October

A misty October morning, bright with the promise of a clear new day. 

The trees are still holding their leaves close, it has been mild and dry and warm for this time of year.  The bare bones of branch will be revealed soon, when the whisperings of Winter become more frequent. No significant frosty mornings here yet... just mist and damp and that silvery light that I love so.

Before the dawn a shower of rain fell. In the garden water droplets pose ready to drop and replenish a tiny patch of earth or give morning refreshment to an insect or bird. 

Fairy necklaces have been born of clever spiders and now drape from stem to stem. Beaded and sparkling water diamonds, fit for the Faerie Queen herself.

Each handmade strand stretching here and there and connecting from leaf to stem, stem to flower, flower to hedge, hedge to branch and from branch to tree. All over the countryside, villages, towns, cities, and gardens almost invisible silken strands link and connect mostly without us noticing. Like our own lives do.    

Natures beauty is transcendent.

Inside... I brought the Autumn with me. Not the cobwebs, I have them already... ;) A big bunch of rose hips. Normally I always leave them for the birds, but this year there were so many berries in the garden and this bush had got so tall, it was due a little cut back to help it bush up and shoot from the bottom next year.  

Apples were picked and brought in too, for pies.

The rose hips also had another purpose as well as looking wonderful and seasonal, they were needed for a painting...

'The Shining Ones'    

               

The painting was based on a rough drawing that has been in my sketchbook for several years. I often work like that and go back to something which wasn't finished, or an idea that has quickly been jotted down and left for another day.  'The Shining Ones' is available to buy as a print here.

My little shining ray of light, I am pleased to say is still here. Although sometimes he would prefer not to have his photograph taken.

Other times he isn't bothered. :)

Other work that has  recently been completed, was another old one that was half done and left to linger beneath a fine layer of dust and a home to a spider. It's of Robin Good fellows dear friend the Wren. Such a small bird but oh so noisy in the hedgerow.

'Little King' 

Little King is also available to buy as a print in my shop and there will be some cards coming soon too.

Karen 
X

She loved The Moon so dearly

I woke up and the world outside was dark, all so quiet before the dawn, opened up the door and walked outside, the ground was cold. I walked until I couldn't walk anymore, to a place I'd never been. There was something stirring in the air, in front of me, I could see more than this, more than this, so much more than this. There is something else there ~ Peter Gabriel

November mists have arrived. In the morning when the day is new and filled with promise they linger until the sun finds strength to burn them away. They return quietly when the fires are lit and the blackbird has a belly full from a days feasting on red ripe holly berries. They stay throughout the night, silently softening the edges of the bright moon.

It's at this time of year that I always somehow feel the unknown close. Beyond our vision, somewhere in the in between places the feeling that there is more than this is strong. I saw it in the hundreds of spiders webs caught in the wind, in a field up on the hill. And in the donkey that in the light looked as if it could be a unicorn in disguise. 

I see it in the white sunlight on thin leaves. 

 And in the birds.

                                                                   ~*~
I am having a little break from making wooden hangers now until the Spring and instead will concentrate on paintings. Below is my most recent work, painted on a slice of wood that I had. This idea had been in my sketchbook for a while and the shape and piece of wood suited it perfectly I felt. 

                                          'She loved The Moon so dearly' 

Prints of this piece are available in my Etsy shop here