November

I think of November as a brown month
not in a dreary soggy leaves and damp weather sort of way
but of golden brown leaves and bare branches
and glamorously ploughed fields
(have you ever looked closely at how neat they are)
rich and earthy
decaying ... but also renewing

A winter walk

1. Five cool trees - freshly ploughed Scottish field 2. Sycamore seeds 3. Chocolate drops 4. Last summer's souvenir 5. 1 rainy morning in the park 6. Winter day 7. Soft beauty 8. Bound 9. Making hay, 10. Mr. Gunston 11. Untitled, 12. Hiver 13. My life is like a picture left out too long in the sun

in autumn when the trees are brown
the little leaves come tumbling down
they do not make the slightest sound
but lie so quietly on the ground
until the wind comes puffing by
and blows them off towards the sky

the winds will blow their own freshness into you
and the storms their energy
while cares will drop away from you
like the leaves of Autumn

Autumn days are here again
John Muir

a time for hibernation
and preparation for winter proper
of logs and kindling
Guy Fawkes, bonfires, toffee
and chocolate, of course ;o)

personally ... it was a very bad November for me

for it was on a bright and sunny day in a garden
with a gorgeous show of autumn colour
that we gave thanks for the life of my darling Nanny

feeling emotionally drained and so, so tired
our journey back to Cornwall
turned into a horrific night that I shall never forget
when we were affected by that terrible accident
on the motorway on November 4th

a foggy night, the air was thick with bonfire smoke
fuzzy orange street lights blended
with so very many flashing blue lights too

the accident happened just two minutes in front of us ...
and we just knew it was gonna be a bad one
from the speed of the ambulances rushing to the scene

we were diverted off of the motorway
just before the accident and spent
the next hour trying to get across Bridgwater
all roads were closed for the town's annual carnival
we spent an hour on what would normally
have been a five minute journey across town
everywhere the air was thick with grey fog and smoke
so eery ... so surreal
blue flashing lights on every road

the weather was filthy that night
we had already asked each other
why do people drive so fast in such bad conditions?
(cars were speeding past us 90-100 mph)
some drivers just don't make allowance for poor weather

to wake next morning and hear on the news
the full extent of that horrific accident really shook me up
I just can't get it out of my head ... still
I will never forget that day

♥

less than a week later we were on the road again
we were away several days with family
for a special 65th birthday party in Berkshire
so nice to spend time with loved ones
in happier circumstances

golden browns in my palette

in November I hid away
painting and melting
making beads

stash sorting and admiring

stitching

and losing myself in the magical world of flickr

in November
I had a thing about owls
I think I'd like to make an owl next year
we have one in the garden that sits on the pointy bit of our shed
and I like to lay in bed and listen to it calling

this was the last mosaic of Autumn
and also the last one I made in 2011

1. Luka the owlet 2. barn owl 3 - tyto alba edit 3. maple leaves & bokeh square 4. owl progress 5. the bones of us living 6. embroidered button 7. journal spread close up 8. owl necklace 9. honestly 10. great horned owl 11. ChiLL ing OuT.... 12. empire owl cushion 2009 detail of back 13. ginny and the owl 14. owl poems, 15. we left our love in our summer skin 16. vine 17. lucien the fox - felt art toy 18. untitled 19. cottonwood flyers b 20. basket of nature owls close up 21. back to the book of boo 22. mummy family 23. misty sunset 24. || 25. promenade

in November
the weather was mostly dark, rainy and blustery
but a handful of golden sunrises led to brighter days

a Cornish sunrise over the neighbouring cottages

on such days I "pottered" in the garden

looking closely
making discoveries

love these rosehips

I had a little play in photoshop

it's another world I lose myself in

I find it really relaxing to take a boring photo
add a texture and bring it to life

in November

I bought a pomegranate
and let it dry out for a few days
pomegranates have such wonderful tones and textures

the words come from Wind in the Willows
which has to be one of the best books ever
for curling up with in winter
I enjoyed creating a series of pomegranate studies

seedlings from the pomegranate tree

this one really enhances the leathery texture of the skin
and highlights the those warm pink orange tones

a sad month of melancholy
but there will be other autumn times to cherish

and now for December ...