Days decreasing, nights increasing.

November is leaving with gale and gust. A southwest wind blowing the 30th night out and the first day of December in. November, your days have been full of weather. A friend said to me last week, "it doesn't matter what way you face or stand, the rain will find its way into you!" It was coming from all directions.

November is also the month I opened my small online shop a year ago. Since then, unexpected travels for my prints. The little squirrel above flew to Australia, to a Chestnut Farm (I never new there was such a thing!) to sweeten the dreams of a 4 year old daughter. "St. Kevin and The Blackbird" to Canada, a present for a husband who is a fan of the poet Seamus Heaney. And a daughter in Norway who thought "Knitting and Tea" reminded her of her mother - a tea-loving knitter. (Thank you all for your support!)

Where will they go to next year? Like the November winds, blowing where they will.

A little change in the air.

A week of sunlit warmth for Summer to slowly begin to wave goodbye.
Golden patches of sun to be found later in the mornings. Walks with an occasional leaf falling quietly and slowly. Morning and evening surprises of Summer-sounding birds. Window still open, reaching for an extra cardigan in the evenings.

Some new prints from my on-line shop:

You make my branches grow.
Summer is shyly waving goodbye here, but is waving hello on the other side of the world. The cuckoo sings its arrival, meadows bloom and trees come into leaf. The ewe bleats after her lamb and the cow is lowing for her calf.

Star-gazing seat.
Light dims earlier and then starry skies. A low-hanging crescent moon, a sliver of gold nearly tipping the earth. Next weekend is a full moon. Lets sit on this comfy seat and watch for it.

St. Kevin and the Blackbird. (a Seamus Heaney poem)
St Kevin was known as a lover of nature. Legend has it that one day Kevin was praying with his arms outstretched in his cell in Glendalough. His cell was so small that his hands reached out the windows. As he was praying, a blackbird came and nestled in his open hand. The blackbird built a nest and laid her eggs. St. Kevin decided he wouldn't move his arms until the egg had hatched and the chick flown away. 

Owly

I hear wings. Flapping around the eaves and flapping through the trees. I hear leaves rustling in the breeze (that is one of my favourite sounds). Harder to hear because they are very light, but every now and then raindrops on the window. From the kitchen I hear the kettle singing ... and soon I hope to hear the pouring of boiling water and the clink-clink of teaspoons and cups.

Thank you so much to everyone who asked about my owl painting (I never knew owls were so popular :)). It is now available as print in my on-line shop

Remember the birds

Hello first day of December. Mild and misty you are this first morning. Milder on the western seaboard, the weatherman says on the radio, and rain on the way for the afternoon, spreading from the west. The afternoon will be for painting so.

My 94 year old Grand-uncle farmer sits by his window, also in the west of Ireland, observing the weather and the birds - he cannot walk out and about as much these days - but he always feeds the birds and he says they come back and sing for him. They are good company those little friends.  The painting above is inspired by him (available as an A4 print in my little shop). Don't forget to feed the birds this winter - it will be like a song investment!

Open. On a Monday in November.

    

After many weeks hammering and sawing and constructing and arranging, my little on-line shop is officially open! On a soft Monday afternoon in November, the footpaths a little wet and slippy with leaves but the air mild and the light infused with a gentle ray of sunlight. You are very welcome to take a peek!