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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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.

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.

Bursts of brilliant stars

Bursts of brilliant stars,

Stretching, kicking like dancers,

Love to be dazzlers,

Warming the observers’ hearts

While winter’s greaving departs.

These miniature iris’s were a beautiful surprise: inspiration for my Tanka poem above. I hope you enjoy it. I don’t always use a specific poetic form, so I hope it has worked!

Bright and warm

Shoots produding,

Shiny Buds swelling,

Pussy willow a silver sensation!

Petals waxy, honey sweet.

Catkins like knitted fingers;

Golden rays warming

Our hearts on cold days;

Winter trees

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

Brightening winter days

 

In the winter sunshine, the garden looks bright and cheerful after the lull after deep winter wild weather. Hellebores are so delicate, peeping beneath glossy leaves. Very few tiny snowdrops have decided to appear over the last couple of years. They are always such a joy to see. I’ll be taking the dogs on a local snowdrop walk soon to look for different varieties within the snowdrop carpet, underneath the tree canopy.

I hope you are all enjoying a cosy Sunday, wherever you are. Warm wishes.x

Winter walks

January’s lamp black trees

Dripping tears.

Weeping tangled larches

Tickling lichen bark;

Crows huddled in puddles,

Riddles in ink blotted dark skies.

Welly prints in sticky mud;

Children dropping crumbs

From winter tarts.

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Happy New Year! Stride out on winter walks, feeling crisp air brushing your cheeks. Stop and listen to the birds. Watch the wintery dark tree branches dancing in bracing wind. Welcome January! 

Christmas cheer

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The post box bulges

Once a year, full

Of wishes and Christmas

Cheer. Small and perfect;

Large with glittered stickers,

The post is ready to go.

Vague addresses like

Cottage by the loch, loch sheil:

Once a year the postie will

be determined to deliver

Christmas cheer; driving on

Bumpy tracks through snowy

Woodlands where curious deer

Leap and peer at the postie

Driving oer misty mountains,

Watching swans skating.

Deep in the forest, animals,

Fae and elves meet by the light

Of the wintery moon.

Wishing you all a happy Christmas and a healthy, lucky New Year! 

Thank you to all my readers and followers without you this blog wouldn’t be here. Christmas cheer. Hugs and warm wishes! 

First frost breathes…

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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.