Essentials Cafe

this was painted using gouache and the camel oil brush.

 Well, it looks like a big cat getting ready to eat a few people at the base of the tree. 

It is great and I love it.  Do more!!!

Sheila 

Is that a troll I see huging that tree?  His head on the right and his hand on the left.  I think he's even got a cigarette in his mouth. LOL!

I'm glad you know of Trolls Dianne, the Scandinavian legends and folklore are amazing stories, and have become such an intrinsic part of their mythology that there are many places named after Trolls, such as the Swedish town Trollhättan (Troll's bonnet) and the legendary mountain Trollkyrka (Troll church).  The most famous in Norway are Trollfjorden, Trollheimen, Trollhetta, Trollstigen, Trolltindan and Trollveggen. How can there be so many places named after Trolls without their being real? There is indeed a Troll on this tree with the classic bulbous nose, but much more, but as only a believer gets to see a Troll, you get high marks for observation.

Another one with great powers of observation, these trees are shapeshifters, and if you go down there on a moonlit night, whenever you hear the hoot of an owl it is a warning to the forest beings to be prepared for another change, but if it is misty you must not run, how do you think the Trolls got those noses? An oak tree hurts like hell at panic speed, it is better to be calm, and just stroll away in a nonchalant fashion, but the tree roots can still trip you, and you still end up with a Troll nose, or worse still if you come across some dragon droppings. They are dropped from a great height and end up deep underground usually, and a fungi forms around them which the French call truffles, but if you find fresh dragon droppings beware! Even if you eat raw garlic it still makes your eyes water.

Another believer, and yes I think Trolls are benevolent on the whole, except when being mischievous, but little beings need to have fun too, usually at our expense, but how are they supposed to take us humans seriously I ask you? From the way we treat our planet we are hardly credible, even the little folk leave no trace, and they only have small brains. We read so many stories about Trolls, pixies, elves, fairies, goblins, leprechauns, etc, it is about time we read Troll literature and see ourselves as they see us.

Since there's a troll in that forrest...there must be other little folk. Or at least I'm sure other interesting trees nearby.

Oh no!   another idea for a story tolouse. I am now torn 3 ways. harvesting, freezing, drying, pickling and preserving my allotment stuff, creating digital art and now story writing again. I guess the housework will have to wait a little longer, unless you have a couple of benevolent trolls to send round to help me.

I rather like the one here and love the way he has stuck his tongue out and put his hand to the side of his head as if to say "humph" However I think he would be a little too large for our house, do you have any smaller ones please?

thousands of them Dianne, there is nowhere else like Sherwood Forest it really is the stuff of legend, the ancient oaks are glorious as guardians of the forest, and they have tales to tell if you know how to listen, one could spend a lifetime in one square mile and never run out of ideas or images, the sounds, the smells, the cooling breeze, it is breathtaking, and as for the little people they are there too if you know where they hide.

hahaha ... don't encourage him ric

I have no doubt about that Ric.  Warrior princess' come in many forms!

hahahaha .... do you hear that tolouse dianne thinks you are a warrior princess.

Just give me time to pick myself up off the floor and stop laughing and then you can tell us which wicked witch it was who put the spell on you and made you look and act like a guy.

Oh Dianne this one is priceless, you have give me enough ammo now make sure he wears his pinny and takes his turn at the washing up. He can have rubber gloves of course, as we can't have a princess having wash day hands now can we? .... hahahahaha Then he can back to his druids business, wear his cloak and slippers and have a good drink of dragons blood before bed.