Some Colour To Share

It was so very warm last weekend and humid! I'm sure it felt the same as the tropical house in the Eden project!  When it's hot like that it is almost too hot to do anything I always feel. I'm not complaining, I love sunshine in summer, but being born in December I am a winter ice child at heart . ;)
My son was practicing on the church organ, so I went along to listen. The quiet of the church and the coolness inside it's old 12th century stone walls was  wonderful away from the heat outside. I wandered around and took some photo's whilst he played Bach's toccata and fugue.
Colours and patterns to inspire..

 Did you notice the little spider in the picture above?

Sadly the stained glass windows have a grille covering them outside, which spoils the photographs a little. A necessary and permanent addition now though, as last year they were all vandalised and damaged by stone throwing.

Afterwards I walked home and my daughter had been baking cakes. The glitter on top reminded me of the stained glass colour shining. 

 Very pretty, very sweet, and just what was needed with a cup of tea. 

Today the temperature is back to normal.

And I found more colour. This time my favourite kind.

Thirty One Miles In A Straight Line

It seems like so long since I last wrote here... Looking at the date of the last post, it seems it is. Crikey almost a month, I think I must have broken a record, longest time between posts or something like that? (For this blog that is of course) I have no excuse at all, just that days have been passing too quickly and I've been feeling quite wordless and reflective. Happens often I've noticed this time of year and normally indicates my batteries need a little recharging. So Friday was declared a day off and we journeyed just across the border about 40 miles, 31 I believe, if I were to be travelling in a straight line? ;) to the very magical and spiritual Glastonbury.

I love all the interwoven tales connected with this special place, so have to pay a visit at least a couple of times a year. What a beautiful day it was, to walk up to the Tor and gaze out upon the Somerset countryside.

At the top is the most wonderful view. We sat, enjoyed and watched  black velvet crows circle, riding the warm summer breeze. In the distance we could see Wells cathedral and the extreme flatness of the Somerset levels stretching right out to the coast line.

This green and pleasant land is still so very green for this time of year, after all the rain we have had this summer.

                                            Looking down on to Glastonbury town.

In the town we browsed, wandering the many interesting shops and sat in quirky courtyard cafe's decorated with hares, moons, angels, dragons and gold, for mugs of tea, vegetable samosas, and somerset cider.

I brought home lots of incense and an angel card to inspire...
                                                       ***
Back here at home in Wiltshire, I've been busy working on the commissioned book illustrations.  Here is a glimpse.....

Must put some flowers on the window sill on this one..

Have much still to do, I just wish I was a faster worker.

The garden is getting wilder and wilder and being taken over by majoram and fennel.

I was happy to see this bee enjoying the globe thistles this afternoon. In the Autumn I have plans to divide this large plant up and spread more around the garden to attract more bees. 

In fact I have lots more plans for the garden this Autumn. Just need more time or 'Groundforce' to come and help me.

(Are they even still around, or am I just showing my age?) 

x

A Touch Of Golden Light And What Happened Before Concerning A Hare Fox And Owl

The sun rises on a new day. The golden light we haven't seen so much of this summer, glittered through the dew drop dappled windows at dawn, gilding them in July's apricot hue.

Early morning light, the light of magic. Indoors is quiet, folk are still lost in the world of dreams but outside the song of a new day is being composed....
Today the sun shone and the ground felt warm. Bees, butterflies crickets, grasshoppers and all manner of other insects ventured out to enjoy the golden rays that have been so rare this summer.
I picked some flowers to brighten our shady north facing kitchen.

I love the twirly stamens of Nigella ( Love in a mist) It self seeds everywhere here and is so pretty.

 Everything in the garden is lush and green from excess growth and water. Below a patch on the lawn that had to be left because it was much too pretty to cut. Another area that has sprouted yellow and orange hawkweed. The brown butterflies like it too.

I've been busy with the illustrations for the book that I'm working on and in between time have been painting some ACEO's. These are tiny paintings measuring 3.5 inches by 2.5 inches, the size of a collectable trading card. They are based around my painting 'Moonrakers' I started to think about what maybe happened before that moment that was captured in paint. What was the story of the white hare, the fox and the owl? So, I had the idea to do a series of tiny pictures for continuing the characters story. Or I suppose they could be called 'prequels'?

Note the Wiltshire corn circle! You see there were strange goings on that night of cheese raking. ;- ) Maybe I'll do another batch and call them 'sequels'. I suppose it is the Illustrator part of me that wants to continue the story?

Then I did some more..

These were playing with paint really and the wash formed mountains. Mountains that needed to escape on to paper after my visit to Wales and ascent of Snowdon? I really had no part in it, except maybe adding the hares? ;-)

These paintings will all be for sale shortly in my Etsy shop, so if you are interested keep an eye open here.

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. 

A Gift From A Magpie

Today it rained again. It's been doing that a lot lately.

When the sun does peep it's head out though I'm sure the perfume of plants is much stronger after the rain? Not sure if this is scientifically proven, just something I noticed? The other day when it wasn't raining  the day before Midsummer Solstice or I suppose you would call it Solstice Eve, it was a glorious June day. My walk to the post office was perfumed with dog rose , honeysuckle and mallow. The daisies looked up and worshipped the sun as daisies do.

The Jackdaws were cheeky and brave visiting the bird table for scraps of cheese sandwiches and the baby robin just learning how to fly also paid a visit. A magpie left me a midsummer gift.

The rain held off for the exhibition last weekend which was good news for the stall holders that were outside selling their wares. Here is my painting amid the other talented artist's work.

The original didn't sell, so I might be offering it for sale in my Etsy shop soon? I did sell lots of postcards. :-) 

Unfortunately these ones though, didn't arrive from the printers in time, but are now for sale here.  

Today I've been working on the project I mentioned in the post before last. Illustrations for a book written by a lovely lady and friend of mine.  It's quite different to what I've been doing lately. Humans instead of animals, so will be a challenge and a change for me. Here are some sketches from the dummy book. 

Best get to work with the painting then... 

X

Feasting On Cherries Before A Storm

Last night I went to see Snow White And The Huntsman.  I love films that are visually appealling. It's like being in the woods, then discovering a birds nest with the brighest blue eggs.
Colours, costumes, angles, all inspired. Fragments of ideas have journeyed into rooms of my mind. Doors have closed for now but will be opened when required. I have also fell in love with this song from the soundtrack ....
Haunting and beautiful.

 We have experienced wild and windy weather. No flaming June resides here. I watched our apple trees nervously hoping their old bone branches and  trunks would stand strong in the high winds. They did.
One of next doors  trees wasn't so lucky. It split down the middle and fell. Now the jackdaws sit upon it  and gaze across the fields their view changed.

Before the storm the sun shone and tiny roses perfumed the path.

We feasted on cherries under the big tree.

I danced at our village Jubilee ceilidh and my husband won a teapot in the raffle.

My painting Moonraker's will be part of this exhibition next weekend. If you are in the area, (Corsham, Wiltshire) do pay a visit and pop in and say hello. It's part of the Corsham fringe festival and on the Saturday there will be other things going on in the town, including street performers,  and a food festival. Well worth a visit.