A Gift From A Magpie

Today it rained again. It's been doing that a lot lately.

When the sun does peep it's head out though I'm sure the perfume of plants is much stronger after the rain? Not sure if this is scientifically proven, just something I noticed? The other day when it wasn't raining  the day before Midsummer Solstice or I suppose you would call it Solstice Eve, it was a glorious June day. My walk to the post office was perfumed with dog rose , honeysuckle and mallow. The daisies looked up and worshipped the sun as daisies do.

The Jackdaws were cheeky and brave visiting the bird table for scraps of cheese sandwiches and the baby robin just learning how to fly also paid a visit. A magpie left me a midsummer gift.

The rain held off for the exhibition last weekend which was good news for the stall holders that were outside selling their wares. Here is my painting amid the other talented artist's work.

The original didn't sell, so I might be offering it for sale in my Etsy shop soon? I did sell lots of postcards. :-) 

Unfortunately these ones though, didn't arrive from the printers in time, but are now for sale here.  

Today I've been working on the project I mentioned in the post before last. Illustrations for a book written by a lovely lady and friend of mine.  It's quite different to what I've been doing lately. Humans instead of animals, so will be a challenge and a change for me. Here are some sketches from the dummy book. 

Best get to work with the painting then... 

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Feasting On Cherries Before A Storm

Last night I went to see Snow White And The Huntsman.  I love films that are visually appealling. It's like being in the woods, then discovering a birds nest with the brighest blue eggs.
Colours, costumes, angles, all inspired. Fragments of ideas have journeyed into rooms of my mind. Doors have closed for now but will be opened when required. I have also fell in love with this song from the soundtrack ....
Haunting and beautiful.

 We have experienced wild and windy weather. No flaming June resides here. I watched our apple trees nervously hoping their old bone branches and  trunks would stand strong in the high winds. They did.
One of next doors  trees wasn't so lucky. It split down the middle and fell. Now the jackdaws sit upon it  and gaze across the fields their view changed.

Before the storm the sun shone and tiny roses perfumed the path.

We feasted on cherries under the big tree.

I danced at our village Jubilee ceilidh and my husband won a teapot in the raffle.

My painting Moonraker's will be part of this exhibition next weekend. If you are in the area, (Corsham, Wiltshire) do pay a visit and pop in and say hello. It's part of the Corsham fringe festival and on the Saturday there will be other things going on in the town, including street performers,  and a food festival. Well worth a visit.