Karine Ardault

do not look inside!

A small piece I did last week-end.

   

Snow on Mount Meru

Yesterday afternoon, we experienced a big storm with heavy rains. It had not been raining like that since several months. The good news is that it is good for the garden and the crops in general. The bad news is that this morning dirt roads have become mud roads. I had to play a bit with the 4WD from my house to the tarmac road. I like it, it is quite funny... as long as I do not get stuck in the mud myself!!!

This morning when I woke up, I heard the radio and the regular noise of a machete cutting branchs! at 6 A.M. Dawmn it! It is coming from the next door compound where the landlord has decided it was time to build on it. So far, so good except that it is a little EARLY! But when I get out the house I notice that the house is actually cutting the hedge separating the 2 compounds. STOP!! and when I mean cutting, the hedge lost one third of its height! So far they have stopped cutting it... I do not want to see the neighbours!

When I left the house and reached the tarmac road, I had a nice view of Mount Meru. So bad i did not have my camera with me. Because of the rain, there was no dust in the air, the lihgt was very nice and there was even a bit of snow on the top of the Meru. It was a nice view to start with, this morning.

Another good news. I am going to Ndutu. While officially in the Ngorongoro Conservation area, it is by the Serengeti border and looks like Serengeti. Ben is flying some people there and I could come. At work, people said they could survive without me for 2 days and a half so I am going!!! happy! Happy!

More soon, I have to work!

Giraffes

I like giraffes. They are gracious and beautiful. I love their lashes. What I also like about them is that they are curious and that they are as much looking at us than we are looking at them.

This picture was taken in Arusha National Park in July 2006

Panorama

Here is a panorama I made from a few pictures I took  of the ngorongoro crater back in november 2006. The result is not great though it shows PARTS of the crater. It is huge!!

Thinking of Lorne

Lorne White. It was two years ago. We miss you.

(Photo Silvia Dona - If I am wrong with the credits, please let me know and I will correct)

Happy Birthday Muffin!!

Muffin is 1 Year!

Happy Birthday, big girl!

One year ago, during the night, I got waken up by Cuddle, my labrador, who was barking. My dog does not bark for nothing. Cuddle does not bark to respond to the other dogs of the neighbourhood. He barks when there is someone at the gate or when there is a strange animal teasing him.

And here, what do I see in his mouth? a spiky ball. It is not the first time. Usually I free the spiky animal. But here it is so small, like a chicken egg. so small. That day, Ben was not here and I really wanted to show him this little one. As I did not know what to do with it, I put it in a box and went on the internet to find info about hedgehogs. i let it there for the night.

The following morning, i run to the pet store to buy cat food as i find out this food is well adapted to hedgies.

I finally take little hedgie in my hand and it unrols... It is a girl! She cannot be more than 6 weeks and she has a funny little nose. It will be muffin. I am waiting to show her to Ben. At the same time I am worrying, she is young and I do not know if she can eat by herself. There was no sign of the mother in the garden as Cuddle did not bark again. I try to make her drink with a seringe. Not easy but it works. she is so cute. She gets her first bath and she lets me take away the ticks that are bothering her.

That day Muffin was less than 60 grams. She is now between 410-440 and won't grow anymore. She is a pygmye hedgehog and is an attraction. She is cute and enjoys sleeping behind my laptop (it is hot there). She is funny and still manage to amaze us everyday.... she enjoys exploring our desks which are uselly full of art supplies, papers, laptops, scanner, camera gears.....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUFFIN!

This is the culprit

Here she is (or one of her grandma)! Isn't she lovely? Well this little friend of Minnie Mouse is driving us crazy. She likes our hospitality and does not want to leave the house. She is in the Kitchen, somewhere... But where???

Friday I did empty the reserved and cleaned it. Did the same for the kitchen. Oh for sure, there were traces of the monster but she was nowhere to be seen. Though she is still there. She is going out of her hiding at night and makes (at least) not too much mess, but still.

We know she is not coming from outside; We finally had the landlord repair the kitchen door last month. There was a gap of 5 cm (2 inches) between the door and the floor so of course, at night, our kitchen was the lastest attraction in the neighbourhood. The thing is that during the day, when we are home or when Janth (the housegirl) is here, the front door is open. WIDE OPEN. But NO, she prefers to stay inside sleeping. Because, of course during the day, Miss Minnie sleeps!!

Still, she is driving us crazy, and it is time we catch us!! Beware Miss Minnie, i am coming to get you!!

Wow!!!!!

I participated in my first art challenge ever!

with this piece:

The challenge was this sentence we had to place on the piece.

i finished this piece more than one month ago and I could post it nowhere (it's the rule as when people vote, they do not know the name of the artist)... It was a long month!! but you know what, i won. Thank you so much!

All the other pieces were really nice. Everyone has his/her own style and the pieces were really nice.

First Beeswas collage

My first beeswax collage for the 4x4 Friday challenge. The theme is "Men".

Edited: the picture of the grown up man (!) is from Artchixstudio and the one from the little man is from The Lady's Closet.

Busy week... again - only time for ATCs

As If I already had not my share of running after time the internet is going on and off this afternoon. It is the 3rd time I am trying to send this post.

So i was saying that as I had a very busy week I only had time to create ATCs. This format is perfect when you do not have much time.

I particularly like the second one. simple just as I like art.

This afternoon i am going to try the 4x4 friday challenge. The theme is "men"...

Then I will do a beeswax collage. See you soon!!