Saturday 1 March 2014

St. David's Day..1st March

Today was such a beautiful day. The first day of a new month. So we went for a lovely walk around the village. First we stopped to look through the Church gates. It took my breath away, the beautiful purple carpet of crocus, snowdrops and the first daffodils. Of course we had to then wander through the churchyard and take it all in, take the opportunity to see it with the sun shining, on this St. David's Day.


We carried on wandering through the lanes heading up towards the moor you can see in the background. Past the old mill we decided to look at the beck, see how much water was running down and a chance to find some pottery. There was a huge bank of leaves and bits all washed to the side by the fast flowing water after all the rain we have had. I found an oak gall and then I needed to chose an oak leaf from all the hundreds on the ground. Meanwhile, someone risked wet feet as he balanced on wobbly stones to fish out little pieces of blue and white china for me.

We wandered on through the lanes and I noticed the first bright glossy yellow celandines. They were always the first wild flowers, my sister and I used to start our collection as we pressed flowers and made our own nature book throughout the year. I saw all the new fresh green leaves of the Lords and Ladies, at the same place I collected the berries last year for my zig zag book I was working on. I will make some sketches and try and record it at this stage to add to my book.

We listened to the birds singing, this little robin sang out in the tree as I collected lots of the skeleton sycamore seeds. He was there so long the photographer managed to capture this gorgeous picture, he is actually singing.

Sycamore seeds scattered everywhere, so delicate, like little pieces of lace.
I also collected some lovely pale empty snail shells. We saw a nest from last year, revealed as the hedgerows have been trimmed neat by the farmers ready for this new year. The birds will collecting and building new nests very soon. Although it is still early, there is lots of new growth along the hedgerows, as we have so far escaped any snow or severe cold weather. When we arrived home it was so nice I spent some time in the garden. It was amazing how much everything has grown with a few days of warm sunshine. Daffodils for St. David's Day.
At the bottom of my garden so many bulbs in flower. I love planting them.

Daffodils, crocus and snowdrops by my garden gate. I love seeing them, the pleasure of all this from planting the little bulbs in Autumn.

I was really thrilled to see my Snakehead fritillary plants, complete with buds. This plant always grows first as it is more sheltered and this is the first place I ever planted the bulbs, many years ago now. It always grows the tallest and the strongest. I so look forward to seeing them each year. Today I planted some new cowslips amongst my other plants in this my little wild woodland garden.

The birds were singing and a robin hopping around as I did a little tidying up of broken branches from the ash tree. The birds love the ash tree, and we love watching them fly in and out of it. I couldn't resist taking the view from here, looking from my garden to the shore, soon the buds will be bursting and it will be covered in leaves.

I have not been able to do much drawing as I have been having problems with my eyes. I have still being collecting both objects and ideas for future work. Next week I am having my first surgery for my cataracts. I have always been grateful that I have had the gift of such wonderful eyesight and have been able to draw in such detail. I am so aware how precious my eyes are and how much I value my sight, hopefully I will be able to return to my drawings soon. Meanwhile I am so lucky to live here, enjoy each day surrounded by all this natural beauty and be able to see this view everyday.

Like this view yesterday.

And then the colours of the sunset.

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend. Thank you for the lovely comments. See you soon. Millyx

 

 

14 comments:

Carol Creech said...

Hi Milly - what fun to go on a 'virtual' walk with you to see the crocus and daffodils, etc.! It is still very wintry here and I cannot wait until I see the first flowers of spring. I also planted quite a few bulbs last fall, so I hope to have a nice, full flower bed in a month or two! Good luck with your cataract surgery. I hope you recover well and can get back to drawing and painting soon (with lots of clarity!) Best wishes, Carol

Susan said...

Lovely to see spring in your part of the world. Thanks for sharing and may you be back to painting soon after your surgery!
Sue in Colorado, USA

Frances said...

Milly, best wishes to you as we enter this fresh month of March, and as you are about to have the cataract surgery. It is good to know that your artist's eyes will be given a "tune up." Every time that I have my regular glaucoma check ups, my ophthalmologist checks to see how my lenses are doing cataract wise, and we discuss that treatment. So far, he seems to think I do not require it. I am very glad to have a fine doctor who continues to take good care of my eyes.

Now, thank you for the St. David's Day wishes and also for all those views of your crocus filled churchyard, the area beyond, and of the treasures that you and your fellow treasure hunter discovered after all the rains.

I marvel at all that you all find on these walks. Nature is so generous!

It was warm enough over here yesterday for me to have my first Central Park walk this year. It has been astonishingly long since I visited that glorious place! I did take my camera and may soon do a post to show a bit of just how much snow and ice may still be found.

We are due to have more snow this evening, lasting overnight into Monday morning. Enough!

xo

Tammie Lee said...

I wish you the best with your surgery. May the doctor move with grace and perfectly.

you really do have spring! wow, it is still snowing here and quite cold too.

it was beautiful to see your flowers.

Julie Clay Illustration said...

It does feel a bit like spring has burst forth a little, as I suddenly have little Tete a Tete daffs blooming, I'm hoping my little snakeshead is peeping too :) I hope your eyes are soon functioning much better, the elderly lady who lived next door to us,(when we first moved in) only saw us clearly after about a year, when she had cataracts removed, she said it was amazing! Good luck and thanks for the photos!

suz said...

thank you so much for sharing your walk - we've been buried under tons of snow and spring seems very far away. I think you'll be really happy after your cataract surgery - the change will be wonderful. Sending you prayers that all goes well.

Melody said...

Thank you for sharing some springy-ness photos~ snowing again this morning here!
Very best wishes for successful eye surgery ~ and things being clearer again very soon!

Feathers said...

Oh Milly, your spring is glorious to my eyes--Snow is still falling, and no end in sight here. I'm so happy you are getting those cataracts taken care of--my mother was unable to even read due to hers, and her vision after surgery was better than it had been for years almost immediately--truly magic!--(((Hugs)))-Anita.

Debbie Nolan said...

Dear Milly - I will certainly be praying that your eyesight will be back to normal after your surgery. I always look so forward to your beautiful work. I loved seeing your lovely spring bulbs by your garden gate. Mine are still under leaves and some bits of ice and snow but did see a few snowdrops - sure sign spring is almost here. Take care and have a lovely week-end. I will be praying about your eyes. God Bless.

JP said...

Milly so lovely to see your signs of Spring - haven't made coming for a 'real ' walk yet but someday soon - hope your op goes really well - everyone says how wonderful it is when it is done - will light a candle for you - it will soon be over - take care

Acornmoon said...

Milly, I do hope all goes well with your eye op. My mum had hers done at the age of 91, the result was nothing short of a miracle. They replaced her old lens with a brilliant new one and now she can see everything in detail- including the places I have not dusted.

MILLY said...

Thank you for all your kind thoughts. I am just taking it easy, resting my eye, hopefully will be fully recovered soon. The birds are singing and it is so quiet here.
Longing to get back to drawing.
Millyx

Rosie said...

Milly, So Beautiful to see spring arriving up there in the north as we go into autumn down here in New Zealand. I know your blog will keep us all bright and cheery through the winter! Thanks for sharing and hope you are back to drawing and painting very soon :)
Rosie in Titirangi Auckland

Marqueta (Mar-kee-ta) G. said...

Dear Milly,

I couldn't help but leave another comment, after catching up on your blog. I am so happy that your eyesight is better now; that must have been incredibly frightening! Even with your eyesight difficulties, you still outdo lots of us. :)

Love,

Marqueta