April 2020

                                     

It is a very strange time we are all living through. it is hard to write about so Let me  write my post and hope that everyone reading this finds a little bit of pleasure from what I write and show you from my little place in this world. 

Nature is and always has been a big part of my life. so  I will share some beautiful nature that is making me happy and occupied during this time.

My garden started to show lots of signs that Spring is finally arriving.  daffodils and the amazing Snakehead Fritillary flowers.  Those of you who  know my blog will already know how much I love these flowers and how I add more each year at the bottom of my garden.

each day I wander down to see them, spent time looking at them and usually pick a few favourites to bring into the house to draw. I have used my own homemade Blackberry ink and a fine nib in a dip in pen. It keeps my mind focused and it is a slow time carefully drawing as I concentrate on the flowers and the  patterns slowly appear.

My eyes are not as good as when I was younger but Starting to draw I guess I can also use my memory  of past drawings and my style of drawing appears to replicate the flowers.

And something lovely appears on the blank page. can you see how very beautiful these flowers are,  so delicate and  elegant. They really are a  special sight as they appear now year after year and even more special because I planted each tiny white bulb.

The birds are singing each morning,  hopping around the garden all day long.  We were talking about how they seem so safe here, they know we feed them and I even left a pile or two of nesting materials for them when I did some gardening and collected dry stems.  How delighted we were to spot the blackbird going into the privet hedge,  the same place she made a nest last year. Quietly I had  a gentle peep and there it was.
A beautiful new nest with two blue eggs. it melts your heart.

And  then my husband watched a Robin flying out of the ivy. Guess what,  another nest.  We have been respectful, kept away at a safe distance from both nests but will be delighted to see the young birds  later on in the year hopefully  hopping around in the garden from both of the nests. 

It makes my heart sing  to know they chose my garden  to build in and that I am doing something right living along side nature and caring for it. I hope they are the same family returning.

After the Storms.

the view from my garden of the high tide.

I guess it is not news to you all that we have been battered by two different storms during the past two weekends.  It has caused flooding.  So sad for all of the people who have had their homes flooded and damaged by the rising rivers breaking their banks and  all the heart break and upset it causes. I am sat listening to the wind roaring and watching as yet another high tide is on the way to cover our seashore. 

The  railway line is a few feet away from being flooded.

  I feel very grateful to be warm and safe. As the sea rushes into the estuary you see the force of the water with the wind behind it. Last weekend all the trains were cancelled because of the danger.  Day after day we have had such tides and the land and fields are waterlogged.  Yesterday I spent the afternoon drawing by the window looking out onto the grey gloomy weather.

my drawing of the found piece of china from the shore by Eileen Postlethwaite 

I am recording some of the blue and white china pieces that were found on my shore walks.
After such storms the rough sea water batters and erodes the sand bankings and reveals forgotten and hidden remains from a past life. I have collected so many and yet each time I find a new piece it gives me such joy.  The little pieces always have such interesting patterns and it really feels like I have a box of treasure.  The most exciting part for me in this drawing is that this is my own handmade ink made from flowers,  a secret for the moment.  I  was amazed  to make a blue ink and  thrilled to be able to draw my found china with it.

my tools along with the blue ink I made by Eileen Postlethwate 

I carefully sketched the china piece with a pencil and then used the dip- in pen with a fine nib and painted with an equally fine paint brush.  My own Blue ink. The Perfect Colour for the china.

Nearly completed hand drawn with my own ink  by Eileen Postlethwaite

I have recorded lots of lovely pieces  but it is still a work in progress.  My Project started with my  homemade book with drawings in my own inks.  All made from natural plants and objects found by me.
 It has been a slow process drawing but I am really happy how its looking and growing into a great project. It is almost a year since I started by making the handmade book, the inks and drawing my finds.  It is definitely a labour of  Love and so rewarding to think I did it all.  My eyes do not always thank me with the slow detailed work dip by dip and today I have stained blue fingers.

So a feast for the eyes is seeing the snowdrops and daffodils flowering.

 I have two blue glass vases each growing a beautiful blue scented hyacinth that greets you each morning.  A bulb teased into growing as its roots drink up the water in the jar and  they remind me of a jelly fish with the long white roots dangling.  I can see so many new spring shoots and signs of more colour in the garden as old and  new bulbs put down their roots.

A new find  By Eileen Postlethwaite

A new piece of china found on our recent walk. When we saw some blue sky and sunshine!

  It is good to walk and feel the cool breeze and blow away the cobwebs.

leave your foot prints in the sloppy sand.  

Wander home after a lovely walk as the sun goes down.

                                      A glance back to where you were as the sun sets

 Hope this finds every one safe and well. thank you for your comments  I Would  love to hear 

what are you drawing or making at this time of year.     Bye for now. x. Milly 

See you soon.

 Eileen Postlethwaite .all photographs and drawings by Eileen Postlethwaite.

Please be respectful. 

Happy New Year

Today brings a new year. 

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year filled with peace and kindness.

A few weeks ago I walked past this lovely old oak tree.  Then last month when the leaves were brown and falling I found a single acorn on the ground, I picked it up and looked at it, your coming home with me I said. Unable to resist I climbed the wooden gate and dropped down into the wood.  It is like entering another world, leaves crunch and twigs send out loud cracks as you walk through the wood.  Whilst my acorn is held softly in my hands so not to harm it.  I had a special place where I wanted to draw it.  My handmade book I created to draw and record my home made inks.

First page of my book of drawings from my own homemade inks
Eileen Postlethwaite

I  like small things, they surprise you, as size means nothing when you know the potential and power that little acorn has.  As  I  look up into the spreading branches of the oak and know this tree started life as a tiny  acorn.
I once  planted an acorn and now it grows behind my house,  last year was the first time it had acorns and this year the first time it had oak galls but each year it gets stronger and grows some more.

I made ink from the oak Galls  and used it to draw oaks.
Eileen Postlethwaite

I decided to draw acorns and oak leaves,and  because of my love of brown inks make my own.  This picture above shows my drawings using my own ink made using some oak galls I found.  A dip in pen and my ink records oak finds......... a little piece of magic as my natural ink  records nature. All found in my own village.
As I have slowly watched my book fill up, a little at a time.  I have used plants and flowers and berries and seeds to make different colours to draw with.  Just as nature takes its time,  I have to wait patiently until things are ready, each season brings something new.   During 2019  it has been  so exciting finding different colours from nature.

New Years Eve....the sky at sunset.
Eileen Postlethwaite

Nature constantly surprises us with  colours. To end the year this was the sunset from my bedroom window.  What a way to end the year.....better than any firework display.

Snakehead Fritillary flowers in my garden,  looking forward to seeing them again soon.
Eileen Postlethwaite

And I have just planted some more tiny creamy coloured bulbs to grow and add to the  snakehead frillary flowers already in my garden.  Small things have such  potential to make beautiful things happen.  I often see my drawings and realise in my own little way I can send and share my love of nature to so many people and  make a difference. 

Wishing you all a Happy New Year.  Perhaps we could all spread some peace and kindness for 2020.