Into week two.

Some better weather this week with a real heatwave on Tuesday. On Monday I did two good deeds-firstly reporting the broken bottles in the park, which I thought potentially very dangerous. However the building in the park housed the Forestry management team, not the park staff, but all was cleared by the next day. My second deed was to move a rather frightened frog that was sitting in the middle of the path ready to be squashed by a large foot. I moved him to the side and hoped he could find his way back into the gardens.

The gardens are lovely in this weather, as lots if people go there to picnic, to walk and relax. They are free to enter so obviously a regular venue. And just across the road is Inverleith Park, another huge open space. 

The pressure is on with the painting; we have a composition to complete by Friday. Under normal circumstances I would allow several months but this process is certainly getting me moving and has the advantage of allowing you to work from a live specimen. So Monday was spent thinking about the composition and painting sample leaves; Tuesday I started the final piece and managed to paint two flowers and a bud!

By Wednesday, I made decent progress with the rest and may find time to do a dissected element too!

I have enjoyed walking home in the sunshine and trips to the local pool. But on Wednesday we had storms and I got rather wet on the last 50 yards to class! At least the temperature rose from the cool winds at the weekend, so the fleece went away but the rain jacket came out!

I decided to keep the painting simple as it addressed all elements necessary and did further dissections and added to the evidence folder. That has all been handed in. The variety and quality of work was great and some people had never done water colour before. All down to the quality of the teaching and course structure. My confidence has returned and I know how accurately measure and structure a composition and paint more speedily whilst the living plant is in front of me. This will make such a difference. 

It was a day of last times on Friday. I did my last walk along the river and discovered what the colonies are.  They are these rather pretty cottages running up from the Waters of Leith. Apparently they were built in the 1860s by some stone masons who were locked out of their factory. I read a sign telling the history. This is where I will have my pied a terre when I win the lottery! I had my last meal in the canteen, they have looked after us very well; after the close of class I had my last walk around the gardens, this time exploring the rock garden area. I did a few last bits of foodie shopping at Herbies but may see if the cheesemongers is open early enough Saturday.

My last evening was spent seeing Oliver at the Playhouse, a very pleasant evening. It was about 20 minutes walk away and £6 for taxi back. One of my observations about Edinburgh is how most people wait patiently at the pedestrian crossings, although at multiple junctions you only get time to cross one section unless you are pretty quick, so there's a sort of eyeing up of the options as I approach to work out the best route! The pavements are very higgledy piggledy and I had a few trips the first couple if days until I adjusted my step! Clearly they don't sue the council here.