Ring out wild bells to the wild sky

Ring out, wild bells to the wild sky,

The flying cloud, the frosty light:

The year is dying in the night;

Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

                                                                                                        ~Tennyson

The frosted flowers of the most beautiful hoar frost covered the branches here a couple of days ago.

I took the scenic route home from the post office that morning to capture it all. For a while I was wandering alone, it seemed just me and the rooks, in the Snow Queens icy land, a fairytale landscape. A glimpse in time, before the sun warmed it back to liquid to trickle down stems and drip off branches, to seep down and water the sleepy earth.

The gentle sound of the river flowing, my footsteps on hard frozen ground, ice cracking. Delicate whispers, of fragments brushing against my coat. Silver shards tinkling, almost bell like.  

The skeleton of nettles wearing ice fur coats.

And hawthorn still with a few snacks for birds, useful on cold days like these. Blood red against purest of white.  A hint of a fairytale...

~*~

Now, the night has arrived on this old and last day of the year. It has been a good one for me and I feel extremely blessed. Thank you for taking the time to stop by here in 2014. I appreciate all of your comments and read each and every one, even if I don't always get around to replying.
I look forward to sharing more things in 2015.
Happy New Year to you!
xXx

The Shortest day.

And so the Shortest Day came and the year died
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive.
And when the new year’s sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, revelling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us – listen!
All the long echoes, sing the same delight,
This Shortest Day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And now so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.
Welcome Yule!

~ The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper The dark is already closing in here. It's been a rainy day with soft drizzle so I haven't seen the sun properly on this the shortest of days. We are all here inside though cosy with our own sparkle and lights. My son has returned from University and daughter and husband have finished school and work now for the festive break. There is food to bake, a 17th Birthday to celebrate and gifts to wrap before the 25th. In between time I shall sit by the fire and watch the flames dance and enjoy the quiet moments between the busy ones.       

Wishing you a Happy Winter Solstice and a very peaceful Merry Christmas.

~xXx~

Decorations and gifts

The darkest time of Winter is upon us. Inside and outside lights abound to chase the darkness away.  Fairy lights twine around trees, doorways, staircases, sometimes whole houses, they shine from almost every window, wherever you go. Fires are lit to warm our hearths and hearts.

I know many folk don't like the long dark nights that winter brings, but I have always loved it and celebrated it's difference to the other months.  I can't imagine living in a place without obvious seasons. I love winter equally to Spring, Summer and Autumn and feel glad that each one has their own beauty and gifts to bring to the cycle of the year. 

Winter's dark evenings I feel are balanced with the bright low light in the day. Her silver skies, frosty dawns and of course her whiteness of snow. 

This morning I was up earlier than usual and as I put the kettle on to make my morning mug of tea I noticed out of the window a low mist lying in the field. So after finishing my drink and a slice of marmite on toast I decided on a morning walk hoping it would be a great opportunity for photographs, as it looked so pretty. 

The mist still hung about the river when I got to the field.

To my right, the frosted grass was flooded with ethereal light. 

Beautiful winter sun. 

Revealing nature's own December decorations. So much more perfect than anything sparkly for sale in the high street shops.

Delicate spider webs draped in the tiniest almost frozen water droplets formed a necklace between the burdock seed heads on the river bank.

Gold from the heavens shining on jewels of the Earth. More precious than any jewellery to be opened on Christmas morning.

I walked in this morning sun for a long while. Soaking up it's brightness in my bones, feeling as if my very heart was being charged. I took deep breaths inhaling the icy air. It was filled with the smell of leaf, branch, soil, animal, fruit, stone, feather and water, all blended into an exotic morning scent. Better than any designer perfume in a bottle. It was a good start to my day. 

                                                                                 

                                                                                   ♥

December already.

A sky with a glimpse of winter the other morning, the last few days of November. Hedge, grass and fading summer stems sparkled in a crisp icy air. It was a sharp frost. While the kettle boiled and before my breakfast, I was outside capturing a little before the sun became warm enough to make it dissolve.

My little friend was about, as he has been each day and was glad of a top up to the bird table and a few treats.

This last picture is quite amusing as he looks as if he is leaping off my hand.

Some leaves are still holding on, but a temperature drop always brings the last few to the ground.

After all the wooden bits and pieces (see last blog post) were all listed in my shop I went back to a painting that I'd been working on alongside the hangers. It's basically like a hanger but a painting instead. Just something I thought would be nice to do. There are plans to do a few more, a white one and a starlight one I think? And maybe one with a moon? This one I have named 'Spirit within'
                                                                                        

This is available in my shop here as a print. I thought it may interest anyone that were disappointed that they didn't grab a hare in time when I put them for sale. I know it isn't a three dimensional hanger, but is quite similar?
I've also been painting some smaller pieces.  They are ACEO sized  (3.5 inches x 2.5 inches) and I have some lovely cream mounts/matts to pop them into before they also head over to the shop.

     'He gave sparkle to the stars'

'Dream'

'The path ahead'

'What they found'

And lastly 'The stars watched over him'

I can't believe it's already December!  For those of you that have been following here for the past few years, you must know what that means... the falling snow widget!
Off to look for it now. :) x  

Etsy shop update

Well November has whirled and spun her Autumn cloak in a frantic frenzy this month and I have been left behind.  I'm sure the clock hands whizz around when I'm not looking... I've been very busy here finishing off a batch of work that will be listed in my shop this Friday. (21st November at 7pm uk time) All are wooden hangers, mainly hares.  I have shared them on Facebook, but incase you don't have Facebook, or may have missed it there, here they are.  Twenty four hangers, so quite a few pictures...

Rather a lot to digest in one sitting. ;) 

I shall be back sooner rather than later.  Enjoy these misty days. x