Saturday, May 7, 2011

A Touch Of Wild And A Scent Of Wisdom

Gentle, delicate, insignificant to some who are sucked into the realm of bold, bright loud, showy and repeat flowering... Our native wild flowers hold a special place in my heart. I suppose it's because they are the flowers I grew up with in the country lanes and woods where I played as a child. The wonderful names always transport me through a doorway into a forgotton place. A past of herbal tinctures, small bottles with glass tops, pestle and mortar, apothecaries, bunches of dried plants and garlands hanging from old oak beams. Rooms scented with bowls of pot pourri, flagstones scattered with lavender leaves,  flowers steeped in oils and blended essences.... I'm inspired just by the names . ... Honeysuckle, Shepherds purse, Pennywort, Dandelion, Cuckoo pint, Yorkshire fog, Speedwell, Snakeshead Fritillary, Herb robert, Devils bit scabious, Yellow archangel, Lady's bedstraw, Sticky mouse ear, Jack by the hedge, Fairy flax. Corn cockle,  Foxglove, Deadly nightshade....
I could go on and on...
Here are some I spotted out walking...

                                                Speedwell

                                                                  Cuckoo flower

                                                             Jack by the hedge
                                        Dandelion
And the queen of the woods... bluebell 
The hawthorn is in bloom now too and my little summer hobbit house which I've nick named 'Bag End'  is looking lovely and wild alongside it.
I also have been wearing this scent of  the wild.. Tree Wisdom perfume. :-)
 My daughter gave me this for Christmas. Hopefully the wisdom might soak in?  ;-)
Of course, as well as enjoying being outside, I have been doing other things. 
Sketches for new paintings..

 And one of them complete. Although looking at it now, I can see I have done the tree's hair line differently. I prefer the sketch, so will have to change that.

'Advice From A Tree' 
I've also been in the shed cutting out lots of wooden creatures and still have more to do, so next week will be a very busy week here.
Oh and just incase I forget, (but I'm sure I won't! ;-)) My painting 'The Starlight Hare' is the featured painting for spring/summer on the children's page over at the Hare Preservation Trust!  Please go and have a look as it's a great website and a fantastic cause for a magical beautiful animal. 
www.hare-preservation-trust.co.uk/children.html

21 comments:

  1. Lovely flowers, thank you! I'm afraid some of my bulbs might not flower... maybe too snowy too late, lots of leaves but not lots of flowers... :(

    So green and blossoming there!

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  2. What stunning flowers - I am in love with those bluebells. Wild flowers are wonderful. Your sketches are wonderful and your hare painting is divine - what a beautiful piece. Theresa

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  3. If there is such a thing as human reincarnation (not the elemental one of matter transformed for recombination to other matter, but the human rebirth version)...I want to return to earth right there where the wild flowers bloom and the faerie music is always playing on the wind coming from somewhere near, as it is now through my headphones.

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  4. What an evocative post - I too grew up with all those wild flowers around me and love their common names which can conjur up childhood memories. Our native wildflowers are indeed beautiful even if not colourful and bright or perhaps because they are not.

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  5. What a lovely post - I can see me coming back to this one time and time again, so beautifully written and evocative. I got interested in botany at university and it's one of my passions. Funny, though, I was out walking yesterday and I came across little blue flowers and made a mental note to look them up when I got home. Logged on to your website this morning and there they were - speedwell. So thanks for helping me there - nice coincidence. Hugs

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  6. I miss all the wonderful flowers from the UK, especially the bluebells.

    Your sketches and painting are amazing.

    Congratulations on the feature.

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  7. Lovely as usual ,thanks for sharing

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  8. How lovely, we have been delighting in ragged robin, wood anenome and burdock, in the local wood near us.

    I love your painting of the hare, aren't they just the most elegant and ethereal of beasts?

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  9. Valerianna... That's such a shame about your bulbs not flowering. :( Who knows, maybe they're storing their energy for next year when they will make up for it and have the best flowers ever! x

    Faerie Moon Creations...
    Theresa I'm also in love with the bluebells and their scent. Definitely fairy flowers! :)x

    Ms.....
    I can't think of a better place. :)x

    Marigold Jam...
    I hope future generations will enjoy memories and reminders of them as we have. x

    Radcliffe...
    Thanks :) Speedwell is so pretty.It always reminds me of a hymn I used to sing at school. Can't think of the name of it at the moment?...

    Dyche Designs...
    Thanks x
    Yes,I would miss them terribly too.

    Angela Bell...
    Thanks so much Angela! x

    Charlotte...
    Wood anenome brings many childhood memories back to me. I would love to have some wild white ones in my garden. I only have the purple variety that come from the garden centre, but they are still pretty.:) I have just sown some ragged robin seeds and have a few seedlings which I will look after carefully. Enjoy your time in the woods! Oh,and yes! elegant and ethereal, I agree! x

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  10. Hello Karen, I was just blog hopping and came across from Angelas blog. I have enjoyed my visit and your artwork, your photos of secret world and the countryside. I'm off to see your Etsy store now, blessings, Kath

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  11. Hello Kath! :) Thanks so much for stopping by. x

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  12. I love wildflowers, particularly in the woods. They really are magical. :)

    Clicked on the link to your hare painting. It is truly stunning.

    Hope you had a happy Mother's Day! xo

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  13. beautiful flower photos. I used to love walking the woods around the museum and seeing all the lovelies blooming.

    "Advice from a Tree" very nice.

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  14. Beautiful Advice from a tree....and wisdom perfume? I could do with some of that from time to time.
    Thank you for your sweet comments at my blog.

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  15. Karen,
    this is an absolutely wonderful post, nice to see the wildflowers. I live in Saskatchewan, Canada, which is prairie, and fairly arrid in summer, so it's a delight to see your pictures of the lush plant growth.

    I check in about once per week as a treat for myself. Very inspiring, and magical.

    I looked in at the post for hares, and their wellbeing. Beautiful picture.

    Well, many thanks,
    Brenda

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  16. I love wildflowers too and have just been blogging about them. They belong in a fairy realm!!
    I love your blog and have linked toit on my blog list ♥♥♥
    Sammi

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  17. I love the old names of wild flowers, I must learn more of them...
    A beautiful mysterious painting... I am intrigued with your last sketch of the woman/goddess with the crown of trees, that concept really appeals to me, I wonder if you'll paint it! :)

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  18. I deleted my post as it said the exact opposite to what I wrote! goodness knows how - what it should say is I like the hairline on the painting just as it is... this picture is my favourite of your art work. We have flowers in the woods like yours but I have found if you pick them they die within hours so have to be admired where they grow. Bettyx

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  19. Karen, love this post. The wild flowers that line the lanes & grow in the woods are far more "real" for me. They have many lovely connections, memories of times long past & of growing up learning their names & lore taught by my grandparents. It is always fascinating to see your beautiful sketches & the paintings they turn into. Your work sits perfectly on the front page of the hare preservation trust, a very worthy casue indeed x

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  20. Germander Speedwell is my favourite, it is such a delicate shade of blue.

    Congratulations on the magazine, amazing art!

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  21. hat wonderful evocative words they conjure up a marvellous picture of the old country cottage of a wisewoman. I love wildflowers too,as with you they have always been part of my life.

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