Hello and welcome back, firstly a big thank you to those who have subscribed. I did a little dance of joy each time the notification popped up. Please do share with others and consider becoming a paid subscriber to help me grow this little space of creativity and nature.
So, on to this week
Noticing
If you’re in the UK, you’ll know we’re having quite a lot of grey, dismal, wet weather here. However, I’m holding on to the glints of blue sky and honestly there is still joy and awe to be found in the grey, you might just have to look at bit harder.
I dragged the dog out to one of my favourite bits of woodland on a grey, windy and wet day. The fog met us as we drove up onto the Downs and there was a lot of squelching, sticky mud underfoot. But these sounds brought joy because I let myself be in the moment. The rustling of the beech leaves still clinging to their branches, silver birch twigs shivered in the wind and their pale papery bark stood out against the darkness of the rest of the trees.
One of the brief windows of blue skies had me rushing down to the beach, watching the algae foam as it wobbled and flew from the stormy sea. I wish I could upload a video of this but I can’t (apparently?) so a photo will have to suffice. As a side note, this foam is entirely natural and doesn’t do any harm.
From a safe dry spot, I marveled at the waves crashing and rolling across the reef and into the sea wall. How something can be so calm and gentle and then in a matter of hours so ferocious. Individual droplets revealing themselves as they catapult themselves upwards and then rush to cling to their companions.
Creating
My mind is constantly creating, especially when I’m out walking. I kept forgetting to take my little sketchbook out, so photos and memories had to do. Winter trees are still very much the inspiration, with my phone reel continuing to fill up with amazing silhouettes.
Meanwhile, back inside I’m playing with the abstract backgrounds that often feature in my paintings. It’s been all about ink splattering, swishing with water, and playing in my sketchbook. Unfortunately, I’ve only been able to paint for short bursts but that’s good sometimes as I come back to it with fresh eyes. My favorites at the moment are adding dusty pink backgrounds and ink splatters. Reminiscent of sunrises and sunsets maybe? Of course, as nearly always happens, the best outcome was a quick painting in my sketchbook to use up ink at the end of a session!
Reading
I’ve struggled to read much this week, even my substack inbox is filling up with lovely things that are just a bit too long for me. I will recommend
by Josie George, a fellow chronic illness writer, and artist, it's an all round lovely read. This week she wrote beautifully about the sad stories we tell in the dark and wet of winter but how little trips into her garden are restoring her.But I did make it out to a little book launch at my local bookshop (Kemptown Bookshop). It was with James Farrell who (with Lee Evans) has produced a wonderful little book (and I mean little, it fits in your hand) called Being in Nature, 20 practices to help you flourish in a busy world. The concept of his work and the whole book rang so many bells for me, connecting with nature and finding compassion for ourselves and the world. Even better practice no.8 in the book is drawing something! It was a full experiential event as he started off passing around rosemary snippings for us to cup in our hands and breathe in its goodness. Something I learned is that part of its scientific name (Ros)marinus means of the sea. I like it even more now.
Buy Being in Nature from his shop here
So, that’s me for this week, what have you noticed? Anyone spotted any snowdrops yet? Do drop a comment below.