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. 

                                                                                 

                                                                                   ♥

The year of the toadstool

The festive decorating has begun. Beginning with the little twiggy branch that stays all year on the piano. Over the years it has held snowflakes, icicles, birds and various sparkly bits. This year it is the year of the toadstool. Woo!

The toadstools normally go on the Christmas tree in the other room, but I bought a few extra this year, so felt their time had come to play starring role on the piano.  The birds have flown to the fireplace and the snowflakes will be happy settling on the tree this year.  (All except the robin, who was quite adamant he wanted to stay in the twiggy tree, thank you very much. ;))

The holly is picked and waiting in a bucket in the greenhouse. Meanwhile the holly tree has now been stripped of all remaining berries by hungry blackbirds and thrushes.
Plan for the weekend  is to buy the tree. :)
The winter sun has been a welcome visitor dancing merrie light on walls and doors.

   Looking outside it could almost be mistaken for late summer in this picture.

More sketches from the advent calendar on facebook. 
                                                 'Do you hear what I hear'

And a white hare.

                                                                            ~*~
A few Christmas's back, this was on television.

It was fabulous and just the thing to get you in the yuletide spirit. I came across it again whilst browsing you tube. If you missed it last time I highly recommend it, or if you did see it, then go on,  take a break and watch it again! Or like I've done, have it on in the background whilst doing something else.
See you soon
x

Original Paintings For Sale

My 'Winter' paintings  have just come back from the framers. I've been meaning to get these done  for ages and finally got around to it. Something I can tick off the list. Yay!

Quite a lot of folk have enquired whether these paintings were going to be for sale so I can now share that, yes, they will be going into my Etsy shop on Wednesday 22nd May at 7pm (UK time)

                                                             
                                                                           ~*~
There were some beautiful moments of light this weekend. I managed to capture some of them.
I was up at dawn on Saturday morning and this was my view from the bedroom window.

A liquid gold seeping through the clouds. 

The gold came and went that day.I caught another glimpse later in the evening.
Here the young ash illuminated. The light behind it's new leaves making it a vivid sulphur yellow.

Sun caught through branches, as it was setting.

I will leave you with a song named Sunlight, in which I love the imagery.

A Touch Of Golden Light And What Happened Before Concerning A Hare Fox And Owl

The sun rises on a new day. The golden light we haven't seen so much of this summer, glittered through the dew drop dappled windows at dawn, gilding them in July's apricot hue.

Early morning light, the light of magic. Indoors is quiet, folk are still lost in the world of dreams but outside the song of a new day is being composed....
Today the sun shone and the ground felt warm. Bees, butterflies crickets, grasshoppers and all manner of other insects ventured out to enjoy the golden rays that have been so rare this summer.
I picked some flowers to brighten our shady north facing kitchen.

I love the twirly stamens of Nigella ( Love in a mist) It self seeds everywhere here and is so pretty.

 Everything in the garden is lush and green from excess growth and water. Below a patch on the lawn that had to be left because it was much too pretty to cut. Another area that has sprouted yellow and orange hawkweed. The brown butterflies like it too.

I've been busy with the illustrations for the book that I'm working on and in between time have been painting some ACEO's. These are tiny paintings measuring 3.5 inches by 2.5 inches, the size of a collectable trading card. They are based around my painting 'Moonrakers' I started to think about what maybe happened before that moment that was captured in paint. What was the story of the white hare, the fox and the owl? So, I had the idea to do a series of tiny pictures for continuing the characters story. Or I suppose they could be called 'prequels'?

Note the Wiltshire corn circle! You see there were strange goings on that night of cheese raking. ;- ) Maybe I'll do another batch and call them 'sequels'. I suppose it is the Illustrator part of me that wants to continue the story?

Then I did some more..

These were playing with paint really and the wash formed mountains. Mountains that needed to escape on to paper after my visit to Wales and ascent of Snowdon? I really had no part in it, except maybe adding the hares? ;-)

These paintings will all be for sale shortly in my Etsy shop, so if you are interested keep an eye open here.