Staying at home, walking on local footpaths and bridleways, enjoying quietude.

Staying at home, walking on local footpaths and bridleways, enjoying quietude.

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Remembering September

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.

Secret path

A local walk I like to think is my own.

How quiet is the forest.

Beside the brook, I hear cracking hogweed, like tiny castanets.

And rustling grasses looking like fairy tassles.

I see illuminating, floating gold dipped seed dust, filtered in ribbons between stately trees.

Scratching dry earth with a hawk’s feather, it feels worn like old leather.

How quiet is the forest.

Early bluebells

It was so exciting to see these early Bluebells in an ancient woodland.

Usually my poetry tends to be freeverse however in one of my notebooks I came across an example of a ‘Rectum refrain and decided to write my Early Blue bell poem using the Rectum refrain style.

So basically a poem written in the above style should have 10 lines. The first line contains one syllable only, the second 2 syllables and so on. However line 10 should contain a combination of lines 1-4 thus making 10 syllables. No rhyming!

It was a challenge. I hope I got it right! However producing a poem about the experience I had of that walk, coming across the wood and Hawthorn blossom and using my senses and imagination, was far more important to me. I hope you enjoy it.

Early Bluebells

Blue,

Blue bells.

Blue bells shake.

Chilly winds wake,

Woodland creatures hide.

Twigs, new shoots lime green, fresh.

Blossom pure, delicate, intense

Hawthorn spike in dark hollows shine

Glassy eyed rabbits shy waiting. Still.

Blue blue bells blue bells shake chilly -winds wake

Warm wishes to all

It’s been a very strange year of many ups and downs and I apologise to everyone who follows me, likes my blog and enjoys reading my posts. I promise to make 2019 the year when I pen my poetry and get painting again. After one of our beloved Border collies died suddenly last year, the arrival of our Slate merle pup in early spring and Skye, our surviving blue merle having a Stroke, I wondered whether life would ever become calm again.

However, Storm is a year old now, pictured above, and has a lovely nature; she gets on really well with Skye and has helped Skye get over her Stroke by assisting with her physio!

We’ve had lovely holidays in North Norfolk walking along the Coastal path, across the salt marshes and on Holkham beach and I have enjoyed a few hours here and there to paint.

I hope you like my photos and my watercolour painting of the cheeky robin who visits my bird table every morning. I have designed a Christmas card, so he can be enjoyed by friends and family.

I wish you all a warm, peaceful and jolly Christmas and the best of luck for 2019!

XxX

In the presence of trees

It has been a wet, autumnal day. I set off this morning with my dogs through a local woodland. It was dark and dripping raindrops which splattered on the leaf mold and moss filled floor. I could see beauty in tiny pools of water collected in large leaves which reflected the tree canopy and the charcoal sky: the woodland creaked and spoke to me of the year so far. The ancient trees, bark toughened, branches gnarled, split and hanging low over the path. The people I met were enjoying their rainy walks too, we were all out there enjoying the elements, exploring our day.

Later this afternoon, I left my husband decorating and headed down the garden to my Studio. I knew I would paint one of the old trees I’d seen and love in all weathers. I’m not sure if it’s finished yet. Tomorrow I will see my watercolour in the morning light! The watercolour sketch on the right I did a while ago. Another oak tree I see regularly and enjoy its presence.

Lingering in a woodland on a sultry spring day

https://lavendermoongirlsbrownharecottage.wordpress.com/

Please click on the link to read my poem inspired by my recent ramble.

I hope you enjoy my post. The weather has been warm so we’ve been exploring our woodland pathways. As ever, I am inspired so much by my walkhs in the surrounding countryside whilst enjoying the company of my dogs; sometimes joined by my husband and friends.

After the rain

After the rain, pink buds

Burst with delicate scents reminiscent

Of rhubarb, rose and lemon.

Stepping through the glade, entranced,

Serenaded by tiny pearly drips

Cascading from blossom lips

And freshly opened leaves.

Solitary Snowdrops

Solitary Snowdrops,

Snuggled in a sudden snowdrift,

As fine as sifted icing sugar.

Cople churchyard is beautiful at the moment with a smattering of celedines, voilets and tiny Blue star like flowers. However it is solitary huddles of snowdrops which inspire me the most because they appear in harsh weather and bring us hope of spring. We are about to get snow here in the UK at the weekend, I have to say it is very pretty but we need the warmth of the sunshine. For those of you deep in a cold winter, I hope you’re keeping cosy.

The snowdrop scribble was inspired by my walk in the churchyard, hopefully I’ll be able to get in the Studio soon to have a play with designs, do a watercolour or maybe a screenprint.

My creative time is very precious because I have an elderly dog recovering from a Stroke and a puppy who is delightful and full of fun, requiring lots of attention, training and walks. Life is full on!

Forever in our hearts

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Sadly one of our beautiful dogs died suddenly two week’s ago. She was 11 year’s old and fit and healthy. We had tests done because she seemed a little lethargic and times, occasionally off her food and a breathing problem now and again. However the tests came back okay. However two Sunday’s ago she wouldn’t eat and I could hear an unusal sound in her chest. The vets suggested that she could have a lung infection and took a litre of fluid from her lungs. This broke our heart but the vet was optomistic that if we took her to tge specialist vet hospital they would successfully treat her.  Unfortunately this was not the case. They were confident that antibiotics would cure  pneumonia: so we left her there to be treated. We had three terrible phone calls from tge vet in the early hours of the morning, tge final one was to tell us that her heart had stopped. She didn’t respond to tge antibiotics. They were very shocked too and told her that she died of sepsis. We are so devastated and heart broken. Her sister is very upset as they have been together forever. 

We have her now in a beautiful Onyx urn and she will always be with us. God bless her and keep her safe in doggy heaven. 

Sorry for not posting everyone.