week 9

                        The week 9 page and the giveaway for Dan on the right.

The finished page.
As you can see below,  I still had a few more to do this afternoon.

We have had a glorious week with sunny days and each morning the sight of a blue sky.  One day we walked across the shore and of course I was searching for finds for my sketchbook.  It was so lovely we even sat and had our drink and snacks.  We knew it was only early March but it felt very warm and spring like as we wandered across the pale sand as I was searching and gathering some new finds. The geese were circling around and calling,  hundreds of them,  so beautiful to watch.  Lots of feathers went into my bag.  The many oak leaves I love to see stuck to the sand are blown from the nearby woods and fields, along with the seeds and red berries.  As I collect objects I wonder where they came from and how far they have travelled.
I see the circle of life here on the seashore, the promise of new life  in seeds, tiny shells,  the mermaids purse  which once held  a new life, and so many other examples.  Just as we see dead and decomposing objects.
Today we saw two oyster catchers, two birds choosing a possible nest side,  before long there will be nests on the shore and the thrill of stumbling on one and being able to view some eggs.  A single swan glided in the water, last year the pair of swans had four cygnets,  could this be one of their young,  now grown and left her  parents.  Ducks and other birds provided me with some more feathers,  many of them fished from the water as they floated and drifted to the waters edge.   I found some crabs legs, a claw and some empty body cases.
It has been such a lovely week and we have had the added pleasure of  enjoying  pretty  pink sunsets.  I always feel so calm and relaxed on the shore,  looking at the views of the surrounding landscape, walking on the sand  hearing the birds calling and my head full of my memories of happy days here.   And a lovely sighting was a butterfly,  dancing through the air,  like us chasing the sunshine. This  place always makes me feel so glad to be alive.
The week has been busy but I have managed to record my week 9 finds and complete the little give away for Dan,  it will be on its way tomorrow.  Even though I was just finishing my page this afternnoon.   My objects are first drawn in pencil and then painted using the acrylic inks and my sable brush.  All the drawings are from the real objects and I have left some for you to see.
Thank you for such lovely comments,  they have been so nice to read and I just want to share this with you.
I attended a funeral this week where the son spoke of his Mother and the things she did for many other people. He said they were often only small things,  but that even a small act of kindness can make a huge different to  another person.  We can all make a different to others with the things we do.
Millyx