Hi Patsy & Thea, I am putting the photo of the cyclamen on my blog hope you like it. about the Red Sail painting hopeing to finish it this friday at art class. Yes Thea we did see works of Lisa's & thought the same as you. Glad you contacted the Deputy Head of the POL team we are with you all the way. We to have cyclamen in the garden & heather the snowdrops are opening up & the daffodils are showing their colour, will be able to take photo's soon. Putting another old painting on the gallery see what you think!!! Goodnight to both of you LOL Betty & Max xxx

I don't know if your saw a lady called Lisa blatantly advertising her work and describing her works as being 'stunning'. I don't know about stunning, but I was stunned at her audacity. I did actually leave a very curt message for her regarding this entry in which she had also included details as to how to buy her work! I have spoken to the Deputy Editor of the POL team today and put these issues to her. She agrees regarding that the gallery is not for commercial activity and there is to be a big re-planning meeting in early March when they will be addressing these issues. Hopefully then the gallery can return to more amateur artists getting the time and space that it is intended for. The DE assures me that they will be taking steps to make professionals selling work on the gallery stop doing this. I have no objection to professional artists putting their work on the gallery for us all to see as it is good to see very skilful work, but I would prefer them to post them one at a time rather than swamping the gallery with all their latest works. There - I'll get off my soap box now! Looking forward to seeing your cyclamen. When I grow them indoors I think I over water them as the leaves always go yellow. I've got nice ones in the garden though. Take care.

Hi Max and Betty have been strolling through the Forum yes success got to log onto the Forum and not log in here first lots of nice people in there and good advice...would love to see your cyclamen they are very hard to keep...in the early days I did one in water colour and tried to put it to sleep as per instructions but murdered it instead...have put a new blog to the reason my acrylics were turning to plastic in front of my eyes...it's a brainstorm so I hope I'm right...I have visited your gallery and yes I learnt the hard way that the portfolios are the way to go they don't disappear into the ether...it will be hot tomorrow so I will be on again at night so will take another look at your gallery...your work is lovely I havn't seen the one with the red sail yet but will look tomorrow...hope Betty is feeling better after her tooth extraction...well Max and Betty bedtime talk to you tomorrow

We have had a look on your gallery & like what we saw, have left some comments on a few. We are on the portfolio's as well it seems a much safer place (we hope) We to have noticed that people are advertising their work. This is the trouble anyone can put their work on, it makes us mad!!! Have taken a photo of my indoor cyclamen (White in colour) might post it on the blog for you all to see. Take care, LOL XXX

Hi Max and Betty the Forum is kaput nil zilch...as to the gallery I lost mine and I don't have much to loose so I arranged them into Portfolios which was surprisingly easy...it is under Patsy King and the portfolios are Old New and The Last Chapter(the bird)...I have two Chinese Brushwork pieces in New which I would like to move into the Last Chapter but I'm not game best leave well alone...the pieces I want to move is Tiger my first try and Lion which was my second try...now I'm telling you all this but you may already have looked...Maureen is on the warpath and I think we are all following with banners in regard to the Forum...I had only just managed to log on because my password for the Forum was changed and it wouldn't accept any...I go on to the Gallery at the bottom of the first page to the left where it says Browse Portfolios if you go in that way it is in alphabetical order and I have been gradually going through just jumping pages from the bottom where it says next...Re-post the work you lost and put them into portfolios and I think they should stay...I have noticed a lot of new work being posted en-mass with people advertising their works for sale and what have you...sorry about all this info everyone seems to be on the warpath hope it helps...keep warm and well LOL XXX

Yes we have been following the thread but they don't seem to be doing much about it. Max has nearly finished another painting of a yacht it has red sails!!! "SURPRISE SURPRISE" We will post it on the gallery but as you say how long will it last? Will post it on the blog if need be, get more results. It is hard work as you say Thea going through all the galleries.

Re Betty's scratch foils disappearing off the gallery in no time, have you been reading the thread on the forum that I started about exactly this problem? I feel it is rather a shame when you have slaved over a painting and posted on the gallery hoping for some advice or comments that it disappears into one of the very hard to find portfolios. I think this is happening because quite a few people have been doing multiple postings - 5+ at a time and some re-posted paintings several times to keep them on the front page. I suggested that the POL team introduce a 1 in 24 hours guideline - some people have been in favour - others not. It is difficult, because no-one want to promote their work over anyone else's, but it is disappointing when your painting manages to stay on the gallery front page for only a few minutes. I have missed loads of lovely paintings like this and only found them much later when having a search through all the galleries.

Well Patsy the snowdrop is out & the daffs are showing colour, no sign of the crocuses yet. Went to art class today did a bit more to my painting, hope to finish it next week, (fingers crossed) We had a lovely sunny day yesterday but today a bit overcast but dry. Betty put another two of her scratch foils on the gallery but they disappeared in no time, to see them you will have to look on my gallery. Take care!! LOL xx

Glad you are feeling better Betty...good to hold onto your teeth I also have only lost 2 teeth in 63 years I think I need the dentist every 17 years when we did a count suits me just lucky have thick enamel built to last...hope the weather dosn't flatten your blooms...have been talking to Sunderland tonight and they had snow all day Thurs but today it's gone and although cold it's bright and sunny...fingers and toes crossed for you...keep warm and well

Glad you liked the photo Thea & Patsy, my father was born & brought up on a farm in wiltshire, they bred horses, it is still in use today run by a member of the family, i remember visiting it as a child, & remember one horse who came every morning for his sugar lump to the farmhouse door which was like a stable door that you could have the top half open & bottom half closed..........I think this is why i love animals so much..............I am feeling a lot better thank you, have to see dentist again next week for a check up, only the second tooth out in 71 years not bad. (Betty) Now Max's turn!!! Just hope we don't get torrential rain or snow in the next few day's to flatten everything. will take some photo's & post them on my blog, (fingers crossed) Keep well both of you.LOL

Hi Max and Betty jus checking in to see if you are feeling better Betty...Hi Max looking forward to deeing your Daffs and snowdrops...Keep well

Hi Max and Betty sorry to hear of your tooth extraction horrible isn't it you have my sympathy...what a beautiful picture bet the foal isn't very old soon up and off...I had a friend who kept horses cost a fortune...my daughter went through the horse thing and had lessons etc. but thank goodness she grew out of it...here we have many wild tortoises and birds crossing roads to have their young and then taking them back again...sigh posts are put up to watch out for wildlife crossing the road and traffic can grind to a halt whilst they either move or someone helps them...in the main people are really good if it happens on the Freeway it gets on the news...well Betty hope you feel better soon

A lovely photo, Betty. We used to keep horses, but never had a foal. I think the mum knows to keep close to her baby as foals are notorious for getting themselves into tricky situations. Sorry to hear about your toothache - it must be very painful. Hope you got a good night's rest.