winter walk

With the low light we get in winter, strange shadows, colours, and pattern, can be seen, especially in the mud.

The angles of the sun shining on emerging catkins makes the trees look as though they still have xmas decorations on their branches. The colours brighten the brown and black landscape.

Trees fallen during the winter, remind me of sculptures.

spring......ing

 daffodils

 borage

hazel

Spring is a-coming. These were in my garden last week; green coming through the bleakness. And the days are slowly lengthening. Lightening. For which, many thanks.

I've been doing some more clearing up in the garden today. Got out while I could. Good timing, as we've had roaring wind, and pouring rain this afternoon! When I get up tomorrow, I expect everything will have been blown all over.

I've been in the studio too. Did another collograph print onto fabric last week, so wanted to check it, and see what I could do with it. It's pinned up; awaiting my needle and thread.

Yesterday I visited a friend who lives near IKEA. We walked over the fields to have some dinner there (a first for me) then had a stroll round. I bought some tea-lights (doesn't everyone!?) and a rather fetching pinny. Been wanting one to use for printing; and although India Flint in her book 'Second Skin' recommends using an old shirt to make one, and includes instructions, I ducked out, and went for the easy option!

So quite a busy couple of days; and even got some jobs done. Don't know if I'll get into the garden tomorrow; weather forecast is grim, even though we're having a fairly mild winter, and not experiencing the massive snowfall they're having in the USA. 



Catkin Clootie Tree

The Twisted Hazel is dripping with yellow catkins; decorated like a clootie tree! In the bright spring sunshine, they glow. This photo shows the shadow cast by next doors fence. The catkins at the bottom, are in gloom, like ghosts. An unexpected effect. 

Catkins

When I visited Yorkshire Sculpture Park last week, I noticed that there were lots of catkins out. Lambs-tails; catkins; words that evoke animals, they are particularly evocative of this time of year. The vulnerable, trembling growths, green with the promise of the coming Spring. The first real greening of the land. Catkins and Snowdrops are the heralds of the change in the seasons; and both are in full flower at present.

Gardeners are saying we should have a good show of Snowdrops, as the cold spell we had in winter last year will have encouraged them to flower more profusely. I hope so; nothing raises the spirit more than these tiny white flowers pushing through the cold earth.