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

A mild start to November

I saw a wasp and a butterfly on Monday and there is a pink rose blooming in the garden. Hard to believe it is November now. But it is and the apples have all blown from the two trees. So far I have made chutney, apple pie and fresh juice but there are still two bucketfuls in the kitchen to use up.
I have had to put my little heater on a few times in my workroom, but so far the weather has been kind and it's wonderful to be outside watching the twilight fall early and the Autumn light play tricks with the shadows and reflections.

 I captured these shadows in the greenhouse, they remind me of old photographs.

There is no sign of frost yet and the lavender still has flower.

But the leaves are falling...

from the great giants, in the field behind the willow herb.

and the holly is reminding everyone what time of year it is.

I've been busy making things to restock my Etsy shop. New items will be added tonight at 9.30pm (uk time)

I won't show everything, but here are a few items that will be making their way there.

                                                                           ~*~

 So who had a sparkler last night then?  The best firework, pretty, but no noise.
 I did.  ;)

That November night, looking up into the sky, 

You said, 

"Hey, wish that was me up there-- 
It's the biggest rocket I could find, 
And it's holding the night in its arms 
If only for a moment. 
I can't see the look in its eyes, 
But I'm sure it must be laughing." 

But it seemed to me the saddest thing I'd ever seen, 
And I thought you were crazy, wishing such a thing. 

I saw only a stick on fire, 
Alone on its journey 
Home to the quickening ground, 
With no one there to catch it. 

I put on my pointed hat 
And my black and silver suit, 
And I check my gunpowder pack 
And I strap the stick on my back. 
And, dressed as a rocket on Waterloo Bridge-- 
Nobody seems to see me. 
Then, with the fuse in my hand, 
And now shooting into the night 
And still as a rocket, 
I land in the river. 

Was it me said you were crazy? 
I put on my cloudiest suit, 
Size 5 lightning boots, too. 

'Cause I am a rocket 
On fire. 
Look at me go, with my tail on fire, 
With my tail on fire, 
On fire. 
Hey, look at me go, look at me...

Kate Bush ~Rockets tail 

My Lunch Break

December. A month that is so important to many, yet passes so quickly without hardly noticing because people seem so busy. Busy preparing for Christmas and planning the next fresh new year. December always seems to be wished away. I arrived into the world in December. Winter born, on an icy morning. I feel I have a bond with December. I'm going to savour the month.

 Snowflakes have joined the crystals in the window. Today the light was so pretty.

During my  lunch break I decided to go for a short walk to the Abbey, as I'd heard there would be Christmas trees....

Not a trace of Harry Potter in the cloisters... ;-)  just a faint delicious forest scent of pine.
(For those of you that might not understand why I mentioned Harry Potter, it was because the first two films had scenes shot here. I feel very lucky to have been able to visit the set here during that time and enter the defence against the dark arts room and the potions room. Unfortunately cameras were not allowed. Anyway that is a story for another day maybe?)

The trees are each decorated by an organisation in the village. They will be there until the 18th December if you are nearby, feeling festive and fancy a visit.
It was cold, still and quiet inside, the only sound were my boots on old stone and the birds on the roof. It was so very peaceful.

My shadow in the doorway. A scarecrow with a wooden post as a leg..?  ;-)
Of course I couldn't leave for home without a browse in the second hand bookshop. I wish all shops were like this, don't you?

The owls on my desk in the previous post were all finished and flew across to the Etsy shop. There are still some left.

I found this enchanting wintery video on youtube. The song is Kate Bush's beautiful new track Snowflake which I have fallen in love with and can be found on her latest album 50 Words For Snow. I wonder if you will fall in love too?  x