Winter/Summer Coat

Clipping the coat . . .

Many thinks he looks sooo cute in his winter coat. I do agree . . .

With spring around the corner, the streets getting wet, sandy, muddy etc,  I decided to begin clipping Canelo’s coat. That was, last week, on March 22nd. I use scissors so it takes me days to finish. Not because Canelo would not let me clip it off all in one day. Only I don’t won’t to tire us out too much for too long at the time.  

Well, he is sooo cute in his summer coat as well 🙂

I wonder what breeders would say about the result ! I will give him an other round in the summer, in the end of June or the beginning of July. Then one more clipping before the winter.

I read and saw pictures about how to cord your Spanish Water Dog.  Seems very common and popular in many countries. I don’t think I have seen any corded SWD here. Or then I may not have known they were SWD:s.

@Parilla Española, Helsinki

Out with friends eating and chit chatting at Parilla Española in Helsinki.

It was so nice to meet with my ex colleagues Thursday night down town Helsinki. Ventilating both old times and new times. We had some great laughs. The food was delicious. Below is a picture of my starter. A “katkarapukasari” / Fried Shrimps. I think they look much more like shrimp swimming in melted butter than fried ones  🙂 Anyway, I can assure you it was yummy. Lots of garlic. 

Fried shrimps

Snails in garlic butter

Two of my friends had snails in garlic butter for starters. Sorry to tell but  no snails for me, please !

For dessert I had espresso and a spanish crème caramel. 

Looking forward to see you soon again guys. Take care. 😀

So Embarrassing

On Tuesday night my neighbour and friend Sari, once again, was in a play about Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot. Knowing how much I like photographing she told me to, just please, come shoot some pictures if you like to. Of course I would like to. I really was looking forward to the “happening”.

The play would begin at 7:30 pm. We left home at 6:45 and arrived there at 7. What ? Nobody there ! Wrong Day ? There was a guard at the front door who told us, sorry, either wrong day or wrong place. Nothing here tonight.

We tried to call Sari, actually each and every one in her family. No answer ! I called my son to please, please, please check my emails from Sari. the one where she is giving me the link of the event. Oh no . . . he was not able to find the right e-mail. Luckily I asked the guy at the door could I use his computer to check my e-mail. Yup he said, no problem. Thanks to him I found the righ address, about 7- 10 kilometers away. Not much time left, not sure we would make it in time. Leif, my husband driving like crazy.

I think we arrived about 5 -7 minutes late. It was sooo embarrassing I could have dropped dead. Lights were already off. The actors all had taken there positions ready to begin. I was so nervous I could hardly think or see anything. Heh-heh ! I just pressed the button over and over again and wished that at least one picture would be OK.

Sari to the left. Playing the role of Louhi.

The entire group of the play.

The play was interesting. They all were fantastic. I’m looking forward to the third and last play of “their” Kalevala trilogy. 

I apologize and hope the group will forgive me my mistake.  Who knows ! Maybe, just maybe, hopefully,  they still will have confidence enough in me to ask me to come shoot some pictures then as well.

Onion Painting

One more painting . . .

My “flowing/floating” onions 🙂

Hubby said my onions look like they are flying  🙂  He is right. They really look like floating around. I should have made some kind of  a base, a plate, a table or a basket. Also there should have been some shadow between them and to the right of the right one.  Too late now for that. I’m finished with this one. Can’t make anymore changes as I almost worn out the paper.

I’m way too eager to get the paintings finished. I need to let the layers of paint dry well enough before adding more.  Also I need to be more carefull mixing the colours to get the right shades etc.

The pic I shot to use for motive.

Cyperus Zumula

I have, today, been surfing the internet for more information about the Cyperus Zumula plant. What a difficult and controversial matter! So many different opinions. A veterinary says that the cat grass contains harmful essential oil thujone and the plant is not for cats.

I went back to the flower shop today just to tell them what I had found out about the plant. Hmmm . . . I got the feeling they were not interested. Both women assured me the wholesaler has sold the plants to them as cat grass and and so far there has been no complaints.

Maybe they are right in saying my cat is too sensitive ! Who knows ! I know  . . . no more Cyperus Zumula for my cats.

Cyperus Zumula ! ! !

I am sooo damn angry and disappointed with myself for not checking out about the plant I bought in the flower shop the other day ! ! !

I went there to buy a wonderful light rosa begonia. Already paying for the begonia my eyes caught a green plant with a little sign in the pot. A cat pictured on it. I asked the woman what plant is this. Oh it’s cat grass she told me. Really, cat grass ? ! You mean it’s for your cat to eat like the oath or wheat ? ! She nodded and told me yes. WOW ! Yeah ! OK, I’ll just have one thank you !

Cyperus Zumula

The plant was on the windowsill for a couple of days. Neither of the cats showed any kind of interest in it. I was a bit confused as usually when they get oath or wheat they literally throw themselves over it. Yesterday I was in the kitchen when I saw Quismo eating of it. I was so pleased to see he liked the grass. Seconds later Quismo cried out loud, I mean really loud, for help and then he threw up. Oh my goodness, he was vomiting big time. Both my husband and I understood immediately that the grass is not for cats ! Eating oat or wheat never made none of our cats feel that bad.

I surfed the net and found out the plant certainly is not for cats. It’s now high up away from the cats. Today I will go to the pet store to buy them some delicious, healthy oat. Also I will pop into the flower shop to tell the woman the grass is highly toxic to cats and may cause liver damage. I’ll tell her to, please, please warn your customers about the “cat grass”.

I feel awful about this. I feel an idiot. The biggest fool on the planet. Quismo dear forgive me, love ya.

Watercolour painting

My first watercolour painting or . . . 

So very cute !

Browsing the net I saw this wonderful picture of a fox. I don’t know who the photographer is but the picture is beautiful.  Instantly I began to make a pencil drawing. When I had finished sketching it I scanned a copy of the sketch in case I would ruin the drawing then I could continue drawing using the copy. Soon I decided to, one more time, give the watercolours a try. So I used the copy for that purpose instead. Hmmm . . . are “Gouache Colours” the same as watercolours.

 Here’s my Fox !

I hadn’t put it here if hubby hadn’t told me it’s not as bad as I think ! 

Ufff  . . .  too much white/grey to the left of the nose.  I think it was pretty OK at some point. I really should know when to stop. I’m overdoing my drawings and did so with this painting as well. I have to read more on the net about how to draw and paint. Also I think I ought to buy some more brushes. Most of all. I need to practice, practice, practice. Even then. Will I ever learn ?  Perhaps the shredder would have been the right place for this ?