September's link up party

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September's photos and words

Before I begin my post - I want to thank you for you kind words for my last post, I have found it hard to say out loud what I have been through over the last three years and calling myself a survivor proves to me that I have got through the worst and can now look forward rather than dwell on the past.     #mentalhealthawareness

September has flown by - I don't feel to have actually had much contact with the month. Oh I've walked, been out and about, baked and painted but it all feels to have been at a breakneck speed and suddenly, now as I type this, September has turned her back and is leaving after four weeks of changeable weather, damp, dry, cold, warm - any idea I had of shunning thoughts of autumn and impending winter by keeping busy seemed to have worked. The downside - the days just evaporated in double quick time.

Cozy
A quick cellphone snap - one small cat feeling cold, snuggled under my crochet, where she stayed 'under sufferance' most of the evening. She did not approve of me moving the wip around as I worked.

Changing Foliage
Like me, it seems that the trees are only now reluctantly accepting the end of summer, as round here the leaves are just beginning to turn. Youngest goes to uni this weekend and there has been a fair bit of organising, packing, buying checking and rechecking details. Although his lack of presence will leave a rather large languorous long legged space in our home - the time is right for him to take the next step and he is so looking forward to it - he deserves it.

Scarf
Like most of this month's photos - this one is from the archives, Pan sporting a natty cat-kerchief. I haven't lifted the knitting pins for a couple of years now but I have fallen back in with the crochet crowd and wonder why I abandoned it in the first place? I completed my first full sized blanket for a while, in shades of blues and greys and immediately picked up more stash wool and started another.

Baking
Once upon a time, I would regularly photo my baking - these days, it tends to get eaten before I have had time, so you are now seeing yet another archived picture. We'd spent a glorious ten days up on Skye, a beautiful rain drenched, midgie infested, sea held, mountainous island with some rather interesting (tourist attracting) shops and bakeries. We rather liked the Skye Bakery and worked our way through several versions of their 'lunch loaves'. When we returned for a while I made them at home specifically for the boys to take when out walking.  I really should make them again.

Cobweb

Outside our lounge window is a rather handsome web and grumpy spider - perfect.

My own choice
Rolling mist creeping through the fields above our house, slipping around the sheep and up and over the walls. Eerily beautiful.

A survivor

Another week seems to have slipped by and I have barely stopped. Last weekend I looked at the diary and - yes, I did have things written down so - no, I knew I did not have a free week...... but I did hope/plan/long for some time in the studio - so far - half an hour on Wednesday.......

So my planned #30daysart has consisted of evening scribbles on my lap and I am behind somewhat - never mind.

On a rather happy dance moment - I have completed by crochet seaside stashbusting blankie and now suffer a 'serious case' of 'downtime stress syndrome' and yes it really exists although I use it in jest coz I have nothing on the crochet hook at the moment. 

On a walking note, Himself and I, and whichever son was loitering around, have clocked up some miles recently and I have reached the 720mile mark in my #walk1000miles challenge. We have seen some beautifully wistful moon rises, fiery spectacular sunsets and even found several warm and sunny corners to get out of the nippy breeze for a brew.

Last Tuesday I had the privilege of being a small part of a meadow restoration project being run by the National Trust. We spent a happy (but hard working) day planting native wildflower plug plants into a 70 year old unimproved meadow and it was wonderful. My knee may or may not be a little stiff but considering what it could be like, I am happy :)

Back on the art theme - there has been a steady stream of art commissions and sales happening and I am delighted that some are returning customers and others have come via recommendations - did I mention I rather like the day job?

With apologies if this is a bit of a list of things done/achieved/or not as the case may be - but to me - this is good, I am getting through autumn by being busy and happy and that, for me - is unusual and rather pleasant. It is also the third September since I walked out of a job that was slowly destroying me and I am finally coming out the other side feeling not invincible but feeling like I am a survivor and that feels good.

Any hoo - posting this today as I know that although today is another busy day - tomorrow has the potential to go all over the place ! have a lovely weekend xxxxxxxxxxxx

11.09.2009

Ten years of blogging ... huuda thunk it?

This week has been good

Well, the first six days of September have just flown by. And, to the best of my ability (and weather permitting!) I have practised 'Operation Survive Autumn'.

Plenty of art happening - funnily enough (not complaining) I seem to have had a burst of creativity - I think it is related to my determination not to be bogged down by the turning of the seasons.

Walking too has been good - last night alone was a brilliant evening walk. Just Himself, myself, the dog and the fading light. The skies were heartbreakingly - staggeringly beautiful. Purple and gold, grey and petrol blue clouds clumped along the horizon and the setting sun - a flaming tangerine orb slipping behind the hills.
This amazing view was topped by a swish of the last swallows - I can't believe they are still around especially as the weather has been less than kind. A heron, with a slow flap, passed over head -  a portend of good things. A skein of geese and the wisp and whirl of a hunting barn owl. We watched as the ghost white figure flitted over the rough fields and then - as it was definitely getting dark - bats.

We've stood at the back door and listened to the tawny owls hoothooing and wootwooing in the trees behind us - they seem very vocal this year, may be that is normal and I have missed this autumnal sound due to hunkering down and hiding in the house.

Baking too has been quite prominent, scones and fruit cake featuring as has crochet and meeting up with friends and family.

We are also gearing up to TAM19 - and as ever we are just running flat out to keep up but it is such exciting stuff and with so many artists involved this year - there is no time for the autumn-blues.

Here is to the first week not only boshed but celebrated - hope you have celebrated too :)

Autumn

Autumn, you are here. 

And instead of feeling sombre, I shall rejoice your arrival. I shall think differently (or at least try to).

So - today I challenge myself to a month long celebration of autumn - 

I shall draw, I shall create, I shall bake.

I will walk and will breathe, I will crochet and I will garden. 

Each day I shall do something that embraces the changes in the season, 

the taste of the air and the colour in the trees.

I will listen for owls, watch stars in the darkening sky, 

listen to the rain on the roof, 

appreciate the colour of the autumnal evening skies, 

I am going to practice self-care.

I started yesterday with baking a fruit cake, filling the house with a rich warm and comforting scent. Himself and I walked late evening, after a day of heavy showers - and witnessed the sun sink behind the rain-heavy clouds which had swirled around us for most of the week. The air was fresh and damp and after being cooped up inside most of the day - glorious. 

I am part of a fairly irregular 'sketch a day' group on facebook, however for September I will be sketching daily while I drink my early morning coffee.

Barn doors, Bleak Bank Farm and door handle detail

Today, the second day of September, I have planned : 

art - lots of slate and canvas prepping, 

lighting of incense, listening to music 

and because today seems dull and overcast - fairy lights.

Later with Moss, on our walk, 

I will quietly forage seed heads and dried grasses 

and make an autumnal wreath for the door.

I hope I have inspired you to celebrate autumn and to practice self-care.

Thank you everyone who joined in with last month's scavenger photo hunt. Welcome to Joanne of Joanne's craft and adventures, thank you for joining in for the first time :)

September's words will be on a theme - autumn of course!

Cosy, Changing Foliage, Scarf, Cobweb, baking, my own choice.

Have fun, keep inspired and speak soon xxx

August's photo link up party!

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August's photos and words

It is 8.45pm and I am only just starting my post- jeesh - what has happened to this month ? it feels to have been both full and fast and now suddenly - I've remembered to do the photo hunt.... and I know I have not got all the photos (so need to do a little archival research!)

MARK

A special evening walk, a glorious sunset, evening picnic alongside our favourite piece of the Leeds-Liverpool canal. Then, as we were returning - I spotted this sign. Perfect!

DUCK/S

A quick snap from June, as I hurried across the road into Kettlewell. Every year they celebrate with a scarecrow festival and a duck race on the river and as you enter the village - this little sign joyfully tells you that you have arrived!

WINDOW

July this year, another evening picnic - a common occurrence - often the only time that we have time - throw a quiche in the oven, fill the flask with hot water, take tea and milk, walking boots and camera and head for the hills. If it is warm enough, dry enough, light enough, we eat outside and if there is time - we walk a bit. If, like the evening in the photo - the wind is too cold for comfort, we eat in the car.  This particular evening definitely had a brisk breeze - cutting and sharp, even the sheep decided to use the car for shelter. The ewes and lambs all ducked out of the wind on the lea side.

ARM

Some times I do wonder on the words I choose. I was going to give myself a severe talking too when I was looking for an 'arm' then suddenly yesterday, as we were out I spotted this, Himself knows I take photos of strange things however even he was bemused when I took this one!

STRAW

A balmy August holiday from 2014. 

My own choice.

This was my most difficult to do - I wanted to share so many photos - this last month has been full of art. Commissions, sales, fayres and exhibitions and quietly quietly my work is selling. The first half of the year was very quiet - a lot of my arty friends had the same down time - some of us almost despairing (well, I certainly did) to the point of shutting the studio door and walking away for quite a few weeks. But, recently - for most of us, it is looking up :)

It is now 11.24pm and I better stop - I need to sort out the link up - hope you all had a happy, busy month xxx

Random Monday

*I walked 1.87 miles yesterday - some of you may nod in approval, most will go Huh? really?, that is not far..... well it is not .... until I tell you that I was in my garden. Gardening.....

*My coastal crochet blankie is DEFINITELY on the nautical side. The colours are the most obvious give away, as it the name.....  However, it is the tidal effect on the rows that really confirms it. The tide comes in.... as each row is added, then it rushes out (frog frog frog frog). The tidal motion of my blankie is becoming almost as regular as the real one....

*I had to make 'bribe' scones to keep the wolves at the door happy while the fruit cake cooled enough to cut. The wolves then ate that too ...

*I think Autumn has returned. Summer has wimped out and wandered off.

*I am going to put the kettle on - fancy a brew? I am making the most of a lovely quiet house before cracking on with some work** (no - blogging is not work but I allow myself the pleasure of a mug of coffee and a bit of blog hopping and commenting first thing in the morning)

Hope your Monday is gentle and kind and Autumn lets the sun shine a little more this week (please) xx


**well, I say work - it more like this....

1. do my sketch of the day challenge, 
2. contact a local newspaper - see if we can get our art weekend in their 'what's happening' page
3. measure up slate and sketch out a pony's face for a commission enquiry,
4. Walk Moss,
5. Wrestle with a publishing programme on my laptop, I need to convert a newsletter into an email format which is proving to a be a little trickier than I imagined,
6. Drink coffee/tea,
7. Paint fea...................shhhhhh secret! Will show these some time - promise, just not yet :D
8. Mock up a photoshoot we have coming up this week for another magazine interview as part of the art weekend.

There will be more things as the day bumbles along - there usually is :D

What a tease

Ooh August you are a cheeky little number - what glorious blue skies after that torrential rain.

What a lovely walk we had on Wednesday, Youngest, Moss and I

The sounds and colours were wonderful.

Thursday proved to have a gentle warmth and despite the stiff breeze

was lovely to be out.

This time, Eldest and I were out with dog and camera. 

So very glad we were! 

My boys - now men - are a pleasure to have around!

Happy Friday 

and good weekend walking

xxxxxx

In which I mutter tut tut at August...

August - what do you think you are playing at?
Surely my memories of warm, languid holiday weather has not been misplaced?
So why, dear August have we had to light the fire?

Oh August, you have, I have to admit, teased us with the odd warm day, delicious and welcome.

Or delighted us with clear blue (decidedly autumnal) skies.

And amazed us with stupendous sunsets.

Yesterday you invited us to play outside,

so we did.

Paint pots and brushes and mugs of tea at the ready.... 

then and the crucial moment - you let it rain.

 There was such a dashing and collecting and saving of things before they got wet.

August, I am sure I heard you snigger.

Bad form August.

tut tut