The Well Earned Rest Of Plants and Trees

At the end of the old year, my yogi teabag shared with me some words of wisdom to begin the new one. I like these words. Perfect to begin again, letting go of the old that doesn't serve and opening yourself to the whole and the new. 

I don't really have any nuggets of wisdom from myself, but just hope this new year is filled with beautiful times, wonderful skies, happiness, flowers, good health, peace, lots of magic and creativity for all.

***

I have read quite a bit recently, of winters desolation. About the cold and loneliness and how everything has disappeared... It's strange as I don't see winter like this at all. I suppose I am one of the lucky ones that doesn't suffer from the lack of daylight hours. I love winter and savour it like every other season. Here, for me nothing has really disappeared. The blackbird is still pecking at the fallen crab apples that are composting and enriching the mossy ground beneath the branches. The wood pigeons still sit in their favourite places everyday. The blue tits, and finches are chasing each other around at the top of the hawthorn.  The jackdaws are as noisy as ever, sat upon the chimney pots and in and out of next doors roof. The rooks glossy indian ink coats, look glorious against the frosty landscape. And there are three robins in the garden now. At night the air is crisp, clean and clear. The sky is filled with stars and the early January moon is a silver sickle for Jack Frost to cut the frozen air. Venus below, sparkles, as if someone is holding a giant diamond and shining it to attract our attention a thousand years away...

In the early darkness the raspy bark of fox calls across the fields and a tawny owl sounds as if it is sat just outside the bathroom window. Inside I have found wasps sleeping in the folds of curtains and ladybirds in the window frame corners. In the shed there is a tortoiseshell butterfly dreaming of stretching it's wings on the first warm days. Everything is alive!
If you lift the old log, the woodlice are still there and so are the slugs and the snails and earthworms.   The trees and plants are enjoying their well earned rest, but if you are out and about each day you will see that not much else has really changed.

 Even the swans leave the pages of fairytales, just for a moment, to brighten the dark winter river. 

Happy New year!
X

Hibernating with tea, Merlin and a jar of wishes

It's wild outside this evening as I sit here at my desk and write this. I can hear the tree branches moving and the whistling eerie voice of the wind as it whips around the house. It  sounds like ghostly birds in a storm that have lost their way. I was hoping it would be a north wind and that it would bring snow, but it isn't. Instead rain is being blown against the inky black window panes. So far this area has missed out on any snow, except a tiny dusting that melted as soon as the morning sun came out.

I've retreated a little into hermit mode so far this new year. My bear genes again want to hibernate.

My head has been stuck in cupboards rummaging and rifling through stuff. There have been many trips and bags taken to the charity shop 'to simplify things' I don't mind calling this a new years resolution, as I know I can keep it. I get great pleasure and immense satisfaction from clearing clutter, it's a good feeling!  And on the plus side, the universe always gives you something back in return. I found a lovely coat the other day whilst browsing after dropping my bags off. Don't worry an old coat of mine went into the next bag to replace the new one coming in. ;)

This bear in me has also been drinking rather a lot of tea, reading in the bath and watching episodes of Merlin.

I have been working as well though, doing my tax return, and an illustration commission. 

And I've been playing in my sketchbook. Here's a jar of wishes for 2015. 

And another sketch which began as just a doodle. I think it's about whilst I was busy with the illustration commission, the creatures for my future paintings were waiting for me to come out to play, get my brushes out and bring them to life?  What do you think? 

Better get to it then! :)

X

Ring out wild bells to the wild sky

Ring out, wild bells to the wild sky,

The flying cloud, the frosty light:

The year is dying in the night;

Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

                                                                                                        ~Tennyson

The frosted flowers of the most beautiful hoar frost covered the branches here a couple of days ago.

I took the scenic route home from the post office that morning to capture it all. For a while I was wandering alone, it seemed just me and the rooks, in the Snow Queens icy land, a fairytale landscape. A glimpse in time, before the sun warmed it back to liquid to trickle down stems and drip off branches, to seep down and water the sleepy earth.

The gentle sound of the river flowing, my footsteps on hard frozen ground, ice cracking. Delicate whispers, of fragments brushing against my coat. Silver shards tinkling, almost bell like.  

The skeleton of nettles wearing ice fur coats.

And hawthorn still with a few snacks for birds, useful on cold days like these. Blood red against purest of white.  A hint of a fairytale...

~*~

Now, the night has arrived on this old and last day of the year. It has been a good one for me and I feel extremely blessed. Thank you for taking the time to stop by here in 2014. I appreciate all of your comments and read each and every one, even if I don't always get around to replying.
I look forward to sharing more things in 2015.
Happy New Year to you!
xXx

Frozen Beauty

I can't quite believe that again, we have arrived at the end of a year. A week ago, in the wild and stormy night, we lost a tree. It was an old elder that had died, but was host to a huge tangle of ivy. There had been nests over the years within it's sprawling greenery. A blackbird raised it's young, a pigeon sadly lost it's mate to a bird of prey and sparrows liked to meet up and chatter there. Now there is a space and the light is shining in. The old has gone and a new opportunity for something else to grow has occurred.  A little like a new year.

Yesterday morning, all began frozen.
 I restocked the bird table, then went for a wander.

The old year shone bright and filled with sparkle.

As the sun burned through to melt the ice, a glimpse of Spring was snatched. A blue clear sky glowed new and fresh with promise.

Now as I sit here finishing this post, the frosted day of yesterday is just a memory. It's just before dawn and outside the wind has returned. It growls in the chimney and rattles the tree bones again. The wind chimes are no longer hanging gently from a holly branch, they are high on a ships mast,  being battered on a stormy sea. Is it the old year furiously trying to hang on, or the new one telling the old it's time is up? The stirring up and clearing out of the dead wood to let the new emerge. Later today there will be kindling galore to collect.
I hope that you all had a wonderful festive time this last week. Thank you all for your comments of merry wishes. :)
May the new year bring peace and light to all.
X

'Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world'
                                                                                                           - Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Quiet Young Days of A New Year

2013.... I haven't got used to writing it yet. Yesterday I signed two papers 2012. It will take a while, it always does. Normally I have only just got used to writing the new year when it becomes old once again. What is it with this thing called time that a moment can seem forever and a day can seem a moment?  Christmas came and went in a flurry of  birthdays, glitter and merriment. The tree is still fresh and has hardly dropped any needles. Every now and then it shares memories of the forest and the scent of pine is caught. Just for a moment I am in the woods, a cold, crisp snow smell, the  howl of a lone wolf and snoring of sleepy bears.

 It felt sad to have to take it down this afternoon. 

New years day we woke to sun. I wondered what all the brightness was as I had almost forgotten that there was a golden ball of fire up there after the endless days of rain. ;)

There is one addition that arrived on Christmas eve that won't be getting put away in the box with the other decorations. Let me introduce you...

Yes, he will be living inside, though not where he is in this picture. At the time there was nowhere else to put him, but now the tree has gone I shall have a shuffle about of things. I was thinking of stringing some white lights around his antlers, what do you think?

                                                                        ~*~

I haven't got any new artwork or creations that I have made to show you so I thought I'd share these for no other reason than how pretty they look. Bath melts that I was very lucky to receive as Christmas gifts. They look too good to use, maybe that's why I need to record them? 

These ones below are from Lush one of my most favourite shops.  Again they look too good to use and smell quite frankly.......Lush!  ;) 

The hobbits (teens) go back to school on Tuesday so my recharging break has come to an end.  I'm looking forward to getting back into the studio and the new journey of this brand new year. I  hope you will join me here and that yours will be filled with love, fun, health, happiness, peace and magic.
Thank you for all your comments and good wishes that you leave here.
Happy new year! xxx

A Goodbye With Thanks

Goodbye 2011 and thank you  for all that you have given and shown me. For helping me on my journey. I don't know my destination but I know that each day, I have taken just one small thing with me in my luggage. One small thing that's bright. One small thing that shines as glittering light on silver sea does.One small thing that at times it may seem is just barely visible as a spark in a dark cloudy sky.
There has been a lot of talk about this new year. Lets hope if change comes it will be only good. The shift  will be a realisation and opening of eyes. Lets hope we realise that we are not the only species of life on this planet and that the only way forward is harmony and interconnectedness with the earth.
I wish you all a happy, healthy and most magical 2012.

 And to anyone that hasn't had a go in the giveaway. There is still time. :) x