Time A Strange Thing

Time is a strange thing. Where does it go? Slips through our fingers like silken cloth.
It only seems a moment a go that it was Christmas eve? The presents were wrapped beneath the tree and there was magic on the icy night air. Then in a fleeting moment it goes...
The snow has disappeared. Green has returned and I'm sure this morning I heard the tiniest hint of spring in the birdsong?
 I've been wondering what to put on here?  Searching inspirational poems or words, and how to wish you all a Happy New Year? I have one of the lurgys that are doing the rounds at the moment. A cold and cough and my mind couldn't settle on anything at all. That is, until today. I saw this video by the wonderful people at Harper Asprey Wildlife Rescue and it put a huge smile on my face. So I thought I would share it with you.
Lets help make 2011 a good year for all.



Happy New Year everyone! May it be peaceful and filled with joy! xx

Old Tales On This Magic Night

There is a legend shared by many countries that animals talk at midnight on this special night, Christmas Eve.

 Some tales tell of the animals being given the power of human speech for one hour. Others say they can speak until dawn. God was so grateful for their help in comforting baby Jesus in the stable, he gave them voices for a short time. Bees are said to gather to hum hymns and oxen and cattle rise in their stalls or kneel in adoration of the new-born king. Since childhood I have loved these tales. One of my favourites has to be of the spider.
When Joseph and Mary and the baby Jesus were on their way to Egypt, the story tells, as evening came they were weary and sought refuge in a cave. It was so cold that the ground was white with hoar frost. A little spider saw the baby Jesus and wished so much that he could do something to help keep him warm in the cold night. He decided the only thing that he could do was to spin a web across the cave entrance, a curtain to keep the icy wind out. Along the path came King Herods soldiers seeking to carry out his bloodthirsty order. When they came to the cave, they were about to burst in and search it to see if anyone was hiding there, but their captain noticed the spider's web. It was covered with the white hoar frost and stretched right across the entrance to the cave.
'Look,'he said, at the spider's web there. It is quite unbroken. There can't possibly be anyone in the cave as anyone entering would have torn the web'.
So the soldiers passed on and left the holy family in peace.

And that, so they say, is why to this day we put tinsel on our Christmas trees.
It is said that every tree should have a spider ornament to acknowledge the generous spirit of the little Christmas spider.

Wishing you all a happy and peaceful Christmas.
xxx

 

 

While We Slept

Silently in the night, they came. Each tiny little snowflake a work of art in itself, falling secretly in the dark while we slept.  When we awoke, winter the enchantress had us captivated and under her spell once again.

We walked early and caught the aroma of Saturday breakfasts on the icy hush. And down by the stream I was blessed to  glimpse the shining blue of a beautiful Kingfisher. Alas not on camera, it was far too quick!

The snow has stayed and the children come in every day with rosy cheeks and sleep well each night from days of sledging. Presents are wrapped, mincepies baked and tommorow my little girl will be a teenager.

Dream Of Snow

Back again as I've finished the painting!  Here it is....

                                                                    Dream Of Snow

We had some snow this morning, but now the sky is clear and the moon is bright. The light has been amazing the past couple of days. I do love the winter light.

 

And the light inside is just as pretty  too.....

Have a lovely weekend!

x

The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader

 Step into Narnia this winter....



I did the other day and enjoyed it very much!
  x

A Painting Waits...

"Love awoke one winter's night
And wander'd through the snowbound land,
And calling to beasts and birds
Bid them his message understand.

And from the forest all wild things
That crept or flew obeyed love's call,
And learned from him the golden words
Of brotherhood for one and all."
-   Author Unknown

Above..  the beauty of ice and natures mastery taken in the cold spell last week. For now the fields have returned to a  faded palette of greens and browns. But not for long.... The forecast is a return later this week to snow and ice and a wind that bites.

 A painting waits patiently, half finished on my small easel. I am impatient, but at the moment my mind has been whirled off in other directions. And, there are Birthday and Christmas presents to hunt for. 
Try not to get too whisked away your goodselves. 
x

 ( Please excuse the small type. Blogger is playing up! ;)

The Winner is.....

Well the snow came and kitties did venture out. Here is a paw print to prove it! :-)

It has gone now, but ice has returned and everything is a frosted magical world.

So to the giveaway!...
Thanks every one for taking part and leaving comments. It's so lovely to read them.  :-)
Because there are alot of comments I used the random generator rather than do it the traditional hat method. There were 77 comments plus I added one by hand so to speak for Julia because Blogger was being silly and wouldn't let her comment.
The number chosen was: 

Comment 15
Mermaidsdrown you are the winner!
Please email me your details  (my email on the contact tab, left hand side of blog) your address details and I will send the toadstool to you.

Right, time for a hot chocolate I think?
x

Winter

Winter has come.
Tapping at our window panes with frosted branch like fingers. Laughing her freezing north wind breath. Was she  impatient to shake out her snowy cloak and air it of last years remains which Spring prevented her from emptying? Or does she have a new cloak to show off with?
We have only had sprinklings of snow here, but the wind has the bite of an ice dragon and the ground is as hard as stone.

I think Jasper has glimpsed that ice dragon ?
Willow is not that bothered, she just wants to sleep until Spring.

   Ice is too cold on paws.

 A glimpse of Autumn not so long ago. A leaf trapped in Winter.

 (In case you are wondering, I did put fresh water in for the birds after I took this photograph of the bird bath this morning.)
                                                                  ***

Now, because it is the first day of December (officially winter in my eyes)  and because I promised one not so long ago. .... it's time for a giveaway!
 Among making other bits and pieces, I made a special mini hanger. Ideal I think to hang on a Christmas tree?

 The toadstool measures 10cms x 6cms  and has sparkly beads and bells hanging from it.

To win this, all you have to do is be a follower of my blog and leave a comment. I will send this toadstool to anywhere in the world to the first comment out of the hat. I will draw the winner next Monday (6th)
Good luck! :)
                                                                         ***

PS: I forgot to mention before. I have an original painting 'Wearing A Robe Of Gold' for sale in this open exhibition here. It's still on until mid December so there is time to pop along if you are in the area.

The Misty Month

Whenever I think of November, I think of mist.
November will always be the misty month for me.

Beautiful to capture on camera and when it gets dark, the type of weather to curl up and dream, with a book or a movie by candle or starlight.

I'm looking forward to sitting down to watch this one, this chilly season. Such beautiful animation and soundtrack.



As the sun breaks through the smoky veil, creations have been coming to life on my desk.

                                                             The Mistletoe Hare

 And other odds and ends.

Also available in my shop are The Starlight Hare in postcard form now.

And Fairy Dust. A new print. Actually an old piece of Artwork, but I felt it was sad to leave it shut away unseen.

Hope your Monday is merry and music filled.
xx
(And if you are wondering?...new items will be listed in my shop over the course of today)

Remembering Beyond Those Heather Clothed Hills

Sitting at my desk this week I haven't needed music or radio to keep me company. Outside at times it sounded as if the sea was on my doorstep. The trees danced to a wild wind symphony while I watched from the window, cosy indoors.

When I was a child I was scared of the wind and used to bury my head under the bed clothes so as not to have to listen to it's calling. Now I love it and always think I  hear and feel spirits and old souls in its song.
This week has been remembrance week and with that fierce wind blowing maybe on the 11th  hour we heard those souls that have passed a little more clearly.
Here is my Grandad. (Grampy) in 1916.

He was one of the lucky ones. He survived, came home, and had seven children and got to push me in my pram for a just little while.
And here he is older with my Nan.

 

It was on a theme of remembrance that a heart hanger took shape this week.
The Exmoor Emperor will join the spirits on the wind now. I have painted a little tribute to him here.

 There is a place beyond those heather clothed gentle hills where you run free. Deep within the starry constellations. Forever be.

The Exmoor Emperor was a stag that stood nine feet tall and was sadly killed by a trophy hunter a few weeks ago.

I felt a great need to make this little tribute. To settle something inside, for my own soul.
You can also help by clicking here. (A great charity that I myself donate to monthly)

It's strange how things seem interconnected sometimes. I painted a remembrance heart, in remembrance week. The painting was connected to Exmoor and so was a surprise package that arrived on my doorstep the other morning. Inside was a note that said the lovely parcel carefully wrapped in pink tisssue paper had been especially made for me. A thankyou gift for inspiring her.
 I opened it and revealed the most beautiful glass hanger...

And it even had a hare on it! Wow how lucky am I!! Thankyou so much Lizzie. I will treasure it  and soon hang it in my little wooden studio. :) x

Why don't you pop over to her shop. There are lots more beautiful things on sale.

The Exmoor Emperor heart is now for sale in my shop.
Take care in this windy weather. x

A Special Moment In A Day

The morning was grey. Soft rain fell as if a gentle sea mist had payed us a visit. There was not a hint of wind to blow the strongest few leaves that remained on trees. The rain drops collected until they were heavy on stems, November jewels decorating the birds winter feast.
I didn't take an umbrella.

Across the field over the stile, into the lane, then up the road. I scuffed through coppery beech leaves carpeting my path.
I was on a short journey to a certain place that last week a friend of mine had mentioned. She had seen something. A type of something that you don't normally come across in Wiltshire?
I began to wonder whether she had possibly imagined it as I grew near to the area?

I carried on, wanting to find that 'unusual' that something 'different', that 'moment' that can change a day into something special. 
When everyone else was getting on with doing what they do on a Friday. Winding down  for the weekend in the office, getting the groceries  in the local supermarket. taking their child to the dentist.... Here I was hunting for that little bit of magic to turn my day from ordinary to extraordinary.

 Then I reached the place. All was quiet, not  even a dog walker about. Just a plain old field. But a field that held childhood memories of laughter and mushroom picking for me.
 And then I saw them....   

Reindeer!!

 

Such beautiful magical creatures!

 They made my day. :-)

 ***
Thanks to my friend Lucy for the tip off.  :) x
She has recently opened an Etsy shop just a few days ago, so please go and pay her a visit here

Nights Cloak

The night is wrapping her woven cloak around us earlier now that the clocks have turned back. What a marvellous cloak it is, embroidered with delicate starshine, steeped in indigo and milkyway. She is an enchantress, casting a spell over the far northern and southern hemispheres with her rainbow silky aurora dances she hypnotises all who fall under who spell.
My three new hearts are decorated with her dancing. Oh, and hares as I have had so many requests for more 'hares'. :)

I will be listing these very shortly in my Etsy shop here
And I've finally got around to finishing this, which will also go into the shop too.

 Happy November to you!  x