Statue of Liberty - sketch with oil pastels

This sketch was done with oil pastels, and I hope this shows a slightly different aspect of the American famous icon.

Headwaters of the Mississippi River



This is my pastel oil sketch of a photo taken by my step-son Shane.  He and his father took a trip to visit the headwaters of the Mississippi River.  

Nicollet Lake is the name of the headwaters.

I did take the liberty of changing the signage somewhat, (not the words) as pastel crayons do not lend a hand to small lettering on the ‘totem pole’ post.

Cobb n Co - Australian transport in the late 1800s

Cobb n Co by Paul Howlett

I have been using some oil pastels for the last few weeks.  I am still setting up my paints after moving back home after the Queensland floods of last year.  I like these oil pastels as the are quick to use and gives me heap of practice, to get my 'mojo' up and working.

In the town of Rosewood were my wife and I had rental accomodation while our home was being renovated after being flooded, there is a Cobb and Co coach in a very large showroom in the town.  From time to time they give tourist rides in the coach through the town.

Here is a 'rough' picture of the coach.

The Facebook and The Google - a poem

The Facebook and the Google

by Paul Howlett

The facebook and the google

Both entities I know

They both inhabit the Internet

But I think they’re deadly foes

They both need room to grow

And that’s were the seeds are sown

One or the other wants to dominate

Which in the end, leads to hate

As one sets off against the other

Barring users for daring to interconnect

Many times on the Internet!

NOTE:  I now can interconnect between the two - YEAH!

What is wrong with Facebook?

I have been posting poems up here on my blog, none of which are 'rude' or what have you so why all of a sudden I am blocked from putting my work up on facebook?

Walk in my shoes

Walk in My Shoes

By Paul Howlett

Walk a mile in my shoes

Kick away the blues

Walk a mile in my shoes

You have nothing to lose

Walk a mile in my shoes

Feel the earth beneath my feet

Give your heel ‘n’ toes a treat

Walk a mile in my shoes

Maybe bare feet are best

Put your efforts to the test

Walk a mile in my shoes

Lose those lonesome blues

Walk a mile in my shoes

Yes mate, just hang loose!

The River Runs - (It has been one year to the day since we were flooded) by Paul Howlett

The River Runs  By Paul Howlett

There is a river in Ipswich called

The Bremer River and you would be appalled

At what it has done, made us run, run, run

To higher ground for feared we drown

Lots of brown water, lots of brown water

We all escaped, to leave our homes alone

To face the rising creeping inundation

Of water, mud, disease and on our own

We drove through the night

We drove through the water

We drove through the rain

We drove through the water

We drove out of town

For feared we would drown

At last we came to a spot

Of a good dry Motel

Still in shock, still in shock

My father, wife looked at the TV that night

Thanked the Lord above for life and love

That they did not join the flooded victims

Of the dreaded flood of 20 - 11

That sent many people to heaven.