PPF Peony and the Eclipse

I can't believe that I missed the Paint Party Friday celebrations last week with Eva and Kristin.

So I'm making sure I don't miss it today... here's the link if you'd like to visit the party too.

But there's always a silver lining if you look hard enough because as part of the PPF 4th Birthday/Anniversary/Blogoversary celebrations there was a optional challenge and not one that I'd find easy. 

The challenge was to paint a self-portrait. 

(Gulp... thank goodness I missed that)

Now that would be have been a challenge for me...

So what have I been up to instead... let's take a look

It appears that I'm all in the pink this week. 

I'm even wearing a pink pashmina today!

My pink Mother's Day bouquet and card set me thinking about the summer blooms that hopefully will be appearing in my garden soon. 

The peony is one of my favourites...

As you can see I'm working on the kitchen table once more.

I decided to start this particular painting whilst the football was on the television.

I plugged in my earphones and had a brilliant time listening to classical music. 

Thankfully it blocked out the footy commentators, guru's, chants and my hubby's tactitional expertise!

But I don't have to use the kitchen table anymore because my daughter has relocated.

I now have my studio back... although there's some thinking and planning needed it's great to get back in here. She had lots of success whilst using the studio, so I'm hoping that the good positive vibes will inspire me too.  

That is if studio pooch will move over to let me have some space. 

It's amazing how popular this particular room is. 

If you'd like to see my daughter's new studio space here it is below... 

Cool isn't it? 

Here's a link if you'd like to see more of her work... click here and here

Before I head off to work on my peony, I thought you might like to see the eclipse that everyone is talking about here in the UK this morning. 

I didn't think we'd get to see anything here in Aberdeenshire, but we had a lucky break in the clouds and caught glimpses of it.
I think it worked out better having some cloud cover... it wasn't too bright or too much glare.
I probably will have poo-monia later as I stood outside for quite a time with soaking wet hair from my shower. I've hardly been about to warm up since, but I suppose these amazing specticals don't happen often and you have to sieze the moment. 

There was talk that the dogs would howl and the birds would stop singing, but that didn't happen. Muffty was still in her bed all snuggled up for the drop in temperature and the birds kept singing... maybe distracted by the fact that I'd just replenished the feeders and it was game on!

However there was a dog howling in the nearby woods but I suspect that he was just over excited with the rabbits running hither and thither.

These are not the best shots but considering I thought I wouldn't even see it, I suppose I should be grateful. 

Well that's it for today peeps... spring equinox, solar eclipse and a super moon tonight...
Phew...it's been quite a day but now it's time to paint.

Have a fantastic Friday and a wonderful weekend

Hope to see you soon