No one was brave enough (or interested enough?) to play the guessing game – apart from a few friends who sent me separate emails. I was in Borrowdale, in the Lake District, on a painting holiday. We had two professionals coaching us – Jenny Wheatley and Mike Chaplin. They were excellent and both have websites with examples of their work and details of future courses.
The dry stone wall that doubled up as my studio was at Watendlath. Hand warmers were welcome because, for most of the week, a keen wind blew. Mike Chaplin gave a demonstration, painting a succession of quick watercolours, despite wind and rain (Jenny also gave a demonstration but had the good sense to do it indoors).
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Here is harmless game for you. I have just spent a bizarre week with a delightful group of people. Can you guess (a) where I was and (b) what I was doing? I will reveal all on Saturday 20th November and there will be a prize for the person who, before then, answers both questions correctly (please don’t give the game away if you were with me).
Here are your clues:
- I spent three hours at Wat****ath using a handy dry stone wall as my work station.
- Hottie hand warmers came in handy (contents: iron powder, water, salt, activated charcoal and vermiculite).
- I watched a demonstration given by an irrepressibly cheerful professional working in driving rain under a mini umbrella (but the umbrella wasn’t to protect him).
- Wet on wet was much in evidence and squishy cow pats were a hazard.
- At meal times we pondered profound questions such as the percentage of fibre in sheep’s droppings, how to boost the signal from a remote car door opener, the ratio of energy consumed/generated by wind turbines.
- We were challenged to gargle the National Anthem.
- I nodded off watching videos of Fred Cuming and Paul Hogarth.
- The pass, above the snowline, was barely passable.
- The homemade fudge was a winner.
- I giggled all over again at Gerald Hoffnung’s story about bricks.
That’s more than enough for you to suss it out. Answers before Saturday 20th November please.
