I'm not going to talk about the weather, but...

Everyone seems to be talking about the weather have you noticed? I know us British folk are supposedly renowned for it, but lately it's more than normal and even people on Twitter are tweeting about weather and they are from other countries. Maybe it's always been this way and I'm just noticing it more?  Anyway all I have to say on weather is that many years ago it snowed on April 22nd. I know this as I remember it clearly as I woke up and rushed outside to see if my guinea pig had given birth. She had produced a little miracle in the night whilst the snow fell in Spring all those years ago.... and yes it was April!  Everything does seem a month behind though. In the garden daffodils are in bloom alongside the primroses and none of the trees are in leaf yet.  Like the Spring, I have been slow too. Slow writing here and slow producing my work. Maybe others are feeling this too.?I like to think it's because my body is in tune with nature's pace outside rather than the busy rush of news, tv, social media and fast paced gossip way of life. ;)

So I have some things to share. Firstly some snaps of Easter. ( I hope you had an enjoyable one, whatever you got up to)

A couple of weeks ago I went for another walk on my lunch break. I thought I'd share some of the inside shots of the Abbey that I took. They are giving me the urge to paint an interior picture which I haven't done in quite a long while...

I wouldn't mind being accidently shut in here one night, then I could get to browse the dusty pages of  these books. Think of all the words hidden. All the worlds captured inside those old bindings....

 And  of course I would look in here to see if another world existed behind it's old doors. 

My desk has been a hive of activity this last week finishing off a drove of wooden hares, threading beads and  ribbon.

They are finished now and  here they are all hung up.

Several have moths painted on them as waiting for the butterfly chrysalis to hatch on my windowsill  I have been thinking a lot about the past moths that hatched the year before last  and that very special  first one.
I even fitted in some pendants using up the odd scraps of spare wood

The hares and pendants will be listed in my Etsy shop  at 7pm ( BST) tomorrow evening  (16th April)

I will leave you now with some music by Ludovico Einaudi  from his latest album  'In a time lapse'  Saturday night I was lucky to get to see him at the Colston Hall in Bristol. What a great evening. We weren't supposed to take pictures really, but me being a bit naughty (ssh) sneaked one in at the end. Here he is before his encore.

Woodland Spirits on Valentines day

Happy Valentine's day!

The sun has shone all day today and it has been beautiful. Spring has her foot in the door now and has enticed  more celandine, snowdrops and even a primrose and daffodil  to wake up.  It was definitely a day for going somewhere, I chose our local Abbey as I had heard there was a new outdoor sculpture collection on show.  It is called  'Inner Spirit' and is a collection of wire sculptures by the hugely talented  Derek Kinzett  I thought I'd share some of my hour amid the stunning woodland spirits with you.

The Abbey grounds are filled with snowdrops and crocus at this time of year, the perfect setting...

                      

'Inner Spirit' is on until the 10th March so if you are in the area do go and see. 

I left feeling refreshed and inspired and wanting to take the 'Last Unicorn' home with me. Well,  he would have made a perfect friend for my reindeer. ;)  

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