A small taste of Scandinavia

I had a small taste of  Scandinavia the other day. My sister and I, accompanied by our two teenage daughters, set off on a little adventure to Copenhagen for a few days.

It's always lovely to get away and explore somewhere new.

And of course try the local tipple. In this case gløgg 

Hot spicy mulled wine with raisins and chopped almonds at the bottom of the glass.... yes, it was delicious. From now on, I think I will be lacing my own winter mulled wine with raisins and almonds too.

I'm not really a city loving person, but a few days here and there, seeing the sights I'm okay with. Especially if the sights are mermaids.

Whenever I am in a city, I always find myself looking for nature. Too many buildings, concrete, cars and noise, give me withdrawal symptoms. I always manage to find what I'm craving though, even if it is only made of stone. 

I did find some real too.

Pigeons and pretty yellow aconites in the park.

We made a special journey to walk past Copenhagen zoo, so that I could leave my postcards on the railings. A rest in peace message for Marius.

~*~

I believe the Danish television programme 'The Bridge' is rather popular? I haven't watched it myself, as I'm not a big fan of crime drama, but my sister is a huge fan, so on our last day we crossed the bridge and visited Sweden.

I loved the timber framed houses and thought this valentine window was pretty. 

And this dog. :)

I left with a beautiful postcard illustrated by Lars Klinting

and a strong desire to return. 

Scandinavia, especially Sweden ... I will be back.

The Rosehip Spell

The little white maiden had been hidden in the dark for many months. Sometimes when she stirred she heard echoes of laughter and warmth stretched down to her roots in the dark where she lay asleep. It wasn't her turn to reach for the sky, not when the dog roses were out. She had to wait. She had to wait until the earthworms pulled the old leaves down, and the ground turned cold. She had to wait until the hedgehog was deep in sleep and the darkness lingered. She had to wait until the freezing  rain, ice and snow covered the land. Then it was her time.
    ~Karen Davis 2014

The snowdrop, so perfect and so wonderful to see at winters end. These are in my garden, but I've been noticing them all over lately and even some celandine peeping their yellow smiley faces out early too.
The rain has continued to fall and we still haven't had any really cold icy weather. My heart goes out to all the poor souls who have been flooded and especially Somerset. It looks as if the isle of Avalon has returned, maybe King Arthur will too, we could certainly do with his help.
I finished another heart painting. I felt the need to do a fox as I didn't want him to be left out. ;)

It's titled 'The Rosehip Spell '  Prints will be available in my shop shortly. I will probably be adding the original too, although at the moment it has to stay and have some 'me' time  for a while to absorb some 'love' Does that sound odd to you? How do other artists feel when they sell an original work It's strange as some work I feel more attached to when it comes to letting go. I suppose it is because it is a little bit of yourself, an extension of your feelings and soul.

Over on my facebook page I'm having a valentine giveaway, so  if you would like to win a copy of this print do pop across and comment. Please hurry though as it's only a 24 hour one.

I will leave you with this lovely new song by Emily Portman. I just love the video, I used to have the very same shepherd, lambs and sheep in my farm animal collection as a child!

Rooks

Trust the grand and gentle trees,

Never will their welcome fade;
All that lives may lie at ease
In the haven of their shade;
Treasuries of tranquil air
Keep they for the burning days;
And their boughs ascend like prayer,
And their leaves break forth like praise.

Patient are they, for they wait
On the humours of the year;
Noble, for they keep their state
When the winter leaves them sere;
Brave to suffer heat and cold,
And the tempest's war-alarms;
Very tender, for they hold
All bird-babies in their arms.
Where the winter silence hears
No voice louder than a brook's,
There was built for many years
A great city of the rooks;

Excerpt from The lady and the rooks by Menella Bute Smedley 

Recipe to awaken your sleepy winter self.

It's that time of year when the bear dna in me just wants to curl up indoors and sleep. The hibernating time. Do humans even have any bear dna? I'm sure they do, even if scientists haven't found it yet? ;)
Outside is grey and wet and walks are paths of muddy puddles and rain soaked fields.

I am waiting and dreaming of the clear, sharp scent of icy days. Crisp under boot, decorated with Jack Frost's art work. I'm hoping for snow, just a little before too many Spring flowers arrive, but the rain still falls and falls At least there are rainbows in between though.

Anyway enough about the weather! Here's what else I've been doing...

         'Recipe to awaken your sleepy winter self'
1: Take one slice of wood that you've had for a year and not done anything with.
2: Prime it.
3: Trace a rough sketch that you've had a while in your sketchbook onto the wood.
4: Begin painting.
5: Keep painting and photograph in between to show process which can be interesting at times for yourself and others. :)
6: Paint some more and drink tea.
7: Complete tax return in between and be sure to have matchsticks at hand to support eyelids.
8: Watch birds in between and drink more tea.
9. Daydream and admire the rich glossy paint colours on the palette.
10. Paint until all the bits are coloured in and it looks ok or finished.  :) 

When the sleepiness comes back which it will, because it's January, just repeat the process again, this time on water colour paper or whatever your preferred medium is. :)

I will be making prints of both paintings, which will be available in my shop quite soon and I will also be selling the originals.
Until next time, I'm off to do a snow dance now....

A reflected world

The new year has brought even more water onto the already soaked earth. Fields have turned into glistening lakes once again, gold and silver in the afternoon winter light.

Shining pools that contain shadowy glimpses of a reflected world. A watery looking glass, into a parallel place. 

Sparkling, gentle, quiet, it lays above the sodden cold land slowly being absorbed down. Deep down through the tiny passages that echo earth worms, organisms and the tangle of roots that are blind to the sun. A cascade into the heart of Mother Earth. I hope she is drinking up all the liquid gold and dazzling brightness and that it will flow into her veins and replenish her ancient bones to keep her strong.

What would the world be, once bereft of wet and wildness? Let them be left, O let them be left, wildness and wet; Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet.  ~ Gerard Manley Hopkins

 Moles will be relieved to see, as many others will, that this watery world is subsiding now. 

The green has returned for now.

And if you listen, the song of Spring is in the wind.

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