Grateful

Last night as I walked along a small street in the village everything seemed exaggerated. 

My footsteps echoed on a tarmac path but underneath I knew the path had been there for hundreds of 

years, long before tarmac had come into being. My feet shared the shoes of so many others. Ghosts of 

the past that had walked the same route, busy, excited with laughter or sad filled with their worries of 

long ago. Some not so long ago. This year too many in our tiny village have passed on, some much too

soon.

It was early evening, the cottages had their lights on but curtains had yet to be drawn. Inside homes

looked cosy and the smell of cooking lingered with wood smoke and a distinct October leafy spiced

scent. For a moment a veil seemed thin and stretched and the past felt close. The cool of the night made

me pull my jacket in tight, breathe deep and feel grateful to be alive.Today I am grateful.

Dear Universe..... 
Thank you..... I am grateful for the morning sunlight streaming in through tiny droplets of condensation
on the window. The light, a sparkly, white, silver, bright, hint of winter.
I am grateful for the red holly berries as I look outside and the blackbird's song.

   Letters from friends...

For Autumn's patterns.

And clever spiders.

I am grateful today that the sky is so blue and that I am here on this beautiful planet and am able to see

such a thing as clouds.

I am grateful that there is a good strong wind to blow the washing dry and that I am able to feel it cold

on my face. It's a north wind and has a bite, blown down from the arctic across the highlands. The same

wind that swirls around the greens and pinks of dancing Aurora. Now it chases the leaves off the cherry

tree.

I am grateful for the hot cup of tea that I have here while I write this and that I am able to taste it, and for

the beautiful music I can hear as my son practices his instruments and that I am blessed to be able to hear
them.  

I am grateful for the book I will finish later this evening when the house falls quiet with sleep.

Today I am also grateful for soup, warm socks, my camera, the smell of incense sticks and my sense of smell. Some of these things may not seem that important Dear Universe in the grand scheme of things, but I am grateful for them anyway.

P.S : I'm also grateful for the following things being in the world, written in no particular order....

Hot chocolate, my laptop, blogs, fire, candles, all animals, birds, my daughter, my son, my husband, my friends, kind words, kind messages, jingly bells, flowers, trees, the moon,  the planets, the stars, my family, the sea, rainbows, shells, music, forests, rocks, ice, butterflies, art, books, cats, compassion, love, peace, badger sabs, hunt sabs, planet earth, the sun, moths, mistletoe, wild meadows, wild verges, starry skies, northern lights, adventures, magic, miracles, health, life, pyjamas, hazelnuts, boots, mushrooms, snowflakes,  chestnuts, weather, laughter, baths, red wine, kindness, my garden, my home, eco warriors, promoters of peace, moonstone, moon shadows, moonlight, jonsi, bluebell woods, etsy, mountains,  sparkling clean streams, bees, strawberries, white horses, sunsets,  and a thousand and more other beautiful things ....    

Memories and Vixens

I recently read an article announcing that the art college that I attended  many years back now, was to close. After completing a fantastic local foundation course in Wiltshire I went on to study  illustration and graphic design at Maidstone College Of Art  under the instruction of Gerald Rose, Stephen Cartwright and several other teachers.

                                                                 Illustration by Gerald Rose
During the end of my first year the college changed it's name, merged  and became the Kent Institute of Art and Design. Maidstone produced some prominent artists over the years, some of whom I have only just found out about. Tracy Emin  famous, somewhat controversial was there when I was. She was down stairs in the fine art/printing department. Angela Barrett  an illustrator that I admire greatly also went there a few years before me. Other notable artists include Tony Hart  (do you remember Take Hart and Vision on?) and Martin Handford of 'Where's Wally' fame.
I enjoyed my years at Maidstone and have good memories. Thinking about them prompted me into digging out some old work...
I was recently reminded in a comment  that I had promised to share a mask that I had made, so here it is...
At the time I was working on a project producing  illustrations for a text of our choice. I chose a book called 'Lady into Fox' by David Garnett. I did a painting, but also decided to make a mask and do a series of photographs.
 Remember these were made when photoshop was not the norm. I made the mask out of papier mache and added faux fur, took the photo's then hand coloured the prints with paint to get an old effect.  My sister was the model as I took the photo's in half term.  :)

It's funny looking back as it only seems just the other day and the photographs look surprisingly contemporary rather than late 1980's.   It's also interesting to see how we always return to a theme that is dear to our hearts. :)
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Etsy Shop Update

Did I ever tell you about the strange tree that grows in my garden? If the conditions are right and we have been blessed with a warm summer, in Autumn it bears fruit of the oddest kind....

Just kidding....you didn't believe me did you?
Of course this post isn't really about magic fox bearing trees but to share my latest wooden creations which will all be added to my shop this Friday the 27th September at 7pm  (19:00) uk time on the dot!
Come and meet the foxes......

Inspired by berries and plants in the hedgerow.  Hawthorn,elder,blackberry and dog rose.

There are also hares.
 'Crab Apple' is very pleased to meet you although she was a little shy and didn't really like having her photograph taken.

Elder.

Herb And Butterfly

Blackthorn

Rowan

And a cheeky little trio. Nordic inspired.

 Birdies...  Mr crow.

And Mr Cuckoo.

Now to the land of the magic forest, where toadstools have small worlds within. These worlds are inhabited by woodland creatures and always much starlight. 

Pixie-ish red ones too. No pixies but more woodland creatures. Or of course the pixies could be shape shifters?

Almost there now, just the pendants to go. I know, let's have a momentary interlude....
 Here's a gorgeous big bee for you to see,  pictured in the garden today. :)

And lastly the pendants....

I've also added some new postcards too, so do stop by and have a look.
See you soon! xx                             

A Warm Beginning To September

My September began a little differently this year. As the wheel of the year took it's first turn into Autumn, my feet trod warm earth and were washed with gentle clear waves of Aegean Sea.

The first 'September' blackberry was picked amid hedgerows backed by olive groves.

I have travelled to the Greek islands before, many years ago but the smell of the olive groves this time seemed so familiar and comforting to me. An ancient smell of warmth and stone . My husband said it was the Roman blood in me, remembering?

Beautiful twisted, knarled, silvery trees, so old. I always wonder what a tree has seen and what stories it could tell when it can live over 2000 years old?

Across the water the mountains of mainland Greece stretch across the horizon. It's not far to Turkey and Bulgaria from here. Sitting quietly on the beach I'm transported back to the past and wonder about the travellers that have come and gone to this beautiful pine covered green isle, and who also tasted the fruit of these trees.

On this cold grey day here at home today I would love to be back there again.

The warmth on my skin, fennel edged roadsides, the comforting hum of crickets at night, humming bird hawk moths whirring and flitting about tiny pink climbing flowers, tzatziki, so many tomatoes, salty olives and aniseed taste of ouzo on my tongue.

And the sea

the beautiful beautiful sea

 filled with the tiniest sparkles of silver and gold mica.

 I tried to capture them so that you could see.

Glitter for Aegean mermaids.
With the snorkel on, we became part of another world.

A world of small stripy fishes and rich aubergine coloured spiky sea urchins that clung to rock.

Such a wonderful week it was to begin the Autumn.
When we left the gulls accompanied us, bidding us a goodbye as they had bid us a welcome when we arrived. Swooping and diving alongside the boat.

Watching them made me think that I'd quite like to come back as a seagull one day, if I ever had the opportunity. A seagull that lived on Thassos, Greece.  :)

I hope your Autumn has begun well?

I will be back very soon with new work to show.

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