11.10.06

Drifting leaves

Thank you so much to everyone's concern about the wretched headaches and responding to my begging bowl by offering to purchase cards. The head stuff seems to be down to a combination of stress and bad posture when working - I have been thankfully pain free this week, organising my life and sitting up straight. Two more designs being painted up for the Christmas cards and a goodly supply of bags and envelopes in stock.

This week we have been enjoying...heavy showers and darkened skies.

But we were pampered last week with stunning spells of late summer sunshine.


We took the bike to Winchcombe last Sunday. It was shut. All except half a dozen tea shops.



Winding homewards through the newly ploughed Snowshill area, where leggy racehorses flittered about, warmly rugged up against the winds. The earth is resting.

Nearly back at the village, we found an excellent wilding apple tree, its fruit too high to plunder. Andy found a stick...


...and we took some prisoners, later made into a sharp apple sauce. Lovely appley read here, go and be charmed.


The post has blessed me with cards from three corners of the globe - Higgledy Piggledy's delightful world, a little wood fairy dreaming in a woodland scene
from dear Ms Robyn,...and September greetings from Tara (who is far too busy to be bothering about an old grump like me) also sending seeds which will be sown this month. She also sent this little sweet china heart, which has gone up with my lovely monsteroo from Becky. I am gathering a charmed work area, so that even when I have been esconced at my desk all morning, I can look up and know my friends are there, in some form.


BLOG NEWS - I have just taken part in an interesting survey about bloggers, by Sarah Pedersen, UK academic researching the blogging phenomenon, her own blog is here, where there are some interesting debates starting to happen, especially concerning female bloggers.
I will also be taking part in the UK mass blog, to create the 'biggest blog in history' on October the 17th, where as many UK bloggers as possible will write about their day, recording even the most mundane of details and particularly reflecting on the impact of history on their lives. All entries will be held as part of a mass observation, and will be kept for historians of the future to see what made us Brits tick at the beginning of the third millenium. Read all about it here, and join in!

14 comments:

joanna said...

Gorgeous photos - I can see a similarly ploughed field over the back garden fence. There's something very heartening about a newly-ploughed field. Mmmm, can just taste the sharp apple sauce - sounds delish :) Thank you for the link the the History Matters site; I will make sure I blog on October 17th (and not my usual inane drivel, either!!!)

Miss Robyn said...

did your parcel arrive yet? I sent it over a week ago. before the card :( I sure hope it is not lost cause I made it specially. oh dear :(

Miss Robyn said...

and look at those wonderful apples - yum!
as the the headache - feverfew is great for headaches and between your thumb and pointing finger on both hands there is a web of skin. There is an acupressure point somewhere there. you will find it! when you do, just squeeze and massage for a few minutes - it sure does help. hope you are feeling better (and I hope that parcel isn't lost)

Daisy Lupin said...

I will be making a blog for the history site on the 17th, its a great idea, I did a lot of study on the Mass Observation Studies when I was at Uni. Also have been and left a comment on Sarah's website. I meant to say and forgot, let me know when your cards are ready, I really love the angel cat ones, and would like to order some.

tlawwife said...

Love the pictures. The pasture is so green yet. Ours have turned brown. And the nicely plowed field. AAhh Yes, I love your pictures!

Maggie said...

Lovely pictures! Everything is turning green here now that the rain has returned. But soon all will turn brown from the cold and the harvesting will be done so the fields will be plowed under and brown like your fourth photo. I love the transformations in the fall!

natural attrill said...

Hi G, what's in the bottom right of the last photo? Looks like you have cut a piece of wood/board to shape and sketched a design onto it, I am curious, is it for one of your nursery paintings?
P.x

Gretel said...

Penny, you and your curiosity! It's just the top of a toy elephant head on cheap paper, I cut it off a big page of roughs and pinned it in front of me so's I wouldn't forget it!

Soozcat said...

When I think of England, the mental picture in my mind is of places that look quite a lot like Winchcombe. (Yes, I do know it's not like that everywhere. But how lovely.)

Despite the phrase "as American as apple pie," we don't seem to cultivate anywhere near as many apple varieties as you do. More's the loss for us!

natural attrill said...

Hi G, I know, I'm dreadful, good job I am not a cat!
Penny.

Anonymous said...

Just wanted to let you know that your package arrived safely this morning and I posted a big thank you on my blog with a photo. Sorry to hear your head has been aching. Sending big hugs for a full recovery soon so that you can post more beautiful photos like the one of your apples.

Anonymous said...

This is my first visit to your blog and I loved it! Love the Christmas cards to. Goodluck with the card business.

Rosa said...

Oh dear. I'm just catching up and sorry to hear of your headaches. Glad that they are getting better. My posture is horrible, so I can feel your pain there. I get all bent up when I'm working too. Your kitty with the fish is too cute. Stay well, my friend! xo

Becky said...

Beautiful autumnal photos G, and I'm glad to see your little monsteroo is behaving and keeping you company.

I love the idea of a charmed work area where you can glance up to see little gifts, souvenirs and treasures etc. Something similar is evolving on my desk too, now I look at it, I'd never thought of all these bits and bobs in that way before. Great.