Anyway, often alongside our family's Grandfather clock hung the big portrait painting of my great-grandfather. With his judge's eyes seemingly continually and sternly looking down, following wherever we would go, it always spooked us as children (and, actually, sometimes still does)!
Why do I mention these? Well, as such, there's a somewhat strange dichotomy I have with Grandfather Clocks that's perhaps reflected in this rather tongue-in-cheek interpretation above? While I didn't get to finish it entirely, that's OK! Scribble Picnic is as much about just scribbling something down as anything else. The idea is just to be creative and think creatively about the various themes. (I need to remember that too—it's so easy to pressure myself to perfect everything when there isn't really always the need. That's not to say that I won't at some latter point colour this in though... well, at least that lil' tea-time mouse popping his head out there. Can you find him?*) :)
OK, time to see what the rest of you struck up! At the sound of the chime... Go!...
P.S. If you didn't get a chance to see it, there's a montage of the previous week's boat pieces, you might enjoy checking out as well.
*And for something extra fun: whoever can find the most items hidden away in this piece will get a lil' freebie something just for your efforts! Happy Hunting! Simply send me your list. :)
I love your sketch this week, Michael, and yes, I see the little mouse peeking out from behind it. I hope the cat doesn't spot him too. hehe I understand your sentiment about leaving the Grandfather Clock in England.
ReplyDeleteI only managed a pen sketch this week as I filled you in on my ongoing dramas via a comment in one of your previous posts. My new post explains why I've been missing in action. Like you, I also have to accept that I won't always have a perfectly finished piece to show each week. A sketch is just as good...very true. I'm pleased that I was able to make it for the 'picnic' this week. I'm now off to check out the montage from last week. I still plan on doing a Boat theme and will post it when I do.
Yes, again, so sorry to hear about all that!
DeleteThank you for picnicing at all here at this rate!
I forgot to mention the footnote added later. Do check that out.
DeleteHi Michael, seems we both reverted to childhood again with this theme!! I love how you bring back memories of my own English childhood and how we both seem to have many similar ones. By chance are you watching the PBS series Home Fires? Oh my gosh you would love it I think. I missed the first season but binge watched it online over the past couple of nights (6 episodes) and have now started season 2 which is currently being aired.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I transgress and need to mention how much I love your clock story and your illustration - cats, fish (an aquarium!), even a mouse of course - and the family portraits. Fabulous! I have to agree that shipping something that precious might be terribly costly and damage might occur - also, as I mentioned, these clocks are so huge and often don't fit into our smaller homes. I do love the Westminster chimes though, and with it hidden away up here in the spare bedroom, now the 'office', it seems comfy and out of the way of visiting foot traffic which is usually downstairs!
Looking forward to all the 'new faces' showing up at today's picnic.
Hugs - Mary
What a wonderful comment, Mary. Thank you! Yes, I think we are both very blessed to have had such childhoods! Even with being raised in a single fame home, it was still so amazing, really. no wonder it always comes to mind but then again, I do rather have a child's heart, Alex say...and by that, i hope she is not implying I'm some simpleton or something! Cheeky girl! haha. :)
DeleteWe don't have regular TV coverage so if Home Fires is on presently we will need to wait until we can buy it on Fandango or something. Soudns great and thank you for the recommend. I am quite sure I would indeed love it! :)
I forgot to mention the footnote added later. Do check that out.
DeleteThis is really delightful in all its detail Michael, still looking for that mouse. I love your story that goes with it.
ReplyDeleteok found him, sooo cute!
DeleteHahha, that comment was cute! :)
DeleteI forgot to mention the footnote added later. Do check that out.
Deletethis is adorable, all those cat portraits and those fishes in the clock - such a wonderful idea. and the mouse at the corner peeking out - that's an extra that makes the piece even better.
ReplyDeleteI haven't done anything for this week's theme. I could not think of a thing ...
have a lovely day.
That's funny, Lissa, as I actually thought for your super detailed drawings whilst doing this, sure you were imagining up something even more elaborate and funny. Thank you.
DeleteI forgot to mention the footnote added later. Do check that out.
DeleteThe story touches my heart. Such a beautiful antique with so much history and to heavy and not being the right style to fit into your more modern Colorado lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteAlso loved all the little critters, and I did find the little mouse. How sweet.
I had a similar experience when we had to downsize to the Villa. My mother's hutch that housed all her tea things was given to me by her at her death. I loved it dearly, but didn't have room for it here...thankfully it has found a new home with one of my daughters who also loved my mom and had her own tea collection. Win`Win.
Yes, I'm sure my daughter woudl love it but....
DeleteThank you for your comment and similar story too, dear Wanda.
I forgot to mention the footnote added later. Do check that out.
DeleteCreative as ever, Michael! Cute little mouse!
ReplyDeleteHopefully "your" clock will always have a good home, whether it's with you or not.
We don't have a grandfather's clock, but we do have an assortment of mantel and wall clocks, each with their own story. As with everything, there's the question of what will happen with them eventually. I do appreciate things with a good, well-remembered history. But, as our home has filled with more and more special items from family members who have passed on, I'm reminded that when all is said and done, things are just things.
Yes, you are right. That can be so hard to remember that at times, but it is so true---when all is said and done, will it even matter? No! Thank you for the visit and comment. Missed seeing you here but a visit is great too. :)
DeleteFinally linked. Busy (good busy) several days with family home!
DeleteIsn't it funny the things we fall in love with as children. Your anecdote reminds me of the ceramic cats my grandmother left to my son. He was only just starting to walk when he noticed them at her house and gravitated to them every time we went there. She said that they were to be his when she passed. I don't know if they are of any monetary value, they're not that pretty. I still have them here because my son, now 36 does not want them. (I'm secretly going to give them to my grandson on his first birthday!) If nothing else, you probably have wonderful memories of the clock and what an expression of love that your mother remembered your liking it. Your drawing is very whimsical and really made me smile. What a sneaky kitty - hope she doesn't accidentally turn that key!
ReplyDeleteHa, what a great write up here, Lorraine! And speaking of sneaky, I'm thinking that;s you getting the lil cats back to your son through the grandson! too funny.
DeleteYes, the grandfather clock is perhaps the prettiest one I have ever seen. Really hard not to have it but so wrong in Colorado! If I was in England, I would take it for sure!
And yes, my thought is that the house is owned by cats (if not a cat lover) and thus all the cat like love things. jsut one turn of the key and all that can be this kitties! Oh dear me. :)
Your imagination truly comes up with the most spectacular things! I love this - and my kitties would certainly love it if we owned an aquarium clock, too! It is a shame about your mother's clock. But I also understand when you say it seems to "belong" in England. If I were in your shoes, I would feel that it should stay across the pond, too. I hope that your sister is enjoying it, though! Was this sketch modeled at all after your mother's clock? The top 1/4 of mine is modeled after my grandfather's clock that he still has in his home in Maryland! The photo that I was referencing for my drawing has a bunch of us standing in front of the clock, so I could only make out the top 1/4 - the rest is purely made up! Wonderful take on the theme, and I do love all of the little kittens (and hidden bits!)
ReplyDeleteAh, ok, re: your own illo! Funny. No, the one here in this sketch is 100% PURe imagination! The one my mother wons is truly a gorgeous piece--one of the prettiest I've ever seen and if in England, would dearly love it but...
DeleteYes, as I said to Lorraine above, I'm thinking that actually the whole house is owned by cats, thus the cat love things like the fish key, etc but if not, certainly a cat lover. hahah. Thank you for your lovely comment too.
The details in your piece are wonderful Michael. Teasing a kitty with sea life. I like the small details of where the pendulum chains meet the water. The boney fish, star fish, seahorses. Yes, I see the cute mouse but the kitty is distracted and has even left paw prints here and there on the clock, cute detail. Family portraits of kitties is cute too, as are the hands on your clock. Is that a mouse hanging from a pendulum? The Key, cute cute. You have found a way to inspire taking to heart all the details.
ReplyDeleteI also grew up with a grandfather clock. I think something to consider is that they do best in a large house that can handle the chiming. I brought ours to an apartment and it was much too loud there to have it working. Sad realization.
Well dear Tammie, our home was always fairly small, far too small for the clock as it was usually on a stairwell landing but as it was, the chimes hardly ever went off as usually the clock was broken and is to this day-- too expensive to repair!
DeleteYes, you've caught a lot of the things, well done! It's a worm on a hook on the bottom of the right pendulum but you are totally right--buoys on the top of the water surface! : Those are inlaid cat prints btw. :) Thank you for the lovely comment and taking time to notice those things.
Michael,
ReplyDeleteWhen I first saw your sketch I thought I had written my thoughts. But I can't find them here so maybe they didn't go through. I love that the clock is living in a house of cats. Pictures on the wall. And those fish for the pendulums. So creative. So much fun this Scribble Picnic.
Blessings,
Janis
I'm thinking I need to take a better look in the "cat corners" around our place because our cat, Bhu, tells time impeccably and I am thinking it might just be a cat-father clock like this that keeps him on such a timely schedule! That's a wonderfully whimsical illustration Michael. And I love the story of your mother's clock and the glaring portrait that scared you as a child. It jogged a few of my own memories. . .
ReplyDeleteWhat a charming paean to a much-loved object! I dropped in through the Scribble Picnic site on another blog, and am enchanted with your words and your art. i ventured into "my peeps" and found that incredibly touching and evocative story of going to see your Mother in her last days---such true and heartfelt emotions you convey---of life and death and birth and happy and sad---all in a few paragraphs, offered round and perfect as an apple on a palm.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to have found you, Michael, and look forward to returning to delve into your sumptuous archives.
rachel at LAWN TEA
I'm a bit behind in visiting everyone but hey, better late than never! :) This is a FAB fabulous piece, Mooks. My gosh, you totally shocked me with what you came up with. LOVE the frames cats and all of the intricate details you included here. It's like a picture word search. LOVE it! :)
ReplyDelete