to a glass of dry white wine. Sprinkle a little sea salt, black pepper and grated nutmeg over the top and place in a hot oven until it bubbles and the top browns. Serve with a seasonal salad and a truffle oil flavoured mayonnaise. This is a seriously satisfying supper for a chilly autumn evening".

Sheffield St Mary's Gate

 

'Sheffield Premier' - digital media - George Roberts

" A memory of a wonderful weekend in Sheffield with friends and family".

All a bit Mervyn Peake

 

'Gargoyles' - George Roberts 2021- Credit  ZBrushCoreMini freeware

Lots of fun!

Mick and Jackie's garden

 

Sun and shade in Suffolk - Digital media  George Roberts- July 2021

Study for a painting to follow. Just love the warm and cool colours created by the interplay of sun and shade under the fruit trees. The white garden furniture attracted my eye.

Bird on a Gnomon

 

Great Tit on Madge's Sun Dial - Anita Roberts - IPhone

 A small bird checking out the longest Day in our garden 21st June 2021.

The circle of life for epiphytes.

 

Tillandsia in bloom.

Went to water my small collection of Air Plants and was surprised to see that this one had produced two purple and yellow flowers. I did not know that Tillandsia bloomed! Apparently they flower just once and that this is the precursor to forming new plants (pups). The mother plant will last a number of years after blooming but flowering marks both the beginning of new life and the death of old as far as Air Plants go. It's a bit like old architects taking retirement then! 

Tory Troll Bridge

 

'Tory Troll Bridge' - digital media - George Roberts 2021

Noticed on social media that a 'lefty' had called a 'gammon' a 'Tory Troll'. This image just came to mind. All a bit Paganini whilst Rome continues to burn!

Derbyshire's last clog-fighter

 

'Freddy's Last Stand' - Digital mixed media - George Roberts inspired by Anna FC Smith's drawing

The Ballad of Freddy Hays

 

He stood on the playground in splendour,

The cock of the National School,

His infamy long gone before him,

In no way with him did you fool

 

He was short, he was broad, he was powerful, 

And his arms and his legs were like logs,

But oh what a joy when I noticed,

His feet were shod in black clogs

 

He could slide on the play ground in summer,

When of course there was no sign of ice,

And I longed for the day I could join him,

I would have to ask mum and be nice

 

I put my request to my mother,

It’s  clogs that I want mother dear,

They are common she said with a look of disdain,

Her statement made it quite clear

 

For eighty years past I have yearned for black clogs,

And to be like Freddy Hays,

For  he was the cock of the school my lads,

In those long gone halcyon days

 

Philip Utridge

Easter Art Installation

 

Fantastic Easter art installation from her famous 'Yolklore Series of Works' by the much loved  'ova the moon' sculptor Kitty Roberts of Bushey.

'The Work House'

 

The Work House - digital collage - George Roberts - 2001 

" My unsuccessful  'Work' submission for Grayson Perry's Art Club" 

" I'm running out of brave quotes that suggest abject failure is in some obscure way a metaphor for success"  - George Roberts

Cheese Wrap

 

Cheese Wrap

It’s like

Oh please we’re all good for teas

Cos Bim spent the money on cave-aged cheese 

We sayin’

Oh please we've got full fat teas

Parmesan, Provolone and Pecorino cheese

It’s like

Oh please we aint got a bowel disease

Because we spent our money on Mozzarella cheese

We don’t eat veg and we don’t eat fruit

Because we splash all the cash on cheese-en-croute

Just sayin’

Oh please we aint got no peas

Cos we spent all the dosh on Parmesan cheese

Our colons are clogged and we’re feelin’ quite spleeny

Tartiflette, Fondue, Pizza and Panini

Just sayin’

Oh please we aint clinically obese

Because we spent all the money on full fat cheese

It's like 

Oh please we don't want GDs

Because we spent all our dosh on Gorgonzola cheese

Just sayin’

Oh please we don’t want cheese ODs

Because we spent the money on ewe's milk Bries

We sayin’

Oh please we don’t want cheese ODs

Because we spent the money on cave-aged cheese

'Chee- Zee'  (after Loyle)

'Dreams'

 

"We're in trouble they've got a flag" - digital collage - George Roberts 2021

" My unsuccessful  'Dreams' submission for Grayson Perry's Art Club" 

“Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor.”

― Truman Capote

Food Collage

 

"My unsuccessful 'Food' submission for Grayson Perry's Art Club. 

"Failure is success in progress" - Albert Einstein

The Acme Sliding Folding Aquarium

 

'The Acme Sliding Folding Aquarium' - digital media - George Roberts 2021

" Enabling the enthusiastic 'fish-keeper' to house a very large aquarium in a very small property - particularly suitable for flat-fish" -  Syd Carp

Discover Suffolk Landscapes

 

'Wind in the willows' - digital media - George Roberts 2021

'Weird Wood' - digital media - George Roberts 2021

'The Unexpected' - digital media - George Roberts 2021

'Hair-raising' - digital media - George Roberts 2021

'Discover Suffolk' - digital media - George Roberts 2021

"Slightly bored with walking the walk"

A Tail of Two Kitties

 

"A Tail of Two Kitties" Digital Media and astro-photography
 - George Roberts 2020-21

Oulton Broad Lock in Winter

 

'Piggin Cold' mixed digital media - George Roberts 2021

Grey water, blue white snow, and red brick maltings in winter light.

Snow in February

 

February mixed digital media - 2021- George Roberts

In England snow fall always comes as a surprise

The day before yesterday

The day before snow fell

We saw a green woodpecker flying on an errand between two trees

And we observed a brown butterfly

As it surprised us both by fluttering by

Trying to warm its tissue paper wings in the exhausted red sunlight

Too early to rise and decidedly unwise for a summer insect in capricious February

 Then the wind changed direction to blow from the east

A gargantuan gale force Siberian blizzard of a beast

Snow suddenly here there and everywhere 

Falling from a chapped legs red raw sky

Small fine flakes swirling, dancing and drifting by

Stealing colour from the landscape and covering parked cars

Merging with moonlight and smothering distant bright stars

Snowflakes incandescent momentary flashes of white

Water frozen suspended in LED lamplight

It’s still snowing but quietly today

The sparrows lined up at dawn to see it fall

And to sneak sunflower seeds from a suspended fat ball

They watch me watching them as they scrape seeds from the fat

Watching me watching them - watching out for the cat

Have you noticed how cars purr when moving on snow covered roads?

And how the ice crunches compressed under tyre distributed loads?

From Joe's armchair I can see that

Our circular garden table has been transformed

To become a Mary Berry royally iced cake           

Egg white stiff under a shower of sieved snowflakes

George Roberts

Portal

 

"A portal opens" digital media 29-01-2021 George Roberts

Today, on our lovely granddaughter's twelfth birthday

We were given wonderful news 

That on the seventh of February 2021

 We will receive our first injections of the Covid 19 vaccine.

Thank all you kind, clever, educated, skilled and dedicated people

Who have worked collectively around the clock

And across national boundaries

To make this first step back to normality possible.

A portal opens.

Can you solve this New Year Family Mystery?

 

Being locked down again and being New Year and all, a nostalgic person with time on their hands takes to looking through old photo albums at predigital memories from yesteryear. This 'cracking' photo from Christmas 2003 was taken in the snow at the Dickens' Festival Rochester Kent.  Four generations of our family are represented in this image but who is the uninvited mystery man? If you know this person or indeed are that man, we would be happy to receive your explanatory commentary.