Farewell dinner for Mustafa
UNOPS South Sudan Transit Guesthouse

Traffic in Juba Town has returned to its normal shambolic state. Motorcycles doing their best to get everyone on board killed. Taxi’s looking for a Guinness World Record for overloading at every stop. Pedestrians dodging blue water trucks and speeding 4X4’s who all think they are the most important thing on the road. Police, in their white uniforms sit watching the unfolding chaos.

Japanese Peonies, taken from an arrangement given to us by the school kids in Yokohama. I didn’t know where the painting was going and tried not to over think it, but rather let it take its own course.

I ended up simplifying the composition as the foliage was distracting. Also ended up adding more negative space on the right hand side of the composition for balance.

Japanese Peonies
Oil on Canvas 60cmx50cm

There has been sporadic small arms fire some way from the house, so no worries. Still seems a tad strange to be painting flowers with an ear tuned to the radio in case there are any security updates. I have a bunch of people out at churches so need to pay more attention than I normally would have.

The crows are playing a drumbeat in the curved metal roof of the house. They haven’t figured out that they cannot stand on the slippery curved metal, so land and slide scrabbling for purchase against the pull of gravity. Noisy, if funny. Lots of thunder about after last nights lightning. No rain.

Martyrs Day, and cool enough to sit working on the patio, to the sound of red bishop birds going nuts in the bushes. Very special.

The Project Managers organised a farewell dinner at Transit Guest house, which had its origins in Somalia. Tasty, without being fiery. Various types of chicken, a lamb dish that looked a tad scary and a tomato/cabbage salad.

On my jog, muddy after the rain, I passed a clump of purple wild flowers amongst the green. Stopping to take a photo to use for a painting I spotted a coucal in the bushes!

My painting doesn’t have a focal point, which I may need to fix. Will glare at it for a bit and then see.

Juba Wildflowers
OIl on Canvas 60cmx30cm

Long days, and early mornings have left me a tad short of humour. The sound coming from the back wheel of the car didn’t sound right, which on stopping proved to be a ginormous nail. Fortunately the closest garage had a tyre repair facility, with a scary jack and a guy who did all the hard work of changing and repairing the puncture. Total cost, $5.00 with a tip. Going to check the outrageous invoices we are getting for repairs!