SEASONS ~ The Snow Drop Fairy has come

We love Autumn and Winter and have enjoyed being in our little snow covered village perched atop Wiltshire. Even though some cold remains after Valentine's Day the romance of it always seem to herald a new season, a warmer, floral one. The icy winds have turned more gentle, the snow has melted, the Thrush is singing.

1930 Cicely Mary Barker

During the cold and dark of Winter underneath the snow tender stems and blossom of snow drops were waiting and now they gift us with their Heavenly scent and delicate vision.  Even though they come each year, how could our hearts not be filled with a little joy at the sight of them?

Cafe tables are adorned with the buds of Daffodils, and soon the morning sun, just glinting briefly, will lengthen into hours. A perfect reason to wrap up warm and go outside. It is a lucky thing to be alive in Spring.

SEASONS ~ Winter Wonderland

Jack Frost by Arthur Rackham
from "Arthur Rackham's Book of Pictures" published by Heinemann, London in 1913

 

Jack Frost has come and strung tiny fairy lights and icy jewels in the hedges and trees.  All  glistens with a dewy irridescence.  The Autumn lanterns, spider webs and fence posts, just every day things, are made magical with a wave of the long icy fingers of just one of his his frosty hands.

It is very cold outside but beautiful and so eeriely still that you can hear the sound of your own footfall. You do not have to imagine very hard to think that the tinkling upon the wind is the bells from the carriage of The Snow Queen in the distance in the woods. We put out food for the birds each morning and take it away each evening or it will freeze.

Gerda and The Reindeer by Edmund Dulac
Poem, "Reindeer Presence," by Mario Milosevic.
cards available from Endicott Studio, Here:

Some animals simply by being have a magical mystical quality to them. In the eyes of a child Reindeer inhabit the same realm as Dragons, flying Horses and Unicorns. The Hans Christian Anderson tale of The Snow Queen has frightened and thrilled generations of children all over the world. C.S. Lewis acknowledged that his land of Narnia owed a debt of inspiration to Hans Christian Anderson for his having first gathered the folklore and preserved it forever in his tale.

My favourite characters in the story are Gerda and the Reindeer who is her big friend. Edmund Dulac captured his tears at the distress of his little maiden. This image was dear to me as a child, and then almost forgotten until someone sent me a Christmas card bearing it. So many years after reading the story it still made my heart glad. In this poem by Mario Milosevic the spirit of The Reindeer is captured beautifully. I am as glad today as I was some 50 years ago when I discovered that Reindeer are in fact very real.

"Reindeer Presence," by Mario Milosevic

Reindeer, you are keepers of time,
your souls always moving.
You eat lichen and moss,
swallowing the magic of the Earth.
You know nothing of us
but we see your other–worldly ways,
and we know your wild heart
is the only gift we ever need.

—an excerpt from Reindeer Presence
by Mario Milosevic.
Art by Edmund Dulac. 

SEASONAL ~ Through a Glass Darkly

Winter Reflections




 



The last of the amber and copper coloured leaves are falling fast. The Owl does not call on clear moon lit nights. Autumn has gone.

The bare trees reach out, leaning against one another and making spooky sculptures. Creaking in the night wind.












Winter comes with long thin icy fingers, the trees reflected in the windows.
Fog hangs in the air, and frost is upon the grass. When the rain stops.

This is a time for pretty things, bright baubles, and candles. 





Mirror with fairy lights

I like gathering old books to read over the holidays, mainly Fairy Tales and Ghost Stories. There is an old traditional in England of reading ghost stories aloud on Christmas Eve. Some of the oldest ones are the scariest. I've been reading The Violet Car by Evelyn Nesbit, (best known for her children’s books). The author of 'The Railway Children', was a great beauty in her day who was also known to turn her pretty hand to a ghostly tale. 

Evelyn Nesbit on a bear rug in her studio, 1901

The story begins with a paragraph that hooks straight away, beautifully written - and already haunting. When a nurse goes down to a remote farmhouse on the Downs to look after an elderly couple she discovers that their madness has a terrifying edge to it. And why is the old man haunted by hallucinations of a violet car?

'Do you know the downs-the wide, windy spaces, the rounded shoulders of hills leaned against the sky, the hollows where farms and homesteads nestle sheltered, with trees round them pressed close and tight as a carnation in a button hole?'

Do you have a favourite ghost story?

America has Thanksgiving between Halloween and Christmas. It is a holiday that has changed substantially over the years, but gratitude is a blessing.  After Bonfire Night November is a quiet month for me, taking time out to reflect upon the year that has passed and beginning to 'draw in' for the Winter. It is nice to nest and to be glad of home.

Further reading:

1. Corinthians 13:12 contains the phrase βλεπομεν γαρ αρτι δι εσοπτρου εν αινιγματι (blepomen gar arti di esoptrou en ainigmati), which is "For now we see through a glass, darkly." This passage has inspired the titles of many works.

2. Hutchinson - 50 Years of Ghost Stories

3. Virago - Book of Ghost Stories

SEASONAL ~ Let there be light

Littlecote Woods, Berkshire

I love the light in England this time of year. As foilage brightens the days begin and end in a twilight world. It is my favourite hour of the day. The light plays tricks with you, casting an ethereal glow over the landscapes. It makes everything seem as if it is in the distance, just out of reach. I feel very lucky to be surrounded by so much magic. Sometimes it is like living in an illuminated manuscript.

Windows of old cottages, manor houses and religious buildings have always enchanted me. New glass has nothing in common with glass that has aged.  It has a special muted quality, a soft focus.

Windows from The Bell, Ramsbury and  Littlecote House

I have an inquisitive mind (curiosity killed the cat!) and cannot resist looking in as I walk past a window where the curtains are not drawn. Often the owners provide little vignettes to snare our interest. Looking at windows from the outside gives a glimpse into the life of those who lived or are living in a house.

The delightful  'frog' window in Hungerford, Berkshire, and antique china illuminated by lamp light in Aldbourne, Wiltshire

Windows in Chilton Foliat, Berkshire

Looking at the world outside through an old glass window frames the world in a different way than when seen from the ground. 

Looking out at the beautiful views from Littlecote House

Not everything in life that we desire costs a lot of money. This Mintons tea cup is one of our favourite items, collected from a charity shop in Hungerford for truly next to nothing. It was created sometime in the years between 1873 and 1912 which makes it over 100 years old and possibly 140. It wears it's age well despite a crack which has been crudely glued by a previous owner anxious to save the cup. But not for use, simply because it is so very very beautiful. 

No tea pours through it these days, but the light still does. The china is so fine that it is translucent. The hand painted decoration is exquisite. 

When I look at it I am grateful to Mintons for creating it, to whoever it was who did not throw it away when it was broken and to that person who still loved it enough to hope that by giving it to charity it would find a new owner to cherish it. And we do. 

Exquisite fine china Mintons tea cup, broken but it's beauty undimmed

SEASONS ~ October Reflections

Visions of October



Photos we have taken in Autumn 

October is my favourite month. The heady scent and heat of summer are gone and I enjoyed them, but for me nothing matches the crunch of leaves beneath our feet, the smell of wood being burnt in fireplaces and the fiery burnt umber and violet spectrum colour palette that nature provides in Autumn.

The landscape takes on a different countenance, slightly spooky at those twilight hours, morning and evening.  The shadowy outline of the trees begins to emerge from under their green leafy mantles, like great sculptures being slowly and tantalizingly unveiled. The seedheads in the garden are spidery forms as they stand bare before Winter brings snow and ice.

Animal and bird friends begin to draw close to our cottages, we see more of Mr Fox, Mrs Mouse, Bank Voles and The Thrushes and Blackbirds. Fieldfares and Redwings light up the farm fields. Sometimes in the woods we catch a fleeting glimpse of the Deer. And if we lose ourselves in Autumn dreaming we can imagine that the Wolf is there too, watching us. The village has two Wolves, one black, one white. Both friendly and much loved, but when you meet them in the woods you never know for sure if they are really a dog, or a Wolf after all. I'm sure that they are dreaming too, of long ago ancestors.

The village school is on our estate along with the ancient church and small graveyard. Autumn here is splendid in all it's colour. Harvest Festival will see the 12th century church decorated with food and flowers and soon the children will be making Halloween decorations. We always have some wonderful ghosts and witches come trick or treating in the village. I do not see such a pagan festival as being at odds with the Christian celebrations. To me it is different ways to acknowledge and show gratitude at the end of a bountiful time and seek guidance and blessings for the beginning of the more difficult weather to come. Having always loved nature it seems completely natural to appreciate the changes of the seasons and to celebrate what we have received. I think that this is why Thanksgiving works so well in the States bringing together families and friends and giving thanks for the harvest.

October images from Tumblr

tumblr and pininterest are fabulous resources for ideas and images, but far too often the person who has posted them has not given reference to what they are, or where they came from. Sadly not many of these can be credited as a consequence, but we will continue to look for their sources and when/if found post them here.

The little painting of the Fairies in the tree with books and a bird is by Andrew Lang from the  Blue Fairy Book.
The risque lady wearing yellow, on the right 3 down is by Toulouse Latrec.
The lady in the centre resplendant in gold velvet is by Thomas Wilmer Dewing and it is called Portrait in a Brown Dress, (1908) which simply does not do this justice!
The charming little girl with the black cat is a vintage print of unknown origin.

SEASONAL ~ The Autumn Equinox

Young girl with a posy by Margaret Tarrant

So, Summer is really over. Farewell then. It's been a strange wet one which yielded few flowers and even less fruit and vegetables. It will be a sparse Winter to follow.   The few weeks of sun which we had were intense, fragile as they were. I love this portrait by Margaret Tarrant of this perfect English Rose with her flower posy. It so evokes an English Summer for me, delicate, pale and shimmering in the blue and violet hue that threatens to envelop. It's probably my imagination but I am sure that I can catch scent of the wild primroses and violets that she is holding. It was rare for Margaret to do portraits as her usual sphere was Faerie. I wonder who the little girl was?

Arthur Rackham's illustrations are immediately recognisable and impossible to copy. No one else could ever give a tree or a twig so much definition and subtle but rich colour. He has long been our favourite whatever the subject and this one by him is called 'Joy of a Fallen Leaf'.  

Having divided my life between America and Britain I have always wondered why Autumn is called 'The Fall' in the US? Is it because the leaves are falling?



The Autumn Goddess, artist unknown

I look forward to the Autumn Equinox as a way to mark the end of summer and begin to yield to what I call the 'nesting' phenomenon. Our family have birthdays fairly distributed between Spring and Autumn which gives us additional cause to celebrate the seasons changing. It was not the case when I was a child but I discovered on a visit to America a few years ago that many people decorate their homes for the seasons. This is a nice touch and an easy way to change how your home looks without major upheaval or expense. People in Europe do not knowingly do this and decorations are not available in such variety from the shops. Instead Europe mainatins the age old tradition of ringing the seasons and Harvest by bringing in fresh flowers, seashells, leaves and twigs from the garden or wanderings through the woods or on a beach.

Living in the countryside you are closer to nature and do feel the seasons more keenly, which is what drew us to change from a city mouse into a country mouse. Country Living Magazine featured the return to a 'nature table' a few years ago which was a wonderful idea that my science teacher encouraged when I was at school and which should not have been lost with modern pristine decoration.

I love leaves and am planning to make this for our fireplace.

Idea from Martha Stewart Living, instructions on how to make and photos
from Apartment Therapy : Here:

I like the way that grand houses change soft furnishings according to the season which can give a room a totally different look. In our humble cottage we may change a few of the paintings or prints we have on display and swop round little objects of delight, cushion covers are changed from flowery faded prints to tapestry and velvet ones and much to the delight of the cats we bring out old soft wool throws which they immediately bury themselves in! But we do not have enough storage to keep many items. I dream of converting the attic to a dressing room and linen cupboard.




Cabbages and Roses summer room from the book by Christina Strutt
Living With The Country
Cabbages and Roses online

The Winter look from the amazing 'Odd',
the Donkeys do not come with the sofa coverings!
Odd online

Our cottage is in the Arts and Crafts style and suits William Morris prints and tapestries but I have a small collection of American crafts and love the locally made items you can pick up throughout America. The best ones are hand made either by local craftspeople or yourself and your family. Of course Halloween is huge in America and not so big over here, but more on that in October.



I LOVE this Fall owl soft sculpture on Etsy, by:
jjoycedesigns on Etsy

Whatever you are doing, whereever you live best wishes for a colourful Autumn. These are a few of our favourite images. We have credited where known.

Autumn Crossing, Hancock, County Maine

Autumn in Devonshire, by Sensuelle

Maple Tree, Lake District, Cumbria

The Apple Orchard, Carl Larsson

The Fairytale Wood, Molly Brett

SEASONS ~ Autumn Amethysts

Master conjuror of cats - Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen
 

Early last night we heard the owl calling in our garden. After a glorious weekend of sun and scent from the final garden blooms Autumn really is upon us.  No more gentle happy chirping from the Swallows and House Martins. They are gone. We send them on their way with Hope that they make it there and back again. Our hearts soar when they arrive in Spring and a little bit of us goes with them on their long and dangerous journey. Life is uncertain and none of us can ever know if we will see them again. But we can always have Hope as they do.

The last dusky blooms on our favourite Clematis viticella "Purpurea plena elegans" and a beautiful web spun by a master weaver, the stripey garden spider. It's very small flowers look ancient and rose-like.

We always look forward to the russett glory of a Virgina Creeper on a wall.

It makes you long for patterned velvet throws, soft cushions and a soft mohair blanket in the misty hues of heather strewn moors in Scotland. Grab a good book and create a nest to wrap yourself in for the winter. I'm sure that in a previous life I hibernated.

Mrs Black and her Kitten are sleeping more and have become very affectionate. Less time hunting and playing outside when the weather turns.

There are still those swirling leaves to chase though.....

Dark moody jewels have a fire in them that can light winter. Three great loves of ours are crowns, purple and amethysts. This fabulous crown charm is currently on ebay with estate1920 who have some truly magical items for sale from time to time. It's remarkable and must have a wonderful history if only we knew! It is from the 1920's but I can imagine it having a life much further back in time. It's perfect for the watch chain of the White Rabbit, or hanging glittering from a long gilt belt on the waist of Elizabeth I. I so want this! But alas! It must go to someone else for this month we have the bills to pay. Sigh.

They say about this most desirable piece:

ANTIQUE ART DECO CHARM/FOB

CIRCA ~ 1920'S

METAL ~ STERLING SILVER GOLD PLATED (VERMEIL)

WEIGHT ~ 23.3 GRAMS

~ SIZE ~

NORTH TO SOUTH ~ 40.42 MM (1.591 INCHES)

EAST TO WEST ~ 32.45 MM (1.2775 INCHES)

11 GLASS COLORED AMETHYST STONES ~ APPROXIMATELY 80 CARATS TOTAL WEIGHT

ORIGINAL PATINA

CROWN SHAPE

PERFECT FOR A CHARM BRACELET, FOB, OR A PENDANT

Amethyst Charm on ebay

SEASONAL ~ Impressions of Summer

by the artist Pir Tareen

I feel as if I have been living in an Impressionist painting this summer.

There is a mysterious light which tries to envelop us almost as if we are caught in twilight, daylight never quite breaks through. Everything has taken on a slightly misty, blurry look.

With all of the cold and rain we have had in Spring and now Summer, flowers here were slow to bloom and then when the days of sun came they burst into bloom all at once, as if they knew that summer days would not come this year and they had to make the most of those few moments of fame. They are now battered by the weather and insects, also desperate to grasp life. Gardens are faded, petals and leaves scattered across pavements and on lawns.

I love the way that nature usually prepares us for the splendor of summer by gradually building up to the ripening of blooms, colours, scents and tastes over a period of a few weeks and then it is there in all it's glory for a short time to overwhelm our senses.

That did not happen this year. This year instead of gentle awakening towards deep rich colours and scents the scent we have had is of water, and the colours are a blur of what they were intended to be. An odd mix of pale, muted and very dark and dusky, all at once.

Cats relish the days they get in gardens, to roll in the sunshine and hunt bugs in the grass.  As if I am wandering in an Elizabeth Blackadder painting, cats arrange themselves decoratively about me on my walks matching the gardens in which they chose to play and sleep. This wonderful orange and white tabby did not want to be disturbed. 

Our gardens were planted many years before we lived here. We thought about taking out the plants and putting in colours we preferred, but the hot jewel like quality of what is here has enchanted us, and they stay. 

Peonies were gone in little more than a day, petals strewn in the tall rain soaked grass. The rose buds either never opened, or if they did their heads bent down heavy with rain.

The huge blooms of the several Clematis have been nibbled this year by the falling rain, and yet there is still something majestic and other worldly about them.

Two more cats in their very own Elizabeth Blackadder landscapes. 

It has not been a vintage summer, and yet nature has given us it's own version of decadence and faded glamour. Gardens are not as beautiful this year as last, and yet .... there is a kind of melancholy there, a little regret lingers, love unrequited, or lost. Opportunities missed. There are no Hoverflies, few Bees, Butterflies are rare and the seed heads have come early this season.  Swifts, Swallows and House Martins will leave soon. 

ELIZABETH VIOLET BLACKADDER D.B.E., R.A., R.S.A., R.S.W., R.G.I., D.LITT
Coco and Orchid
pencil and watercolour, signed and dated 1981
22 ½ x 29 ¾ inches

I love the way that Dame Elizabeth portrays flowers in a natural state, nature untouched, only slightly tamed. The randomness of her flowers fits perfectly with her cats who glide in and out of her paintings effortlessly. Cats and wild gardens go together.

I also love this scarf which combines scarlet and purple. A colour combination that works so well in nature but is rarely used by humans. It's wool - but then this is a cold summer!

Elizabeth Blackadder Anenomes Wool Scarf

available through the Royal Academy website:

Footnote: The wonderful painting at the top of this page of the vase of flowers with the intense light puring through it is by the artist Pir Tareen

A bio about him says this, and I agree, he is a master of light.

"Pir Tareen has a masterly touch in portraying the emotive power of light, colour and shade as shown in this work, part of his "Brisbane Summer" exhibition at Dabbles on Days Gallery, Grange. "I am a simple perfectionist... my main concerns are light, colour and shade" You don’t have to speak Italian to understand what Italy’s leading Art Critic meant when he described a Pir Tareen painting as “una pittura luminosa”. "