"Svmer Is Icumen In"

My painting "Summer is coming in, loudly sings cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo..." will be on show tonight at an evening of Folk songs, Ballads and art. The musicians and artists were set a theme (pre-1945 songs about animals) so I'm looking forward to seeing all the animal themed art and hearing some toe-tapping music :)

Musical and leafy green wishes to your weekend :)

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

A lacemaker and a florist

Yesterday the sun and the breeze whispered light and shade through the brand new leaves. Today is cloudy and grey but the trees are still trying out their new leaves, still whispering and sighing. Gentle rustlings of early Summer. I hope the sun comes back tomorrow to join in again, for a day to be spent drawing in town.

Above: a lacemaker who is also a florist. Doesn't that sound like a fairytale job description?! :)

Green rustlings to your weekend :)

The tent of thought where I shelter

Do your thoughts shelter you or make you almost homeless from yourself?
May your thoughts (and mine) be kind and sheltering. May they be gentle like candlelight rather than harsh like neon light.

"I place on the altar of the morning:

The quiet loyalty of breath,

The tent of thought where I shelter,

And all beauty drawn to the eye"

lines taken from

A Morning Offering by John O'Donohue.

There is great drying out

This weather this week. Mornings of blue skies and sunshine and early walks, hanging clothes out to dry - fresh breezes no rain. Evening walks also with the lengthening days, busy birds, robins hopping a bit closer each day, bringing the washing in, carrying scents of sun and wind.

Top photo: Lace made by hand by Belle Fleur de Lis 
So delicate and beautiful, many many stitches like lots of little brush strokes. Thank you L!

Moon as big as the sun. Earth so small. (Celestial events)

A seat for sky watching, solar eclipses, new moons and a Spring equinox. Although it was too cloudy to see the solar eclipse this morning, the day got eerily darker for about 15 minutes.  Birds went quiet and retired to the trees. I wondered if the daffodils even stopped growing for a moment. Or held their breath. Shadow of our moon moving across the earth,  a reminder that we are so small on a small planet spinning around the huge universe. And then when the light started to return, a reminder of gratefulness and appreciation for the sun.

Today also a new moon and the Spring Equinox - yesterday this corner of purple stars.

Rain, Snow and Daffodils

   

March days have arrived with a little bit of capriciousness. With rain and snow flurries and cloud and wind and sun. And more wind. Chancing on little moments of warmth in those patches of sun. More and more yellow being painted into each day. Twice I was unable to resist bunches of sunshine (otherwise known as daffodils) from the local grocery shop for only a few euro. Little surprises of dabs of paint (crocuses and snowdrops and blossom) under trees and on trees. And best of all, birdsong concerts accompanying each evening now.