Some beautiful friends

Garden Inspiration

We are expecting another 20 cm of snow this evening and I decided to look at some garden inspiration today!
It is such a slow process my garden journey. Every year there are changes made, but ever so slight.
First when I moved here I had to get to know the garden as it was and find out more about its history.
Then I started planting stuff because I was so impatient. Everything grows so fast here and it becomes wild very quickly.
I planted some fruit trees thinking ahead. Ferns and grasses because they look natural and play so well with the elements and the seasons. Roses went in Tuscany superb, Rosa rubia, Paul's Himalayan climber, and many many bulbs. They are essential in a county with such a long spring as we have!
Then seating areas became important despite very iffy weather conditions. I do so like being outside, taking my tea, being with the cats, thinking,...
I also love mystery and discovery so a few places like that would be good to create or to let be.
There is a view especially from the bottom of the garden over the Seat which is a fell on the other side of the Tarset valley.
A few garden "features" like a cairn perhaps, a firepit, a tea house...
I am planting herbs and learning which survive here with every year. Two rosemaries are doing surprisingly well! Wild garlic too.
There are places where the birds are happy feeding away, the rodents too, and rabbits unfortunately they are also fun for the cats!
A composting bin from freecycle. A water butt or two.
I have made a drawing of the garden as it is now and then Ben and I will do some clearing of overgrown areas this coming spring. Once I can see what it really is in terms of marshyness, slope, soil, I can really begin to plan better.
I want more soft fruit bushes, roses and peonies, herbs, fruit trees, a mountain laurel which I saw in New England but nowhere here, and dogwood the same. I also have trees to plant up the lane, chestnuts and oaks mainly. Plus a ginkgo which I want to find the perfect place for! Lots of plans! I take it slow season by season with Ben as a guide.

Wren Boys

Today I decided to do some picture research on Wren Boys. You can see what I found above. They still seem to be most active in Ireland these days. Wren Boys and Mummers have been around for hundreds of years. There are many different theories and ideas. I am still looking into them and will get back to you on it. Wren Day is Dec 26th.
I should very much like to make some of the straw suits they wear! They look amazing!

Once upon a time 2

Solägget by Elsa Beskow. The wee girl finds an orange lying in the moss in the forest. She believes it to be the sun egg. She then goes around to all her forest friends to ask them what she should do about this discovery. In this image she is returning a birds egg which has fallen out of the nest.

John Bauer again, what an amazing sky!

The intricacy of JB was very fulfilling, and as a child you could look at his art work for hours on end.

Tuvstarr sitting all alone and looking into the deep tarn in the forest.

Selma Lagerlöf wrote Nils Holgersson and she was also the very first woman to receive a Nobel Prize in Literature. This story captured my imagination and many other children too and inspired us to see the world. Flying became a frequent dream topic for me and I still fly in my dreams. It feels fantastic.

Epiphany

Twelfth night.
Normally I would take down the Yule tide decorations today but considering the deep white snow all around us and the still early darkness I will keep them up for a while longer.
We got a package from China and inside was Pu-er tea! Very special tea cakes, see above. Ours is just like the one here.
I cannot wait to try it, but first I want to get hold of a few implements in Chinatown either here or in London just to make the experience of Chinese tea more serene and pleasant. The tea will taste even better too.
A tea pot made of red clay, small bowls, perhaps a tray too...and a tea caddy to keep the tea in after it has been opened.

Once upon a time

Kiki Smith

Elsa Beskow Solägget

John Bauer Tuvstarr

John Bauer Alvida

Elsa Beskow and John Bauer were very important storytellers and illustrators in my childhood.
Kiki Smith more so in my so called adulthood.
These images carry many day dreams in them.

Hair and paint

Meret Oppenheim Fur gloves with wooden fingernails







Mimi Parent



Mimi Parent Maetresse

These are some of the art works intriguing me right now. Mimi Parent is an especially interesting artist and at present I am researching her work and life to learn more.
Meret Oppenheim is of course much more known but this particular piece I just saw at Angels of Anarchy in Manchester which also showcases works by Mimi Parent. If you cannot go in person the catalogue is very conclusive and informative.
The other two works are by a young Swedish artist from Gothenburg.