Old Autumn

“I saw old Autumn in the misty morn
Stand shadowless like silence, listening

To silence, for no lonely bird would sing

Into his hollow ear from woods forlorn,

Nor lowly hedge nor solitary thorn; --

Shaking his languid locks all dewy bright

With tangled gossamer that fell by night,

Pearling his coronet of golden corn.” 

~Thomas Hood

I've seen him too in the misty morn. He was by the hawthorn tree, talking with a magpie. Around his waist twisted a belt of old mans beard to keep his coat of leaves from falling too soon. His coronet was not of corn,  but moss and toadstool, lichen and crab apple and his old beard was woven with thistle down, sticky burrs and seeds like an old vixens tail. Around his neck strung conkers and acorns, and his eyes were ancient amber...

 

I thought I'd stop by and share a little more of Autumn with you before it's slipped by once more. After a misty start the sun is shining gloriously here and the sky is blue as a robins egg. 

There are a few more of the homemade cards appearing in the shop as I make them in spare moments while paint is drying. Some are old repeat design, others images that have yet to appear as cards.

I'm busy creating some wooden pieces for my next shop update (yet to be confirmed)  Will probably be the end of November? In the meantime, enjoy this last day of October how ever which way you celebrate. Happy Halloween, All Hallows Eve  and Samhain blessings.  ;) x

October

A misty October morning, bright with the promise of a clear new day. 

The trees are still holding their leaves close, it has been mild and dry and warm for this time of year.  The bare bones of branch will be revealed soon, when the whisperings of Winter become more frequent. No significant frosty mornings here yet... just mist and damp and that silvery light that I love so.

Before the dawn a shower of rain fell. In the garden water droplets pose ready to drop and replenish a tiny patch of earth or give morning refreshment to an insect or bird. 

Fairy necklaces have been born of clever spiders and now drape from stem to stem. Beaded and sparkling water diamonds, fit for the Faerie Queen herself.

Each handmade strand stretching here and there and connecting from leaf to stem, stem to flower, flower to hedge, hedge to branch and from branch to tree. All over the countryside, villages, towns, cities, and gardens almost invisible silken strands link and connect mostly without us noticing. Like our own lives do.    

Natures beauty is transcendent.

Inside... I brought the Autumn with me. Not the cobwebs, I have them already... ;) A big bunch of rose hips. Normally I always leave them for the birds, but this year there were so many berries in the garden and this bush had got so tall, it was due a little cut back to help it bush up and shoot from the bottom next year.  

Apples were picked and brought in too, for pies.

The rose hips also had another purpose as well as looking wonderful and seasonal, they were needed for a painting...

'The Shining Ones'    

               

The painting was based on a rough drawing that has been in my sketchbook for several years. I often work like that and go back to something which wasn't finished, or an idea that has quickly been jotted down and left for another day.  'The Shining Ones' is available to buy as a print here.

My little shining ray of light, I am pleased to say is still here. Although sometimes he would prefer not to have his photograph taken.

Other times he isn't bothered. :)

Other work that has  recently been completed, was another old one that was half done and left to linger beneath a fine layer of dust and a home to a spider. It's of Robin Good fellows dear friend the Wren. Such a small bird but oh so noisy in the hedgerow.

'Little King' 

Little King is also available to buy as a print in my shop and there will be some cards coming soon too.

Karen 
X

The Alchemy of Autumn

 I sit on the stone ledge by the front door. A place I often sit in all seasons. The place to take my cup of tea or coffee and look at the garden. It is the afternoon and I have come outside to take a break and feel the last warmth of the early Autumn sun. Sunlight catches a cobweb, it's almost invisible thread stretches  from the rusted doorbell to the valerian plant below. A home connected to a home. 

A dragonfly darts about the garden, a shining fairy in disguise and the ivy flowers on the old shed are singing with a choir of honeybees. Sharing this feast are red admirals. Six of them. The red and white on their wings contrast against the bluest of sky, jewels of the garden, small treasures from heaven.

The Alchemy of Autumn has begun. It is visible of course all around us, but it is also a feeling felt in the stillness, the slowing down and in the bird song. A sensing of different energy and magic in the air, which to me is felt most strongly from now through to Winter.
The Autumn Equinox has passed and now the days begin to get shorter. It's time to get and do, what I call the the 'cosy things' or the hip or trendy term now seems to be 'hygge'  ;-)  Cosy socks, woolly tights, spiced tea, hot chocolate and soup. Time to light the fire inside or out, dig your hat and scarf out of the cupboard for long walks to look for mushrooms and toadstools. Time to light more candles now the evenings are darker and retrieve that half finished crochet that you begun last year. 

It's a time to gather and harvest and brew potions and wine, jams and jellies.  

 Have your ingredients ready, in this case blackberries. The other items are to help the spell. A magic wand comes in very handy if you are not so good at making Jam. Mine is made by a very talented young friend of mine and it's relatively new, so I wanted to test it and check it worked. ;-) (You can see more of her beautiful wands here)

Say the magic words and wave the wand.

Then.....'ta- dah'!  Blackberry Jam! ;-)

All there is to do now, is make a pretty label and pop it in your cupboard. 

                                                                               ~***~

'Alchemist: A person who transforms or creates something through a seemingly magical process'

On my desk a little Alchemy has been taking place.

Tiny paintings, treasures of Nature. I have used real gold to symbolise treasure and show that their importance is of equal value in the grand scheme of life. After all gold is 'nature's' treasure too, but we put so much more value on it than a flower or an animal and even water. (which I find scary sometimes)

                                                                'Between the Space of Golden Light

'Midnight's Treasure'

'Metamorphosis'

'I see the Golden Light that Surrounds You'

'In the Beginning' #2

'In the Beginning'#1

'Born of Gold'

"Here is all of life, all into one
 In moments such as this, all that lives and breathes under the sun is part of Heaven's kiss"

~ Crimson Skies. The Cinematic Orchestra

More gold on this Hare, this time not the real kind though, just paint. 

'Summer Gold'

'Night and her Magic'

'Night's Treasures'

'Hills of Home'

'Tor and Thorn'

'Tamarisk and Sea Holly'

'Sea Holly'

'Sea Holly Small'

'Magnificent Bee' (Pendants  #1 and #2)

After rather a lot of fiddly small painting I am having an urge to paint something bigger now. :-)

All of the above items will be added to my Etsy shop next Tuesday 27th September at 19.00 (7pm) UK time. 

Enjoy your weekend and fingers crossed the sun stays out for walks and gardening and whatever you are up to. 

Thanks for reading! x