from my hand ~ into the wind ...

Around this time of year, when the perennials have gone to seed, its collecting time.

The cosmos still have a few blooms left on them and just yesterday, we spotted bumble bees inside them.  Their cup shapes seem perfect for holding their weight,  so they were left for a few more days.

Our garden is all about the needs of the birds, bees and butterflies.  The seeds are a bonus!

We have a big clump of cosmos next to our driveway, and I will often dead head as I am walking up the path to my front door and simply scatter the seeds.

By mid October, on a nice warm sunny day, I will begin gathering seeds to save and give to friends.

Every year I do the same thing.  I create little seed savour pouches out of brown kraft paper, with a little feather  and SPARROW SEED CO. stamp.

This year, I wanted to do something a bit different.

I found these sweet little glass vials with tiny cork topper and thought they would make the perfect vessel to hold seeds.  They actually hold quite a lot of seeds.

Still deciding how to embellish the bottles ...maybe add a little wire hanging loop ♥

Planning on slipping them into a small burlap stamped drawstring bag for gift giving.

dry seeds

scatter from my hand

into the wind

one clings

as if to say

there is in me

something yet to be

~Jeanne Emrich~

Whimsy & Woodland Walks ...

~You've Got Mail~

For those who love writing (and receiving)  letters as I do, You've Got Mail is  now available in my little Etsy shop. A whimsical 8.5" x 11" print.

~*~

 "Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail shall keep the postmen from their appointed rounds"

I love snail mail, always have. Emails are wonderfully convenient and fast, but there is, and always will be something so lovely about finding a card in the mailbox and sitting with it in your hand. Reading the handwritten words from a friend and loved one is good for the soul.

Creating cards, writing cards, taking a little extra time to personalize each one, adding a stamp and sending it on its journey ~ I take great pleasure in each and every step.

You've Got Mail pays homage to the art of letter writing. From Air Mail to Snail Mail.

Sparrow wears a blue jacket with red pocket, and carries a satchel with red and white polka dot strap and black buckle. Always ready for inclement weather , Sparrow wears wellington boots for those long routes and stylish walking. And just look at all those lovely letters and postcards.
Once Sparrow has flown them in from far away places, snail, who represents a slower pace of living, will take over.
Someone is in for a lovely surprise ♥

Also added to the shop today are 2 more additions to my © Women of the Woods Series.

The Aviary Keeper & Wide Eyed Wonderment.

I am always fascinated with legends and Legend of Wood Spirits is one that has always resonated with me.

~*~

~Legend of Wood Spirits~

It has been told, that wood carvers from many cultures look for an image, such as a face or animal seen embedded into the grain of the wood, and then, through their carvings, work to free it.

Throughout history, various cultures believe that these Spirits inhabit the trees of the forest.

some believe that these Wood Spirits have been living within the tree from the very beginning bringing luck and blessings to those who find shelter within them.

♥

  This legend along with calm woodland walks with Archer served as my inspiration.  I remember the first  painting I did, long before I thought of doing a series of paintings. It seemed to appear out of nowhere ... a face out of the tree ... branches representing hair.

 My sketchbooks are not very big due to the fact that I more often than not, take out a sheet of watercolour paper and draw, rarely erasing anything! What I draw is what  I paint.  So when I was continually drawing images as though they were tree spirits I realized that I had a series of prints :-)

A friend mentioned a month or so ago, that one of my prints appeared "smudged".  I had to go back and look at the original and then it dawned on me.  Tree Spirit! ... I have painted the faces as though they have emerged from the bark of a tree ...each face will have blotches and crevices, colour variations ~ just like the bark of a tree ♥

I would like my pictures

 to look as if a human being had passed between them,

like a snail

leaves its slime.

~Francis Bacon~

A splash of colour ...

;

A fence filled with love ...

I love morning glory and toss seeds into the soil every spring along the fence and arbours of our home.  This year, I found a package of morning glory seeds long forgotten and pushed to the back of the cupboard.  The result was very few morning glory (a dozen at the most) which made finding one even lovelier.  What we did receive from that little package was a fence filled with heart shaped leaves

~love* love*love~

{I wrote this on my flickr photo stream & since then it has continued to bloom}

some Autumn colour in our garden

our pergola which is covered in honeysuckle vine looks it's most gorgeous this time of year

the cooler temps must be luring the honey suckle

our "late bloomer"

 my favourite Autumn bookmark

 gifted from our Maple

 

The postman brought me the newest issue of the Stampers' Sampler earlier in the week...

My "Peace on Earth" angel is on page 88

♥

 

 

Thankful {things I love} Thursday ...

setting the table

with freshly washed

air dried

 and pressed

linen napkins

a new box of grey chalk ♥

painting little wooden tags

my old silver tray/chalk board

blogging

xoxo

seeing my hexagon knitted quilt increase in size

adding some little whimsy

{of course}

will embroider some love notes on the hearts

when it is all together ... I am almost there!

stored in my vintage suitcase

so handy when I want to knit in different rooms :-)

letting our beautiful Thanksgiving bouquet from our daughter

dry naturally

the view from one of our walks

and found hidden treasures

the next 2 are not the best photos ...

these little sweeties kept me company as I was doing the breakfast dishes as soon as I spotted them out the window I grabbed for the camera

the morning began dark with a misty rain

but now

the sun is shining brightly

~*~

hope you are having a lovely Thursday ♥

Thankful Living: Autumnal Blessings ...

As we celebrate Thanksgiving ...

the weather for our weekend hike could not have been lovelier.

Giving thanks for beautiful spaces

to walk

& all the whimsy!

We spotted so many tree spirits...

do you see the bear cub popping his head out to greet those who pass by?

or the moose?

he was hard to miss :-)

and the amazing webs of the spider

that glistened in the sunlight

absorbing all this beauty

 & the strength and determination found in nature ♥

The greatest wonder

is that we can see these trees

and not wonder

more

~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

filling the shelves over at my little Etsy shops

with new items...

* prints *

~I will keep you safe~

* card sets *

* one of a kind hand painted wooden tags *

Christmas items will be added soon xo

Is not the Sky

a Father

and the Earth

a Mother

and are not

all living things with feet

or wings

or roots

their Children?

~Black Elk~

(Oglala Sioux)

 

~Happy Thanksgiving Blessings~

d

♥

sunday serenity ...

woodland walks ...

captured ...

as we walk

winding

meandering

paths

with the sweetest of walking companions

noticing the changing of seasons

breathing in the crisp fresh air

and all this gorgeous colour

and stopping

every once in a while to admire

& never take for granted

Nature's beauty

♥

Even if something is left undone,

everyone must take time

to sit still

and watch the leaves turn

~Elizabeth Lawrence~