Making and writing

So it is deep into October and we've been blessed with some glorious sunny weather. White light bouncing off the pine needles, the distant hillsides, the children's faces in the school yard. Sitting with a coffee basking in the midday heat with Andy and Vonnie. Unfortunately all good things come to an end. Autumn truly is upon us. It looks like the rains are coming starting this Friday. The wood situation is ok but we'll have to acquire more from the forest in a three weeks or so.

This place really gives you time and space to think and reflect while the trees still stand, silently presiding over all your philosophical meanderings. Caroline and Vonnie's book is beginning to take shape and what an exciting prospect it is too. Essentially it imparts moments in the forest: what does it give us and what do we give it? It's great to see them tend to their vegetables and nurturing all the organic life they are planting and growing here. I wish I could participate in this synergy with the earth. Maybe I will once I have finished the demanding series of paintings I set myself of which there are four pictured here. They have begun to take the from of visual haikus but some are more successful than others. I am seeing my practice evolve into something less dependent on photography but one that combines composition, seeing the actual scenes outside and re-organising them with other motifs. When I started the series I wanted to in some way capture the spirit of the forest. Now it seems I am wanting to re-present the dense landscape from unusual viewpoints, cut and pasting two scenes together in an attempt to communicate how the forest speaks. Sometimes the paintings are personal, such as Bole above. The trunk is a signifier for settling here but juxtaposed with the neutral background it alludes to weightlessness and uncertainty. Others are conceived with cinema in mind such as True homage to 'Red Squirrel" (not yet painted).

The Haikus are as difficult as ever. The myriad of observational to choose from each day - the routine has broken down at present as I have to write a few days worth in one shot to catch up - but once the selection is made whether it is the cuckoo tapping or the crickets following your footsteps I have to stick to it. The blog is good for that.

Maya and Violet are flying at school. Maya is learning Portuguese in her own quiet way and she can actually speak more than she lets on! Violet is loving the social life, saying hello to everyone in town and getting stuck into practical tasks at home. We have had some fun times with the tribe (Ian and Merla's gang) eating barbequed chicken in town, seeing their home at Aero de Miguel and generally shooting the breeze. Merla's daughter Anna and boyfriend Ollie will be leaving on Saturday to tour India for six months. Merla and Evie will also return to the Uk on Saturday too. So only Ian (and Johnny the landscape gardner for one more week) will be around for chats, meals and scrabble! We will see them off for one last blow out evening this Friday with all manner of parlour games including 'in the manner off' and running pictionary.

In three weeks Pat and Allan (Caroline's parents) join us here at Moses for five days so that will cool. So who would have thought life in the wilderness would be so full, sociable and thought-provoking? I didn't. What will happen today!?

47: Wed 13/10

Taste of new wine from the barrel -

Is 3'o clock too early to drink and talk?

48: Thurs 14/10

The man's face is worn with bitterness.

He has waited for us and smiles.

49: Fri 15/10

Tree-covered hills impart your mysteries,

Stories of toil and love.

50: Sat 16/10

City river dividing the great and good

Turbines appear against the scarlet sky.

51: Sun 17/10

Crickets in my footsteps

Showing their coats like songs:

Blue, red, blue.

52: Mon 18/10

Turquoise dragonfly outside my front door -

Only the hum recedes.

53: Tues 19/10

Early autumn wasps irritate

Distant woodpecker soothes.

54: Wed 20/10

Looming pines above:

Silent sentinels speak to me.

55: Thurs 21/10

A hornet flounders in my palette -

Gone in an ultramarine buzz.

56: Fri 22/10

Golden coat sings, water runs deep

Love radiates from the stones.

57: Sat 23/10

Heat and light sing though the valley:

The chainsaw can't cut the log.

58: Sun 24/10

Familiar faces speak through the computer.

Lunch of kings awaits.

59: Mon 25/10

Why can't the butterflies delight us in groups?

60: Tues 26/10

The church bells toll on the hour

It sounds achingly resonant and toylike at once.

61: Wed 27/10

Inside or outside:

The tones in the shadows are still hard to paint.

62: Thurs 28/10

The robin dinks from branch to branch.

Silvery woodland tones prepare for winter.