First of December

My tree won't be up for weeks yet; my decorations remain in the loft; I still have presents to buy.

Yet.......yet.......I'm glad to be in December.

This has got to go down as one of the most miserable and gloomy years in memory. I shall be well pleased to see it over. 

And over on FB people are moaning about xmas; and pish and tosh-ing all over. And yet.........this is the darkest time of the year; and leading to the solstice, where the light will shift. The year will turn. I like the lights we switch on, to lighten the darkness. Until my tree is up, I'll settle for lighting candles.

'there's an angel floating round my house, floating round my house.......' *

Stained glass window at Westgate Chapel, Wakefield, on Xmas Day. Kate, the secretary asked me to commit to an exhibition next year. I've been feeling un-confident about my painting, and about my art in general. Feeling the slate has been wiped clean, and I don't know where to begin to start making again. Perhaps this is an opportunity to make a commitment to my muse, and put my toe in the water again? I'll consider it, and decide soon.  
Thank you to all those angels fluttering round me this last couple of years......

Angels bringing gifts! Thank you, 'angel-Loz'! I'm a lucky girl! This second book by India Flint arrived on Xmas Day! 'Tis beautiful, like her 'Eco-colour' book, which fired up my enthusiasm for dyeing with plants. Am looking forward to delving into this treat!

Jill, my felting-friend, made this needle-case; she said only we two would get the reference! Who would've thought Neil Young's song lyrics would have applied themselves so happily to a needlecase!!!!! Ho Ho Ho!

And Bea; who has generously given throughout this difficult year. Opening her gift, I unravelled a length of patterned silk! She knows quite well I don't use new silk, and so got me this! Needless to say, the dregs of the walnut dye-pot have a portion of this silk soaking in it. I suspect the dye-bath is exhausted by now, but, I shall leave it in, to just 'see what happens'.....as always when dyeing with plants; magic happens.

*Oh, and the lyrics; are from Kirsty MacColl. Much missed. X

Xmas Eve

A different Xmas Eve.
I went with Pauline to visit her Polish friend Gosia. We watched Polish TV (!) without understanding a word, though we did make out the carol 'Silent Night'! Gosia kindly made us a traditional Polish xmas eve meal; saurkraut; carrots; onions; cabbage; white mushrooms; cooked together, and yummy. Thank you Gosia. We drank tea, and wine. And exchanged gifts. Which we then opened! In Poland presents are opened on xmas eve, not xmas day, as here in England. We shared chocolates, and looked at our gifts. It was a lovely way to spend the evening. And fascinating to hear how other people celebrate Xmas.
'Have yourself a merry little Christmas..............time.'

churches & angels

The Annunciation, as depicted in a stained glass window at Penistone church. I love the image of the angel on the left hand panel of the window; the one seeming to balance on a olden orb. Looks like she's made of feathers, or maybe flames? Or perhaps feathered leaves? Maybe a relation to the Greenmen you find in churches? This one a leaf-angel?

And here's a stone angel! Found at Silkstone church, Barnsley. Very solid; and the stone pillar which seems to pierce the angel, adds an odd touch. Or perhaps I should see it as the angel emerging from the pillar, miraculous-like? 



happy xmas

It's xmas eve.
Everything's done that needs to have been done, and I'm sitting quietly, listening to the radio (Jarvis Cocker!) and drinking wine. The presents are under the tree, all ready for tomorrow.
Merry Xmas.

solstice-the standing sun

The sun stands still at the solstice. Last night, tonight, and tomorrow night are the shortest days; the longest times of darkness.
I'm lighting candles, enjoying the lights on the xmas tree, and celebrating the dark.
I made a xmas wreath, with greenery from my tree, and some eucalyptus branches from my friend's garden. It hangs on the gate; evergreens, the symbol of life through the winter.

And below is a photo of the iconic stones of Stonehenge. Taken when we visited Wiltshire last year.
Stonehenge was a place where both the summer solstice and winter solstices were celebrated. Both solstices occur at the same time; just at different places on the planet.
Whilst we shiver in the dark of winter, in the southern hemisphere they are celebrating the summer solstice, their longest day.
I love this planetary sense of balance and movement.

twinkle twinkle

A star on the tree.

A peace star.

My tree is full of decorations that have been given to me.

Xmas presents; Xmas present.

Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice 2011
The tree is up, and decorated; we light up the dark!
Tonight is the longest night; the shortest day. And three days remaining till Xmas.
This years tree is massive! I always have a real tree; and as our house is very small, I try to get a tree that will fit comfortably into it. But it's funny how a tree that seems a reasonable size in the garden centre, is huge when it's standing in the living room! Still, it does look beautiful. And the sweet resinous scent that greets us when we open the door in the mornings, is so evocative. Once the tree is up, I feel Xmas has really arrived.

So This Is Christmas

In just over a month, I will be having a solo exhibition at Chantry Chapel in Wakefield, as part of the January Artwalk on Wednesday 26th January.

Got to complete a number of things for it, so it will be a very busy New Year!

The photo above, is from the stained glass at Chantry Chapel. The Chapel is one of only 3 remaining, standing as it does on a bridge above the River Calder, and dates back to medieval times.

Christmas Eve; the tree is up; shopping is done; nothing left now but to sit back and enjoy.

Happy Christmas!