A friendly robin and a dream fulfilled

Let me introduce you to my new friend.

Just lately I have had this little chap (at least I think it's a chap) following me about when I'm in the garden. Each time I would take a tea break from working and sit outside, he would appear.

He clearly wanted to get close, as would hop within an arms length and swoop close by my head as I walked past.  One morning whilst sitting at my computer I even noticed that he was outside on the window sill, head cocked slightly to the side and peeping in the window.
I wouldn't normally encourage wild birds so close, as obviously being a cat owner it could lead to a disastrous ending. But this little chap was clearly asking for something? So with a few crumbs on my hand and some tiny morsels of cheese I stretched my hand out to him. It didn't take long before he was brave enough to fly down and peck at what was on offer. :)  

Such a beautiful little bird. I feel truly privileged. I know lots of people have had birds feed from their hands, but this is the first time for me, so I am so happy.

Whilst summer has slipped away and the leaves are beginning to fall here, we have been blessed with glorious sunny days again. The garden is still blooming and the birds are still feasting on the late blackberries that shine in the hedgerows. Butterflies flit from michelmas daisies and verbena bonariensis and myself.

The ivy is humming each time you pass, from the hundreds of bees, and various flies that are attracted to it's flowers in bloom.

I love this time of year when all is quietly winding down the slow path to winter days.
I've been working away on some things that I will be back to show you quite soon.
In the meantime I've updated the shop with some cards. Some are homemade, some professionally printed.

September has passed quickly, my boy has left home to begin a new adventure studying Music at university and it is strange here without his piano playing. On our way back from dropping him off we stopped off at the seaside and watched the gulls and the silver sea and reflected on how time goes so fast.

Hiding behind my hair. 

September has also been the month for dreams coming true. One of mine I never guessed would ever be fulfilled was so, last Saturday when I travelled up to London to see Kate Bush perform. I was one of those lucky one's that managed to grab a ticket at two minutes past nine on that March morning. Yes, I remember it well.

The show was amazing and every bit I had hoped it would be and more. Kate's music has been an inspiration to me for years and many many pictures have been created or inspired, listening to her sing.   

My all time favourite by her and has been since it came out back in 1985 is the 'Ninth wave'. For those of you that don't know her work, it is a series of songs linked together that create a story of someone that has fallen into the water and is lost at sea. While she is floating and waiting to be rescued she drifts in and out of consciousness near death's door. Seeing this on Saturday being created visually on stage was truly too magical for words. I admit to wiping tears away when she broke into the bars of 'Hello Earth' my ultimate favourite song by her. 

The show was visually stunning. It's hard to put into words, but some I would use to describe are hypnotic, beautiful, enchanted, haunting, moving, perfect, wow wow and unbelievable. ;) 

There are no photographs to share as Kate wanted to interact with the audience, not their camera's and phones which has become the normal way of things these days. I am glad and everyone that was there abided by her wishes, which was so good to see. The picture above is of the programme that I bought and the piece of paper is confetti that blew out into the audience during the ninth wave. The words upon are an extract from 'The coming of Arthur' by Tennyson they read:

Wave after wave, each mightier than the last,

Till last a ninth one gathering half the deep

And full of voices, slowly rose and plunged

Roaring, and all the wave was in a flame

I shall leave you with a beautiful song by Kate and wish you a wonderful  October. x

September garden and moon

The other day in the garden, the tiniest grass snake. The photograph is deceiving as it's hard to see the scale of it. But look at the bobbly leaf, that's cat mint/nip. For those of you who know this plant, you'll know that the leaf is only very small. For those of you that don't, I'd say that the snake was about 12 cms long and about 1/2 cm wide. I love finding grass snakes. :)

The garden is wearing her early Autumn gown now. Some flowers are fading curling and browning.

Seed pods are ripe and splitting and the September breeze help them on their journey to start new life.

 'O Autumn, laden with fruit, and stained with the blood of the grape, 

pass not, but sit beneath my shady roof; there thou mayest rest and tune thy jolly voice to my fresh pipe, 

and all the daughters of the year shall dance! Sing now the lusty song of fruits and flowers' 

– William Blake

Last night we coincided our walk to catch the gorgeous huge moon as it rose up above the hill. 

As darkness came quickly I spied this cow, she had walked alone, on ahead of the herd and was just stood beneath the moon. I'm sure she looked up.

The light was a little dim at this point for my camera, so I've adjusted the exposure. In doing this I have revealed what looks like an orb of light. I know there is much debate to what orbs of light are, but I like to think that there could possibly have been a spirit or unknown presence there as it was an incredibly peaceful special moment. Who knows?

In the shed I've been cutting out wood and trying to use all the scraps up. There are rather a lot of scraps, so there will be pendants on the way among other things...
The first batch are moons that seem as if they have been brought to life from my last painting.
Little 'moonlits'  :)