Hair of the Dog

 Found out you really shouldn't laugh at dogs when they're only half way through a short back and sides. It just hurts their feelings.

 This bearded collie was getting his pre summer cut, but there was no time to finish the 4th leg or his back, so for  the day he went around with one leg warmer like a Fame academy dancer from the 80's.
Next time I saw him though he was shaking his skinny little hips and had a very cool swagger to his step. He felt he was definitely one cool dude. And about a ton lighter...

Fallago Rig Enquiry- Court Reporter!

 

So this has been my distraction for a wee bit. Our local community has just gone through a public enquiry, fighting the encroachment of yet another windfarm on our hills. We've currently got the highest concentration of windfarms in the UK in an area 26x15 kilometres wide, (currently standing at 464 either constructed, consented or in planning) so we're trying to stem the flood of 48 more from entering the wee haven of moorland in the middle. So, our two plucky local community council members (along with a landowners group) were up against the Ministry of Defence, the Developers, and Government planning.  Its also a battle between two Dukes - Northumberland and Roxburgh just to spice things up a bit. I couldn't get to see the drama every day (which there was quite a bit I hear), but the days I was there I managed to turn myself into a court reporter.

 

 

There has been controversy aplenty, with Freedom of Information acts revealing secret meetings between ministers, developers and land owners and  the developer's photos being passed off as recent, when in fact they were taken in 2007, trying to negate the effects of cumulative impact.

 

So, sketchbook was out while I was trying to following the various sides, and sometimes it got too technical so I ended up drawing the faces and shoes of Joe Public.

 

And discovered a very smart man in front of me wearing a pair of Mr Men socks which pleased me no end. Little things.

   

So, don't quite think I'm up to being a bona fide courtroom artist as you're not allowed to sketch from life but only take handwritten notes, but this was an interesting experience anyway. We're all now waiting with baited breath to hear back from the Reporter as to whether we've been successful or not. It really felt like a battle of David and Goliath proportions. Watch this space....