Holy Work

Like Snow

Suppose we did our work
Like the snow, quietly, quietly,
Leaving nothing out.Wendell Berry

Sunrise, and a Greater Spotted Woodpecker

They say that country life is quiet - not so in the early mornings!



I could hear a neighbour's cockerel crowing, wild geese were squabbling on the fish pond across the road, plus there was a wonderful dawn chorus. It was unbelievably noisy as the birds seemed to hurl insults at one another.

So much scribble in the sky!

Gradually the light increased and the noise diminished a little as the birds got down to the serious business of feeding.

One bed down, eight or nine to go!

We spent today doing lots of digging, tidying up the winter debris and generally finding plenty of outdoor work. It was a beautiful day, mild and sunny and it felt good to be outside. I found some spare time to play with the camera - during my tea-breaks, of course.

Image borrowed from bbc.co.uk

While I was working outdoors I was delighted to hear the drumming of a Greater Spotted Woodpecker,he often comes into the garden for food during winter, although I haven't seen him much in the last few weeks.

I found time to sit and have a chat with the hens, and while I was with them I spotted this ladybird tucked deeply and snugly into a tree trunk, so I photogaphed it using the macro lens. I wonder whether woodpeckers eat them?

Lets go for a walk.

Harry offered to take the old girls for a walk around the wood - they never walk this neatly for me!

The end of a busy day - mustn't let Harry sleep for too long,

he has to go home.

We came indoors for some tea and cake, all became very quiet, and this is how I found my three boys a short time ago!

I hope you have all enjoyed your Sunday as much as we enjoyed ours.

Red Gems

Red Gems, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

I saw these 'Red Gem' marigolds growing in the Kitchen Garden of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. They were really vibrant, and each plant was covered with hundreds of flowers.
The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum really is a great place. There are thousands of different species of plants spread across multiple acres. Bog and hosta gardens are some of the noteworthy sights.
It's just sad to think that the whole place will be covered in snow within a few months...

The snow we haven't had

Everywhere else I look, there's snow. Miranda, at Here and There Slocan in British Columbia, Canada, has more than she knows what to do with. Kiji in the north of France has snow and freezing temperatures and wintry scenes that the Impressionists would have been delighted to paint. Fabrizio, in Turin, has stylish Italian snow. It's snowed at last in Moscow - I read in the papers about concerns that this winter in Russia wasn't getting started. Liege in Belgium has snow, Avignon in the south of France has snow. Even ENGLAND has snow, as far south as Norwich.
But here - nothing. These snowflakes in a florist's window may be as close as we get to the real thing this winter.

Many Different Directions

I've discovered the fountain of youth.  It's called Floradix.  I got it at the health food store for Darcie to try and build her blood up after surgery.  It has herbs, fruit and vegetable juices, and iron.  
The first day I took it twice like the bottle said.  I finally went to bed at 3:00 a.m. Boy was I wired!  I got lots done; quickly.  The next day I only took it once early in the morning.  I mixed it with Monavie active, green tea, and prune juice.  I had to throw the prune juice in, because the iron gave me constipation.  I know.   TMI.  Sorry.
Boy, this stuff works.  I haven't had this much energy since 1980 B.C.   That's Before Children.  This is what I got done this morning before going to work at the gallery at 11:00.
Got up at 5:45.  From 6-7 I got dressed, did 35 push-ups, stripped my bed and remade it with clean sheets, washed a load of clothes, checked my e-mails, and put away a stack of papers.  My husband went dove hunting at 6:00, so that's why I could do my bed that early in the morning.
From 7-8 I deboned a chicken and made chicken salad, packed my lunch, did a 20-minute walk, peeled and stewed some pears, fed my chickens, fed the cats and dog,  and looked for some photos I'd misplaced in my studio.
From 8-9 I ate a bowl of cereal, made peanut brittle, copies a recipe for Victoria Sponge Cake, made vegetable beef stew in the crockpot, and cooked waffles for son #2.  (I had l/4 of one.)
From 9-10 I hung out a load of clothes, shuffled some paper piles, pulled a few weeds, watched a hawk to see if it was going to attack my chickens, and wrote out a chore list for son #2.
From 10-11 I changed clothes, fixed my face and hair, packed all my projects to be worked on at the gallery, talked to daughter #1 on the phone, and left to go to the gallery.  Not bad for a morning's work.  I have an even longer list that I accomplished from 11-7, but I won't bore you with that. 
Yessiree, Bob.  I LOVE this stuff.

Union

Venus and the Moon close to each other last night.

Watercolor Finished

Well, I finished the tiny watercolor that was based on an original by Jules Pascin I wrote about here: http://artfulaspirations.blogspot.com/../02/keeping-on-with-painting.html. I think it turned out fairly well. The paper was a little quirky and soaked up the paint and water much too rapidly which made it difficult to do what I liked with it. Maybe I'll try it again someday on a different paper.