The Launch that Sank!

We had intended launching 'the pictures' with our first show at Wentworth last Saturday ... but it rained.

 When I say it  rained ...think Noah! 

For those that have witnessed Monsoons, you're getting the picture. We don't have monsoon drains in England  and so each drain became a fountain. The water rushed on down the hill.

I live near the Castle, and they, as you know, are all on the hilltops. After 2 hours the hill was more of an island.

 Here is the garage  (gas station) at the bottom of the hill ...that is the main road not a river!

... I repeat, this was  after TWO hours of rain. You can imagine what it was like after 24!

As you can now understand, we didn't 'launch' the pictures!


This has been freakish weather - all records have been broken for cold/rain etc. The highest temperature has been about 20 -22 C (70 F) and this is supposed to be Flaming June/July!


Pat and I are away for a week from Sunday. We will be touring Stately Homes and places of architectural interest in Norfolk - in the East of England - and I hope to record them as reference photographs.


So, it will be Sunny next week - I said to Pat that I would bring good weather because, "The sun always shines on the righteous!" She sniffed and said that, "The Devil looks after his own," was more appropriate. :0) .... whatever. 


Anyway, talking about castles, here is the one Walt Disney used as a template for the Disney World Castle.

        Schloss Neuschwanstein - Bavaria, Germany       John Simlett 1981                                
                Pen & Ink  on Cartridge Paper              
                 20" x 13" (51cms  x 33 cms)

Seven weeks after the death of King Ludwig II in 1886, Neuschwanstein was opened to the public. The shy king had built the castle in order to withdraw from public life – now vast numbers of people came to view his private refuge. Why is it I always hear Wagner when I see this castle?

Pat and I used to take my daughter down to Austria frequently from North Germany, and often stopped off to see this fantastic building on the way.

I drew this 12 months after I had first started drawing. The USAF in Ramstein, South Germany loved it and bought more prints of it than anyone else. So I guess there are quite a few knocking around the US. Giselle says I should resurrect it, and so it will be off the the printers on our next visit.

I shall continue with the York project with another Street picture - it's part completed - but I had to stop to finish my next academic assignment, which I did today! Whoopee!!