Golden Fragments and Thoughts from Old Wessex

The last hours of April before she disappears over the greening hills for another year...

Through ancient woodland awash with bluebells, I followed the deer track. Bewitched by April’s scent, lost in a world away from concrete and roads. 

This world of layered leaf and broken branch, birdsong and new life unfolding. It breathes, quiet, and yet I do not feel alone. All that has passed over this land is still here. Ghost steps, echoes of stories left behind. A single piece of litter carelessly discarded pierces a sad reminder into my heart, that time has moved on. And yet I see horses, horses of old, a procession of them and leading in front a white one with a ragged mane. This old Wessex path, a hawk short flight from Chippenham, is still Alfred’s land.

Ghosts of gold, cuckoo flowers and golden fields.

Apple blossom and golden dusted eggs

Sweet flower cake

Easter time. Precious moments with family.

And a new addition to the Moonlight and Hares studio. Pale pink velvet, complete with sparkly horn and fluffy mane, a unicorn.

Found in a local shop one Saturday whilst  browsing, How could I resist bringing her home with me to watch over and enchant all things with a little more magic when working. 

                                                   

Enjoy your May day tomorrow and don't forget to bathe your face in the morning dew ;) x

                                                        

                                                              ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

P.S

Thank you for stopping by here and commenting. This blog seems to be having a few problems lately with the size of font and I've been unable to reply to comments, but think I may possibly have sussed it now? ( the commenting bit at least) Fingers crossed? Also, sadly the music has had to go! :(  I've always loved putting music on here, even to the extent I kept it as an HTTP site for as long as possible rather than secure HTTPS. Now though it was time to go to the more secure site settings but that has meant the music player is no longer compatible. I may find a way around this but at the moment we are silent here. Another reason it had to go for now, is because of the much stricter laws of sharing content etc that have recently come into force. In the meantime I may try and embed some of my Son's music, we shall see?

A visit to Northern parts then back home again.

A couple of weeks ago I travelled up north, to visit a friend of mine in Lancashire. Her art studio looks out onto the impressive Pendle hill.  Pendle being of course, home to the famous Lancashire witch trials back in 1612.

I won't go into detail about the witch trials, as that would need a blog post of it's own. It's incredibly fascinating and tragic reading about these people, so please do take some time to Google them or get a book from the library, or click on my link above.
We visited the tiny village of Newchurch where the Demdike's, one of the witch families, originated.

There is a small shop here selling very touristy witch souvenirs. The church  has a mysterious eye set into the tower, which some say is to ward off evil.

We then went a few miles just across the border into Yorkshire, to Haworth, home of the Bronte's.The Bronte sisters grew up and lived here at the Parsonage.
Right in front of the house stands an impressive gothic looking graveyard. (If you can call a graveyard impressive, maybe it's not really appropriate to?)  So many lives cut short too early, so many child deaths. It was tragic and sad to see. The Bronte's must have been reminded of death constantly living here.  An atmosphere hung about the place. I got the feeling I was in a novel while walking among the stones, as the rooks called and watched from high above in the trees. It must be even more moody in November when the mist from the moors sweep in. I would imagine the ghosts of the past are even stronger then.

We followed the path to the pretty stream and the Bronte bridge.

Past this rather lovely weather vane.

I bid a "good afternoon" to a fair Yorkshire lass and her bairns.

And then we reached the bridge.

Here, along with the waterfall nearby, it is said, that Charlotte, Emily and Anne used to visit and sit. Maybe Mr Rochester or Heathcliff  was first thought of here?... The original bridge was sadly damaged by floods in 1989, so the slabs on top are new additions.

I paddled in the stream, letting the swirling water tell it's own tales around my ankles.

Back in Howarth, we browsed in 'The Rose & Co Apothecary'. I think all shops should look like this, don't you?

Across the border to Lancashire again, we visited Wycoller. A very small and very pretty village. Here the ruin of a hall stands which is believed to be the inspiration for 'Ferndean Manor' in Charlotte Bronte's novel Jane Eyre. 

I wonder what Christmas was like in this hall. On a snowy moonlit night, I wonder if you might catch the echoes of a tune?

This area reminded me of Dartmoor in many ways. The streams, well trod ancient bridges, moss covering stone, the marshy landscape and moorland.

It was lovely to get away, meet up with friends and see a different landscape.

                                                                          ~ *~

Back home the bluebells and ramsoms (wild garlic) carpeted the dappled sunlit woodlands of Wiltshire. We followed a deer track through the quiet woods and entered the realm of Faerie. Or so it felt like. Nothing can beat the magic of a bluebell wood.

Since I last wrote here the garden and hedgerows have bloomed. The apple blossom has been and gone, along with the cowslips. We've had the most gorgeous full moon, sunny weather, my daughter has had her prom and I've been serenaded by a song thrush most evenings. 

I captured some of it's song here for you to hear too.

Now in the garden, the hawthorn is in blossom. I found these two May bugs (cockchafer) in love. :-) 

I've been busy quietly working on my hangers, and I'm now pleased to say that the hares are now finished. Yay! They seem to have taken me forever this time. For anyone interested in buying one, I will be adding them to my Etsy shop this Thursday 22nd May at 8pm (UK time) 

There are 22 of them, but I won't show them all here as this post is probably already long enough? I will add more pictures on my Facebook page though in between now and Thursday. 

 Some details, beads bells and moons.  

See you soon! x

Time Well Spent In May

I'm sure the world of Blogger has a different time. A clock that ticks more frequently to the one in my kitchen, turning minutes into hours when our backs are turned. Have you ever noticed it?
I planned to blog a lot in May. Hmm I'm not sure what happened as now we are coming upon the end of the month and here I am with only a second post..
So, here's some of what I've been doing, these past two/three weeks is it? I'll turn the Blogger clock back and let you see.

I've walked in Bluebell woods.

 Raindrop jewelled and sunlit dappled.

I breathed in the heavenly scent of the wild woods and recharged the part of my soul that was calling out and demanding bluebells. :0)

Inspired by the woods I finished the faerie hangers that  had been waiting patiently on the side of my desk.

I'll be listing these soon if you are interested to my  Etsy shop.

Along with this woodland toadstool...

                                                                        ~*~

May has also included a weekend away to Devon and the sea.

After all the rain we were lucky, the sun shone and made us think we were somewhere more exotic.

I found a creature on the rock that looked exotic and prehistoric. (Not the beautiful creature above, that's hobbit daughter. ;)) The one below, also beautiful and looks like a giant wood louse. This was two inches long. I think it's called a sea slater?  

In the pretty village of Lee I met an owl on a gate with eyes like Coraline's other Mum.

He told me where the Devon violets grew. 

We skimmed stones for an hour.

(My hobbits are still hobbits, just not such small ones anymore. *sigh*)

We walked high up along the coast and saw flash of green, a glimpse of woodpecker fly past us.

And to a hidden beach  'Pear tree beach.'

Here I chatted with a pigeon that was resting. He was a racing pigeon I think, as he had green and yellow bands on his feet. Maybe he was Welsh and had flown across the sea? I could see Wales across the water. 

Onwards and upwards we trod.

And then down into the prettiest faerie glade. 

My camera couldn't capture the sheer beauty and magic of this. I walked through here sure that it hadn't been touched for many many years and swearing to myself that I would treat myself to a better camera. 

At dusk we headed for Exmoor and heard the cuckoo. We stayed until midnight stargazing.

Back home and the here and now. Days are sunny and so warm they are hot. I've been hiding away here, working on a project a little bit different, that will be revealed at a later date....

Surrounded by hawthorn and birdsong I wouldn't mind if time stopped completely and May stayed forever.