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.

Octobering

October is leaving with a smile (sun shining) and a hug (warm breezes). So mild the window is open. No need to have the radio on with sounds coming through the window from outside; wind rattling leaves, a neighbour over the wall raking his garden. They are in tune with my paintbrush rattling in a jar of water.

Happy last day of October - thank you for your colours and fruits and berries and your leaves that accompanied me everywhere - swirling down into my hair, crunching underfoot, sticking to tyres, whooshing in the door.

PS. Above: a painting that hopefully soon will be available as a print.
PPS. More Octobering 

Be-jewelled Autumn

 Have you ever noticed how the colours of Autumn are full of jewel and gem tones? Gold, ruby, bronze, copper, amber, topaz. Even smudges of amethyst on blackberry stained fingers. Like as if the trees are arraying themselves in all their rich loveliness before Winter's unadorned repose.

Glimpses of be-jewelled trees, footpaths, doorsteps, window-panes, windscreens and puddles to your week!