Sunday 29 March 2015

Time

Last night we changed our clocks to British Summertime. I am looking forward to the longer evenings. I have been enjoying lots of late afternoon walks. It is such a lovely time to go just before the sun sets. All the birds are singing and high up in the trees the rooks are building their nests.
I like watching how the the colours change as the light fades. You see all the silhouettes of the trees against the evening sky and the nests are easily seen. And by the time we wander home the sun is setting.


Beautiful colours all soft and faded. A lovely way to end each day. It has been a mixture of sunshine, rainy days, windy blustery days and several days of cold frosty mornings. One morning during the week we woke to snow covering the landscape but it soon disappeared in the sunshine later in the day.
I am happy to say the first bright sunshine flowers have appeared along the hedgerows, the lesser Celandines. I picked a few and had fun capturing the flower and leaf in my square book. It began to curl up and the petals gave me some interesting shapes. I also have a large new pot of black Indian ink and so couldn't wait to use this too.

It so reminded me of my childhood, as we discovered if we liked butter, as we held a flower under our chin, the bright yellow glow always told us we did, an innocent game we played time after time.
I love the way the primroses appear too, from all the dead leaves and plants on the ground. I have noticed lots of them growing along the lanes and footpaths, the same places as when I was a young girl. I picked a single wild flower as I have this large clump growing in my own garden.
I have been drawing a bramble leaf with the tracks made by a mysterious insect. After some reading I have discovered it is a moth. These are the three finds I picked an a walk, I managed to paint the ivy leaf and the pencil sketch of the bramble leaf, and the primrose gave me that gentle sweet smell and glowed in the sunlight through my window.

I didn't hold back from collecting the fragments of China. I climbed into the field to look in a muddy river bed and scanned the ground for pieces which has come to the surface. I am thrilled at finding even the smallest blue patterned shape and sometimes patterns on both sides. I love discovering each and every fragment, left from broken objects from long ago. Another treasure was a little green glass marble from a bottle neck in the side of a hedge. I picked up the sycamore seeds at the same place, the photograph shows my finds all washed and sorted.
I never tire of drawing the sycamore and love the twin ones.

And the sprouting shoots.
And this acorn cup, remnants of last autumn, the seeds sown for new life.
And that brings me to my beautiful snakehead fritillary. My first flower and buds of this year down at the bottom of my garden. They are growing so fast. I planted over a hundred new ones last November and I am so excited to watch them all flowering again this year. I picked one of the buds.
I sketched it in pencil and left it. Little by little I have started to paint it with the acrylic inks. My eyes only allow me a short session. So it all takes time but I am making progress. Last year I could not even attempt to draw anything, so I am so grateful I can this year. I just have to be patient.
And something else that has made me smile is seeing the first glimpses of several different ladybirds. When the sunshines I spot them in my garden and along the hedgerows. We counted five one day. This one was captured by the photographer.

So small but so beautiful. I have been making something small by printing and sewing using red fabric paint. It is a slow project as I am making very small stitches, I will keep it to share another time.
I will leave you with a dramatic looking sunset. Each day is different and I love to stop and take it all in. Before the sun sets today I am going to wrap up warm, then enjoy a very windy blustery walk around the village and make full use of our extra hour of daylight.

Hope you enjoyed seeing what I have been doing. Thank you for your comments. If you are visiting I would love to hear what you are doing, or just say hello. See you soon . Millyx


14 comments:

RH Carpenter said...

The spring days take their time in coming, but they finally do return and each one brings such pleasure. The little sketches and collections you share with us are a real pleasure, too. I really like the way you drew the black rectangle around the white flowers and included that into the page of yellow flowers, such an interesting compliment to the page. Happy Spring Days!

Debbie Nolan said...

Dear Milly - Your photos and drawings are so lovely. It looks like spring is teasing you like it is here. Although only my snowdrops and a few pussywillows are blooming. Too cold yet for even the crocus. Take care and have a wonderful week. I so enjoyed my walk with you! Hugs

Angelsdoor * Penny said...

Dear Milly,
I am in awe of the detail in your art.. You have captured every line and curve.. I really enjoyed your photos, and you look lovely.
That is you in the last photo?
Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful art from nature.
blessings,
Penny

HollyM said...

I amazing that find all those China nits. We mostly find sea glass here. I picked up a few nature bits the other day that ended up on my table center and my husband groaned. He said, "oh no your starting again". Last summer, the table was full!
Love your drawings! I'm glad your sketching.

Melody said...

YEAHHHHH, I was SO hoping you'd have a new post...I love to see your world! Completely delighted to find POTTERY SHARDS in the mix too!! Love to see your drawings too of course! :)) ~ We are still in the process of thawing out here, with only tiny green tips of sprouts peeking up cautiously, on on the sunny sides of yards! Takes a while for the massive amount of snow we had this winter to melt! (i love the snow, no complaints from me!)
Thanks so much for the bright spot in the day!
Love those Snakes Heads! :)))

Feathers said...

Aahhh--that extra hour in the afternoons, so much appreciated here too. It's lovely to see your spring flowers and other finds, as well as the drawings you've shared here. Gorgeous sunset as well, I might add. I took our doggie for a woodland walk yesterday afternoon, no sprouting greens yet, but twigs on bushes are budding. Unfortunately, woke to a new inch of snow this morning. Aahhh Spring, so slow to arrive!

Claire said...

Dear Milly,I love seeing your beautiful celandine and other drawings,it's so exciting to see that spring is coming , although not quite feeling it today. The gales last night were quite scary and very autumnal!
The China pieces remind me of my childhood so much as i used to find them in my parents garden but not to be found in my garden now.
Claire xx

Frances said...

Milly, I have most definitely enjoyed seeing everything that you've shown us in this post.

It must be a wonderful time to take your walks as the afternoon light lingers longer each day. My workplace has large skylights, and I admit on sunny clear days that my spirits and those of my work colleagues are greatly cheered by the light. It's also grand to find that on most nights when we lock up and go home it is not yet dark.

You continue to find such treasures. Nature's gifrs and also the intriguing scraps of chinaware that are washed up on the shore.

I admit to a quick recognition as your mention of what a new bottle of India ink can mean!

All your drawings look so good. Please do take your time and give your eyes a continuing time to rest and strengthen.

The Lakes continue to be far ahead of our NYC spring progress. I even saw some tiny snow flurries at the weekend. We are so ready for warmth to go with the lengthening daylight!

xo

Pondside said...

I have enjoyed this visit to your part of the world, and your enjoyment in your walks and drawing. What really struck me was your pleasure in a new pot of ink. I was struck by that - even with all your experience and skill, you are still excited by new ink!
Happy Easter!

Michelle Palmer said...

Always a joy to read your posts~ as if we shared the same paths, gathered similar treasures. Your works are a treasure! Wishing your heart happiness always~

Ginger said...

I admit I got a little thrill seeing your post pop up in my blog reader. I so love to see your drawings of the little details nature leaves for those of us patient enough to look for them.

You've inspired my need to draw - one I thought long dormant, but now emerging like the flowers in my garden that were planted by the wind and the birds.

=) Ginger
Seattle, Washington, US

Mary said...

Such a lovely feeling of beauty and peacefulness as always in your post Eileen.
Wow, what a lot of nests in the rookery tree - never seen that many!
The celandine - and of course primroses - always remind me of my childhood. Those were the days and now they seem so very long ago - well of course they were, silly me!!!!

Easter blessings to you and your family - hope all is well and life is good.
Hugs - Mary

Acornmoon said...

Happy Easter to you Milly. I enjoyed reading this joyous spring post. I can almost hear the birds sing. x

ELFI said...

c'est toujours avec plaisir que je regarde les nouveaux dessins...!