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| The Birds Nest by Emile Vernon |
Spring has come. Birds are nesting and bulbs are blooming again. The Snow Queen did not visit us this Winter in our little village perched atop the borders of Berkshire / Wiltshire but our hearts were cold having lost our beloved cat Isabella in the Autumn.
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| Love Never Dies - Isabella Elizabeth |
Most of England had lots of water and howling wind. Yet overall it was a mild season. We were so much luckier than friends down in the valley, and in Somerset where the floods enveloped their homes and they lost everything. The great beauty of Nature is awe inspiring but sometimes she can be cruel.
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| Nearby cottages where the river flooded |
We will always miss Isabella, gone too young, so naughty, under our feet, on our papers, and into everything but our hearts are slowly beginning to feel warm once more. We have neglected life and now have work to do. Spring and Nature will inspire us.
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| The Snowdrops were exquisite this year. |
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| The cheeky Jackdaws are back on the church tower. |
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| Mrs Black loves her vintage shawls. |
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| The lodger Munchkin L'Strange |
Mrs Black is getting old and the loss of her dearest kitten Isabella was hard for her to bear but Spring is her favourite season. When she is not sleeping snuggled up in her shawls Mrs Black is outside again, minding her tenants, the Mice who live underneath my studio. She is also engaged in discussions of living and dinner arrangements with her other lodger, Munchkin L'Strange, a distant relative of the Black family and one who reverted to the French spelling of his surname after all the trouble his cousin Bellatrix caused.
Woodland scenes are so uplifting and the woods near us are now filled with bluebells.
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| Detail from Ophelia, Jules Joseph Lefebre (1836-1911) |
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Enchanting woodland China lifts the spirits.
There is nothing like the scent of English Bluebells.
This is a Shelley bone china Woodland trio, from ebay |
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| This sugar bowl is Aynsley bone china. |
It is hard to lose a dear cat. Love the tiny snowdrops with the red gloves.
ReplyDeleteThank you Susan. x
DeleteDear Minerva, happy Spring! We too survived the winter without floods although we drove through Somerset on our way elsewhere and saw the devastation the floods had caused. I'm looking forward to warmer days and going to visit a Bluebell Wood, I love the photo above as well as the woodland teacup and saucer. Happy weekend. Sharon x
ReplyDeleteGood to hear from you Sharon - enjoy the better weather when it comes! x
DeleteOur friends lost their beloved Isabella only yesterday, it is so hard to lose a pet and that gap is always there.
ReplyDeleteGood news about Spring, though. The weather's turned very icy this morning, I do hope its not a false Spring and we really can put Winter behind us. x
Oh no, so sad for your friends. Winter is fighting the better weather, I wish a warm Spring / Summer for you soon. x
DeleteDear Minerva,
ReplyDeleteso good to see you back! Work is a fine sedative for grief (it doesn't take it away, but covers the pain).
I love your beautiful spring collection - especially those bluebells! (And the bone china) So sad to see people losing their home - England had a hard winter this year, with the raging storms and floods. Here in Berlin spring comes too - such a good feeling!
Brigitta, You are wise my friend! Glad you enjoyed the images of Spring, hopefully the real one will come and stay soon. x
DeleteA sad thing about animal family is that they don't live long enough even when they are healthy. Beautiful double snowdrops.
ReplyDeleteLots of hugs. xxx
Thank you Midori, I know you have felt the love of animal companions and their loss too. Must come and visit your posts, lots to catch up with. x
DeleteI can't wait to see bluebells. We have lots of primroses and daffodils up here in the Welsh hills. Good to see you back.
ReplyDeleteThank you Cait. I love the wild primroses where you live. x
DeleteI'm so sorry about your loss of Isabella, I still miss my darling Thisby, their loving ways creep into your heart. But as you say, Spring and all its beauty will bring happiness. Jane xx
ReplyDeleteJane, I am sorry about your Thisby too. They are so precious it is difficult to imagine them gone from our lives. x
DeleteI'm so sorry to hear of the loss of your kitten.
ReplyDeleteWhat gorgeous images you show here - springtime in England is one of the most beautiful sights in the world.
Thank you Amanda! I must catch up with your posts, I am really behind. x
DeleteSpring has sprung in your neck of the woods! The weather has been "strange" everywhere, I think. You know that Isabella would be wanting to enjoy spring with her family. Beautiful paintings and cute kitties. I love the Shelley teacup! It's like an impressionist painting as is the Aynsley sugar bowl.
ReplyDeleteSnap, You are right, these pieces of china are like Impressionist painting in miniature. I'd not thought of that, but this is probably why they are so appealing. x
DeleteI am so, so sorry to hear that your lost your sweet Isabella kitty. I pray that each and every day the wonderful memories you have of Isabella lessen the grief of losing her. Your Mrs. Black and Munchkin are just adorable :) I am very partial to black kitties as you've probably seen on my sidebar. The pattern on your cup, saucer and plate is gorgeous! Your photos of the cottages by the flooding and the bluebells in the wooded area are spectacular. Thank you for visiting our bluebirds and Mr. J :) I'm watering plants for a friend/neighbor who is right now in England for two weeks. How I wish I was with her!! Take care,
ReplyDeleteDonna
Donna, Thank you so very much, your kind thoughts are much appreciated. I know you like blacks cats too, they are lovely aren't they? Your bluebirds are so beautiful, just love them. x
DeleteSoft pats and purrs to Mrs. Black and Munchkin L'Strange
ReplyDeleteand warmest loving memories to Isabella E. as her spirit dances through your heart.
I am glad Spring has found you and the enchanted woodlands, once more.
Thank you Willow, so kind. x
DeleteI am so sorry to hear about your dear cat...
ReplyDeleteYour blog is full av inspiration and beautiful pictures and it´s always a pleasure to take a look here!
Best wishes for a great weekend,
Titti
Thank you for coming to see us Titti, your blog is exceptionally lovely, always enjoy reading and admiring it. x
DeleteDearest Minerva,
ReplyDeleteSo glad spring is awakening and it sure will take us along onto its path of renewal. Or in other words, after the grief, back to LIFE!
Tragedy is around us everywhere in the form of natural disasters and that's one reason for us to be grateful for so many blessings. Love you incredible Snowdrops!
Enjoy the weekend.
Sending you hugs and healing.
Mariette
Mariette, Thank you, lovely of you to stop by to see us. I hope you enjoy Spring. x
DeleteThanks for coming by for a Blog Visit and yes, if you ever make a trip across the Pond there is a Guest Room in the Art Studio Cottage for Visiting Guests... and there's always the 'Haunted' Guest Room in the Main House. *Giggle* So sorry to hear of your loss too... it was very difficult to have my Beloved Yul put down this Month after he contracted Feline Lukemia and was quickly succumbing to it regardless of how much $$$ we spent at the Vet... I still miss him terribly. But this Morning Miss Priss had her Kittens... two of them, one Calico that looks just like her and a Black One. I was glad her litter was small since usually all our Females are spayed but she came to us knocked up. *LOL* With Spring the New Birth is always holding such Promise though don't you think? Blessings and a Hug from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian
ReplyDeleteDawn, You know your words and kind invite mean so much to us. I would love to meet you one day. You never know, life is full of adventures, or at least it ought to be. I'd be up for sleeping in the haunted room, ha ha!
DeleteSo very sorry to read about you dear Yul, Such a loss. Your pictures of wonderful Miss Priss are heart warming. I left you a comment too. Hugs x
Hello Minerva,
ReplyDeleteThe loss of a pet at whatever point in their lives is always so very difficult to bear. But, surely it is always better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?
There are so many moods of Spring which seems to us such a fickle season. As you say, Nature can be wonderful but also cruel. Our hearts do go out to those whose homes have been put at risk by the floods.
Jane and Lance, It's wonderful to have you back posting again and sharing your adventures. You are right of course, much better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.
DeleteWow, bluebells already! I don't usually expect them till May, when the leaves are all green, and coming out but I haven't been out in the country much and I realise I haven't seen any bluebell woods, with or without bluebells.
ReplyDeleteIt is so sad when a young animal dies. I t is always particularly difficult, I think.
Jenny, How nice to hear from you and thank you for the kind comments. Our woods here are sheltered so they develop earlier than in some places.
DeleteLovely post you have written, the pictures are 1st class. I see that you are into the same music, beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by Bob. our nature photographs always amaze us. The music of nature.
DeleteSo sorry to read about Isabella, losing a furry member of the family is hard. The weather has been awful this winter to us all in so many different ways, so to see colour emerging again is an absolute soul lifter xx
ReplyDeleteChel, Thank you for the kind words. Spring should fully awaken soon - I hope you enjoy the sunshine.
DeleteOh I do love bluebell woods, my mum always took us when we were little, back then we picked handfuls....now however when I take my girls we just look! My cat is beside herself at the moment, so many birds to spy, although at the moment she's curled up fast asleep in one of her favourite spots....they know all the best places don't they! Thank you for visiting me and saying Hi :) x
ReplyDeleteDear Mrs black...
ReplyDeleteThank you for finding me again...
and leaving the kindest words too!
I'm ever so sad to hear of your loss of Isabella....
She looks such a pretty kittie...
My brother has just lost his hansom Tom, named Frankie, this last week....
Ever so sad we have been, we think it was poisoning but can't be sure....
Frankie was only two..
Furry friends leave gaping holes in our hearts, don't they just!
I've loved looking through your beautiful posts..
and like your self I feel so happy to see all the newness of spring all around..
Take time to dream, my friend...
With hugs Maria x
I saw a news coverage about unusually wet England including many flooding. Nature is almost benevolent but sometimes can be cruel. Hope affected people get it over with sooner. I’m glad to know you’ve come to be positive about the late Isabella, she’s so cute. Time has a way of healing and now it’s spring. With best wishes for your springtime.
ReplyDeleteYoko
What a beautiful post full of spring!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful spring pictures and Mrs Black is a very pretty lady. Thank you so much for trying to do something for Katt i Hatt.
ReplyDeleteHugs
I'm so sorry to hear about Isabella. I can understand how you feel as I still miss my old cat who passed away three years ago. The story of Mrs. Black, The lodger Munchkin L'Strange, and the mice made my day! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteYour spring woodland looks so beautiful.
And thank you so much for your kind words on my blog posts the other day. I took a break for a while and was in Kansai. Have a nice day!
Thank you for your kind words on my Mr. B. I believe in fate, too, and know that we were meant to find each other! Have a lovely week,
ReplyDeleteDonna
So sorry to hear of your loss dear Minerva, that must be so very hard for you. May the Spring sunshine lift your spirits x x x
ReplyDeleteHow sad to hear of your loss of Isabella. Your photos show her to be a true beauty, and I like all your photos; the little girl, the cottage near the flood waters, the tea cup.
ReplyDeleteSo much pretty in this post! So sorry for your loss :(
ReplyDelete