I have fond memories of September, especially the abundance of all kinds of berries in the hedgerows. Blackberries have been juicy and sweet. We’ve had glorious warm days and the cottage garden has kept blooming. Dahlias are just beautiful jewel colours, brightening even the odd dull day.
I hope you have enjoyed September.
The light wasn’t great when I photographed the early stages of my watercolour painting of a hedgehog. I will build many transparent colour layers to create this little hog. I’ll aim to capture an essence of his character. I’m waiting for the paint to dry before I carry on.
I’ll update you soon with how my little hog painting is coming on!
It is a joy to be making puddles of colour again, adding water and letting my brush drop colour onto the paper.
Whilst I’m waiting, I’ll make a hot chocolate or chamomile tea to warm my hands.
Have a lovely evening.
I couldn’t resist taking this shot from the courtyard, such a colourful sky!
I am walking through the tree line avenues protected from roaring warning winds.
Brittle branches are torn away landing like arrows ripping into the land’s heart.
Leaves dive and dart, grasses like babbling streams.
Leaning into an old gnarled tree, I look high into the patterns made by silhouettes of leaves.
What will I dream of…
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Slowly the leaves are crumbling under our feet or rotting into the ground, the cold snaps will return soon and autumn will be forgotten. In the studio I simply aimed to draw and mix the colours of the leaves which tumbled from the sky.
I hope you are all well. In the UK many of us have the home fires burning, casseroles and soups bubbling and we’re rushing about. I treat myself to Echinacea tea with a spoonful of local honey to keep colds and sore throats away.
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I have been walking alot through woodlands lately, enjoying the amazing light filtering through the trees and the warm copper hues of the fallen leaves. A couple of times I have spotted deer running startled by the dogs. I love them, they are magical creatures and have inspired me to draw and paint this scene of the stag in a magical woodland. I hope you enjoy it. Have a great weekend. 🙂
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First frost breathes through crystalline teeth,
Steeping brightly hued blooms into a moon dipped
Weeping sleep.
I look down the garden now at the damp brown rotting garden and remember the warm days filled with summer fresh scents; butterflies and bees everywhere. Then came the first frost, it was such a shock but turned the garden into a magical place, frozen and beautiful. I am so grateful for nature. As the garden lies sleeping, I enjoy every day as a different day. I can see the birds hopping about and the gentle mellow yellow sunshine through watery leaves.
Autumn’s door closes as
Winter’s door opens to
A welcoming hearth of
Glowing embers: friends remembered.
Bessoms sweeping crispy leaves,
Birds feeding on filigree seeds.
Sipping warm mead, reading
Gilded tomes about far away homes,
goblins, gnomes, fairies and
Treasure troves.
These prints were very simple to produce. I used a foam material like ain apizza base to cut the design of the Chinese lanterns
Next you draw your design into the foam using a biro or pencil. Mix your coloured ink and roll on to your plate thinly. Put cartridge paper over the plate then with your print roller, roll up and down.Lift your paper gently off your printing plate and your image appears printed! Great fun, easy and can be done with children.
Hopefully here’s the link to my Brown hare cottage wp site where you can see my ‘Fox in a wood on a wintry night’ linocut print.
https://lavendermoongirlsbrownharecottage/wordpress.com
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This watercolour sketch of a toadstool from the Agaric family , I found in an old sketchbook. It’s at least 10 year’s old but surprisingly it has held its vibrant autumnal colours.
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In the Fairy Wood a cool wind sings
Songs of summer past: Larks and cherry blossoms
Rambling roses for fairy posies.
Speckled yellow, ruby and rust leaves swirl,
Crunching under toes.
Dappled light, warm and bright Iilluminates
faces of forest mythological creatures,
A shadow show emerging; tree nymphs, Boris the troll
And frolocking fairies.
Brooding skies like galloping waves,
Tallow mallow ggiant’s fists!
Twisters suck up golden mists.
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Autumnal leaves tumbling wishes in threes;
Zinnias zooming high, catching sunbeams;
Glowing mountain ash berries: a magical tea;
Rest in the healing garden of dreams.
Lavender Moon: Artist, Poet and Lover of Nature 
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