March blew away with the Dancing Daffodils

And  all of a sudden the frothy blooms of Spring arrived...

While outside the greening is in the midst of it's merrie dance, I have been busy working my way through my 2017 list of things to do. Most of March was taken up with making a new website. A job that had been years overdue and one I felt I could put off no longer. It's strange how days just float past you and merge into one another while you are so wrapped up in doing something. Before I knew it March had blown away along with the dancing daffodils. But with moments of my temper rising along with the sap outside I finally emerged from the other side and have a brand new website. The biggest change was the renaming. So instead of the old Karen Davis site, I am now officially
'Moonlight and Hares' It seemed a natural progression as many customers tell me they look for me under that name. So here it is... www.moonlightandhares.co.uk

It isn't completely finished yet, for instance I still have a shop to add. For now the shop button takes you to the Etsy shop but I do plan to get a separate one on the website as well.

Now April is here and the hedgerows are busy with birds feeding their young in secret nests. The apple blossom's divine fragrance perfumes the garden. New life is everywhere and the earth feels warm in the mild weather we have had.

The snakes head fritillaries and the sweet white violets have waved their sleepy nodding heads goodbye and now the cowslips and forgetmenots have arrived. The bugle is stretching up through the moss and ground ivy, lily of the valley, cow parsley and red campion are already blooming.
Over the Easter weekend we visited our local bluebell wood. A step into Faerie land...

It's so peaceful, no distant hum of car, just a blackbirds clear voice across the hazel tops, gentle woo wooing of wood pigeon and my own boots on last years beech leaves. Then the quiet is suddenly broken with the bark of a muntjac deer and we see it scamper lower down in the woods and a startled pheasant escapes into a clearing, fearful of who we are. The ransoms are beginning to come out. I take some leaves for a garlicky pesto for tea. In the meadow beyond there are cuckoo flower dotted in the damp patches.

Back in the garden I think I had a fleeting glimpse of a white hare, his two big long back legs showing as he leaped through the hedge. I believe he left me this... ;)

 My paint brushes haven't seen as much action this past month but I did do a couple of paintings.              'Replenishment'

A small canvas on the theme of recharging by starlight and moonlight. And...

'The Quiet Glade'

A unicorn for 'National Unicorn Day' a little while back.  Both of these images are available now as prints in the shop

Back in March whilst working on the website, I also did a little designing with my images for a set of magical nature notebooks which should be ready and in the shop quite soon.  I do love notebooks myself and have bit of a mild obsession with them and often can't resist buying another small book that I probably won't use for another year or so as I still haven't filled up my other collection of notebooks! 

It was fun designing these and I am already planning another set. 

That's all, I think, for now... I shall leave you with some raindrops on apple blossom and Mr Blackbird with his children's supper.

Don't forget for more updates in between blogposts you can find me on Facebook and Instagram. :) 

X

Listening to the Hedgerow

Old hedgerow share your story,
Your tales and songs and spells
of morning misted dew drops, on petals of blue Speedwell.
Whisper me the wild and woven ways of forever, as I walk the winding lanes.
Teach me the secrets of bedstraw, sorrel, celandine and stitchwort;
Bryony, archangel, pimpernel and violet;
Stitch and bind the leaves and sap with woodbine into each strand of my hair.
Wrap me up in hawthorn blossom and let the birds build nests upon my heart.
Fill my bones with the scent of bluebell, lest I should ever forget.

~Karen Davis 

In May it's as though time stops. Steps are taken back in time and a remembering becomes more prominent. A remembering of the old ways of hedgerow and home. If I sit in among the greening then I can almost disappear. Away from the modern ways of car and telephone.

If it wasn't so chilly then I would probably take up residence on the soft moss, beneath the apple tree whilst it blooms. Just so that I can inhale as much apple blossom scent as I possibly can.  It's one of my most favourite smells in the world, especially when it has the morning dew or raindrops on.

The apple blossom is almost finished blooming now and it's the hawthorn's turn. After a poor year of blossom last year it has certainly made up for it this year. It's absolutely covered in flowers and is literally vibrating and humming with the sound of bees.

It is over a month since I last posted on here. I have felt the need again to step back from social media. No reason really, just a little weary of all the chatter.
There have been lots of jobs to do in the garden and not enough hours in the day. I made a rather rickety structure for the sweet peas to climb this year. I'm not sure how it will stand up to strong winds?

There have been walks to the bluebell woods and a short trip to Cornwall, which I will put in the next post. In between I have been quietly working away painting. The next shop update will be Tuesday 31st May at 7.00pm UK time. This will be 8 hedgerow hares and whatever else is finished and ready.

Enjoy the bank holiday weekend. :-)
X

November bits and pieces.

The silver mists of November weave their soft spider web grey. Drawn to the river and the hills after three o clock until the sun chases them away the next morning.

Coming out of Avebury, the sky went dark. The mist disguising the sun as the moon.

Until it was obscured almost completely.

 Quiet and still, stood the old hill, it's secrets kept hidden.

I love the mists and fog of November. You have probably heard me say that before if you have been visiting this blog over the years. But I need to say it each year, because each year I am reminded of just how much I love and appreciate all of this beautiful Island's seasons.  November has almost gone now and soon we will be into the frosty days of Winter...

 

I've been busy here with making and painting, and have a few things to share.

First up, some small Aceo sized paintings. Simple designs, hares. Often after I've been painting more detailed work on the hangers, I do I find it refreshing to go back to simple paintings with less detail. This first one is called 'Song to the Moon'  

The 'Sacred Pool'

Then lastly 'Midnight in the Meadow'

Then another simpler painting but bigger and back to my old 'up right' friend. We have had many adventures over the years together and I think he will always be with me.  

This time the title is inspired by Mr Tolkien...'Not all those who wander are Lost' 

Now to the detailed work that I've been busy with...

A friend of mine gave me a very small vintage frame a couple of years back and it has been sat on the desk waiting to have something painted inside it. During painting blackberries on a hare hanger, I suddenly realised what it wanted. Blackberries!  So that's what I've done, along with a hare and a wren. So this one I have titled 'Conversation with a Wren' 

 

I won't share each hare hanger that I've done as there are 10 of them, but will tell you that I shall be adding them to my shop tomorrow 27th November at 7pm (UK time ) along with the Aceo paintings and the above vintage framed one. And if you would like to see the hares you can see them on my Instagram.

In the meantime here is one of them...

In between working I have been taking time out to enjoy the simple things. A book by the fire and a glass of mulled wine.

 Chatting with my bestie. ;)

And again appreciating all the beauty that these months reveal. 

I will finish with something else that I worked on a few months back which is now available to buy and might make a lovely Christmas gift idea for someone that is interested in dance? You may remember earlier in the year I was painting this below, which was the cover for the dvd by irish dancer Edwina Guckian.  

It's a tutorial and performance dvd and is hypnotic to watch. There is magic in her feet I'm sure. 

You can buy the dvd on Edwina's website here.

And to finish, here's the trailer to the dvd.

Forgive me for cramming my work into this one post, but November has been busy and this is my only post that I've done I've  just realised. ..

Enjoy the last remaining few days and that gorgeous full moon this evening! 

X

Apples and the return of a friend.

I sat for a while among the fallen leaves, beside this old tree. Just for a moment I wasn't here, but on the isle of Apples and was that your laugh Merlin that I heard!?

Weaving your magic among these Autumn days, enchanting sweet fruits with the old songs from the Summerlands.... What an apple pie this will be...

October has been kind. The days warm and gentle. As the hazel turned to her glorious gold, my little friend appeared again.  

After such a busy summer there is now time to sit and watch. and of course share any treats that I have to offer. 

So to celebrate, I thought it only right to do things properly.

And invite a friend or two. 

It turned out these two had better things to do it seemed, so instead I brought along some others.  :)

                                                                           ~*~

I shall be having a shop update in a few days time. Monday 26th October at 8pm (UK time) where I will be adding bits and pieces that I've been busy with. Some birds, small tree hangers cards, and some originals and then another one at the end of November sometime. I will confirm the date nearer the time.

Have a magical weekend.
X