Week Thirty Six & Thirty Seven
Highgreen is really living up to its name at the moment, its situated in a high place of course, but for the first time under my jurisdiction, it is now ‘green’. The new growth in fresh bracken forms vibrant green patches that stand out next to the dark brown heather. When I look at the landscape, I can see how someone came up with the ‘iconic’ blobs and colours that form ‘camouflage’. I often think there is a gigantic ‘camouflage’ blanket lying over a series of large lumps that form the landscape. Although with all this ‘greenness’ and growth, a much beloved companion is disappearing from view.
My favourite ‘humpy bumps’ are beginning to disappear under a sea of green grass. They are barely visible now, and their spectacular prominence; there humpy bumpiness is much missed, after all, we have shared a special journey together over these last nine months. I did intend to make an artwork to honour them, but alas it is one of the projects that I have had to edit from my rather large list. 
I am now the proud owner of a spanking new camera, with which I have to thank Andy for not only researching which camera, but for also paying for it. I am also pleased to announce I have a camera case. Camera and I are adapting to each other, it bleeps a lot and I hate manuals, so I haven’t worked out all the numerous knobs and buttons yet. I figure the auto setting on my last camera did me proud, so I’ll start with just that. 
Today it is pouring with rain, and I have to say….”hurray”. It is much needed, the earth is very dry and cracked, and it is obviously extremely thirsty. Apart from the indispensable ecological reasons of water, I also selfishly need the earth to become at least a little ‘muddy’, in order to complete an artwork. Blimey the ‘wants’ of artists hey!!! I still intend to do some large ‘track drawings’, in which, a quad bike, a tractor and a flock of sheep will be driven over large sheets of paper. I hadn’t quite foreseen that the changes in weather might effect exactly what I want to do. In hindsight, coming up with the idea in winter doesn’t necessarily mean it will be achievable in summer. Anyhow ‘dry’ tracks may look even better! 
With only eight weeks left for making and one week to install before my final show, it is all action stations here. Part of me cannot quite compute that my year is nearly over. I could quite happily stay for a number of years. I am juggling a lot of different projects; and feel a bit like a plate spinner. I could tell you the number, but I think its best I don’t. I am aware that some artworks may still get left by the wayside. Some are simple and on going like my walking stick that I carve in to daily, two are ridiculously large considering the timescale, but hey, I enjoy the challenge! I am approaching it all with a level head, if some don’t get finished then that’s fine, I do enjoy working hard, I like the adrenalin rush when there is a deadline but I also don’t want to burn myself out.
Most importantly I also want to relish and enjoy my remaining time here. It is me that has set the pace and the quantity, and me who can control it. If I ever get the opportunity to do a year residency again however, I would approach it differently, I would make less and try and push the boundaries more of individual artworks. In some respects I have (and are still trying) to do too much here, but I feel it is a valid experience and an opportunity to experiment, and this is what I have done. However I do need to master the art of editing one day, and that is an essential lesson in itself. 
I had a fantastic Solstice night; I walked to Padon Hill a beautiful viewpoint with an incredible setting sun and the whole place to myself. I shouted ‘happy Solstice Tarset’ but I’m not entirely sure anyone heard me. My bird feeding station at the moment is a delight and rather hilarious. The new fledging birds are venturing out with their mums. They haven’t quite figured out what to do yet and some are obviously quite stupid, some are quick learners and others are scarred of everything. The fledglings sit and look fluffy and puffy, they sit with their beaks wide-open waiting for mum to drop a peanut into their beaks, it’s all rather beautiful. It has been so hot here on some days that lumps of tarmac become sticky and malleable, found myself manipulating the tarmac with my walking stick. Someone one day may come across some strange patterns in the road! In just the few days that I have been away the rate of change and growth is really fast, amongst the wild Orchids are tall thistles reaching for the sky, one kind of conifer with its new growth exploding, looks like the trails of fireworks…accept of course for the greenness and new flowers appear almost daily! The sheep at the moment are looking rather confused, embarrassed and a little indignant as they leave the sheep pens freshly shaved. 
Heather came for a couple of days and helped scan in a load of images for me. We had some fabulous walks, chats and laughs. Heather found a mole just about to stumble across the road. I’ve never seen a live mole before, such a funny pink nose. It seemed really confused, and much to the farmers dismay we encouraged it to go back towards the earth rather than the road. Apparently for every mole you kill there is a fiver in it for the killer. There seems to be an abundance of moles here and are considered being quite a pest, nevertheless I’m not sure if I could kill one. 
Anyhow now blooogy blog is back, just a note to say it all may get a little erratic from now on…or I should say…I may become rather erratic…time pressures and all. Congratulations to my brother Mick and his new wife and love and healing wishes to my other brother Malcolm whom is rather ill. Blimey the wind is so strong today I can hardly hear Wimbledon…we all have weaknesses you know! Week Thirty Six and Thirty Seven…..done!