Duck Walking on Water

Two nights ago, I was idly flipping through some 15,000 digital images on the computer - as you do - when I came across this photograph of a duck in Frome, Somerset. The eagle-eyed among you may notice that it is standing on the river. The surface is water, not ice. How on earth did it do that? Any ideas?

Forest in a Graveyard

I like to get close to a subject and looked along the curved slab covering a Victorian grave in a Somerset village. To my astonishment, when I later processed the photograph, I realised that a number of small forests had been established.

Not wanting to draw other visitors' attention to this, I did not stay long enough to find out who or what inhabitated these miniature woodlands. I intend to return on another day to see if I can make contact.

The Field Monster

Here is a photograph of the Field Monster that the Scarecrow warned me about. Some foolhardy artists went too close and were chased from the field.

Scarecrow Farm 3

Eventually, as I gained his trust, he told me of the farm's history and pointed out some sights of interest. He warned me not to approach the field monster . . .

Scarecrow Farm 2

This scarecrow was surprised when I first spoke to him, but he was pleased to talk! I learned another thing from him. The reason you rarely see scarecrow beds is that normally the growers transplant the scarecrows to fields with crops in or pass them on to other farmers whose own scarecrow crops failed to germinate. Does anyone know what scarecrow seed looks like?

Scarecrow Farm

A few years ago, I joined a group of artists who were spending a day painting and drawing on an organic farm. With rare breeds and young farm animals in abundance, few were interested in a large vegetable patch which contained a large number of scarecrows. When alone with them, several wanted to chat - they can get quite lonely you see.

One told me that they had been grown from scarecrow seed that the farmer's wife had scattered around the garden at the time of full moon. Others told me how lonely it was, but at least they had each other for company.

Do trees watch as we pass by?

Sometimes, when I am alone in the wood, I feel as if the trees are watching me. This Silver Birch was, but it forgot to close its eyes before I turned round and saw it . . .

Angry Bird

It was just a smudge of printing ink on a discarded sheet of paper, but to me this bird-like creature seems very, very angry. Not the sort of creature I would like to meet on a dark night!

A Serpent had its Eye on me

In the decaying copse close to my home, I saw this serpent staring hard at me. I looked again and it had gone!

Towering Creatures

Sometimes, when you are close to the trees, great towering creatures loom over you. I manage to escape, but not before I captured an image of it!

Strange Landscapes in the Bark

And sometimes when I look at trees, I can see cityscapes or landscapes with towering pinnacles and ridges of rocks. I wonder who or what lives there? Please click on the image for a closer look.

A Dinosaur Attack

I jumped when I saw this dinosaur try and bite my shoe! It looked pretty ferocious to me.

What's it all about?

Welcome to those with imaginative minds. For me, it all started when I attended a part-time Children's Book Illustration course at City of Bath College. Along with my fellow students, I was encouraged to think of ideas for illustrations. Soon I became aware that I was starting to see things that were never there! Now that's not as bad as it seems and I'll tell you about the first two sightings. Hopefully, you will realise that I have not started to lose my mind, more that I had begun to be more creative in my imagination . . .

1. Driving along a Somerset lane with acres of ploughed fields to my left, I notices a small black dog standing alone some distance away. The image was strong enough for me to draw it in my sketchbook when I arrived home. A day later, I saw that the dog was a piece of black plastic sack that was half buried in one of the furrows. Still, it was enough to give me an idea for a picture book.

2. Coincidentally, I was driving along the same lane a few weeks later and was suprised to see a white rabbit standing (literally) on the verge. It was waving at me. Passing by the next day, I saw a white carrier bag flapping in the hedge.

Am I alone in seeing things that are not actually there. If you see them, too, I'd love to hear from you.