A Canterbury ‘Tail’

Recently we visited the City of Canterbury in Kent. We stayed in a nearby Caravan and Camping Club site and walked in to the City each day to explore the ancient streets with beautiful old buildings, including Canterbury Cathedral. However the Cathedral didn’t allow dog owners and was also being renovated so that’ll be for another day. I always do a sketchbook log of our motorhome trips but decided this time to make up a handmade sketchbook zine of our trip complete with collaged found objects made into little Canterbury houses and shops as bookmarks. A little different, I know!

The Canterbury Tail Sketchbook zine by Janet Peck

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

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

Serene tree

Recently I decided to do a series of very quick sketches inspired by my local walks with the dogs. Next I thought about translating a serene feeling I always have when walking at that location, the trees dangling branches in the stream and the winter light. The result was my oil painting above, painted in 3 hours. I hope you enjoy looking at it and the sketches.

Enjoy your day.

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

White pillows

White pillows

Float into hollows, nooks

And burrows.

Aspen and willow,

Stark, dark: sinister

Whispering sharp wind

Billows.

Lichen hillocks.

Holly and blackthorns

Creak under laden leaves

Dripping icy nature’s tea.

Flirty flurries settle on warm cheeks

And tiny beaks.

Woodland Wildlife seeks solace

From fizzing blizzards.

Winter finds

Winter lakeside:

Grey pools binding

With silver speckled rinds;

Threads and reeds surfing

Across leafy waves,

Warmed by gentle waves.

Winter is hanging on, but I like its inky beauty and sparkling surprises.

Winter trees

A cold wet winter day is ideal for sketching in the Studio, remembering bright wintery walks.

Uplifting Rainbow

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The sky darkens

Inkblots spread

Creating ghostly shadows

Swallowing the land.

Creatures hide Iin hollows

As spectral crossbows shoot

Icy arrows.

Suddenly white wings sweep

Across the shadows;

Golden breath blows

A magical rainbow of

Sparkling light.

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First Light

At first light,
Floating thoughts sink into
An inky stillness.

Tiny tapping on the windowsill
Greets us and the skies gently brighten.

‘Bee-ilicious’ colours or favourite ice-cream flavours;
Fine feathering  and  watercoloured waves
Awaken dreamy seas and clouds tinged with flames.

Dancing Kitten Tails

Even though bitter winds can make me cringe:
Tears fall like salty streams.
Dancing kitten tails, ginger tinged,
Soft and kissed by sunshine beams.

I love this time of year when the sunshine peeps through the charcoal trees, lighting up the beautiful Hazel catkins and dancing on the trees. Sometimes taking a photograph can be challenging when it’s cold and windy and I have to sweep away the tears!