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

Winter King

These past few days I've enjoyed adding the final decorations to our home. Holly, ivy and my favourite, mistletoe. There is just something which attracts me about mistletoe. For those of you who have read this blog over the last few years, you will know that each year I try to get it to grow on my apple and hawthorn tree. As yet I have still not been successful and this years bunch again comes from our local farm shop. So it's not really growing in my tree, I just placed it there to photograph. :)

I  finished a painting the other day. I have named him 'Winter King' seen here in a wintry collage. 

I'm sure Winter will inspire some more icy work yet, so watch this space.  'Winter King' is available to buy as a print in my Etsy shop here. Last posting date is tommorow, so there is still a teeny bit of time to buy if you are still looking for gifts. 

It's raining today but I'm wishing for more frosty weather, as in the picture above, taken last week.
I suppose being mild is easier on the heating bills though, that's one good thing...

There And Back Again

I feel sure I walked in Middle Earth this weekend?

North Wales. Land of mountains, lakes, rock, greenest moss, twisted oak, foxglove edged. Where giants and dragons sleep and dream of  Elders, Princes, Queens and gold.  

 Where idyllic mountain streams and waterfalls burst through beautiful breathtaking valleys.
 Hmmm...did I glimpse an elf out of the corner of my eye just then? 

Or Tom Bombadil behind the wall?

In unexpected places, it seems that hobbits had left their mark.

"Far over the misty mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away ere break of day

To seek the pale enchanted gold"  

 ~ JRR Tolkien

We followed the path up into the mountains into stillness. Just the distant sound of water falling against ancient stone. No sound of cars or noise of the modern world. A gold more precious than the metal kind.

Higher, until, I could no longer use my camera as the rain and wind blew. 

No burden of magic ring did I carry, but at certain times it did feel a little like we were climbing Mount Doom not Mount Snowdon. ;-) High up in the clouds at the summit, icy rain stung skin, but a hot chocolate reward before the climb back down was much enjoyed.  

~*~

North Wales is filled with legend and myth. It's not surprising really that I felt I was in JRR Tolkien's Middle Earth.

Oh and... sssssh!....I think I found a dragon!? 

There it was, washed up on the beach among the drift wood waiting to be found.

A dragon wizard's staff? 

And.... I also found

this strange wooden magic ring.

Who knows, they  may unlock a secret doorway into a mountain? But that I'm afraid we may never know as I brought them home with me to my shire.