Snow, snow and more snow !

It's a cold one this winter, and more snow than I have ever encountered ! Here are some pictures of icicle bars, my daughter's frozen hair after a walk and the general snowy outlook here at the moment !
I know I should be painting/sketching it, but I find it hard to feel inspired by it, so I am taking photo's...and painting my warm and cosy cats...as corny as it may seem, they do fascinate me. I will get some pictures up on my blog asap !

What have I been up to ?

Well, I have been quite busy, time is going by so fast and I am getting worse and worse at updating my blog and checking out other peoples blogs which I always find so much fun and inspiring, so, sorry for not leaving comments lately !
I have bought a press and have pressed some rape seed, so hope to have lovely bottled cold pressed rape seed oil to sell soon.
I have been getting my shop ready for Christmas with baskets filled with ciders, marmelades etc, little gift wrapped geles etc.

We have had a day doing our traditional candle making, a must at this time of year. The local historical society who organise it lay on a wonderful table with buns, cakes, breads....yum ( to be honest that's more important to me than the candle making but don't tell anyone !!)

We have also made our Christmas "pepparkaka" traditional Swedish ginger bread, but I haven't loaded the pictures up yet, must take more pictures of the biscuits before we eat them all....XXXXXX

Hedge Witch !

I've been busy picking as many berries as I can fill my freezer with, had to buy another freezer actually ! Here are some pictures of beautiful red lingon and rowanberries. The rowanberries I boil up with apples to make geles with.
I always like to read Mary Stewart's "Thornyhold" at this time of the year, it's a cosy, warm, witchy book !

Inspiration

My 11 year old daughter made these lovely cut out paper dolls giving them different clothes ( unfortunately the photo's didn't come out so well ) she gave them to some friends of hers. I was so impressed, and got the idea to design my own.

I did a page with a doll in her underwear plus two dresses, the pink and white one being our local folk dress. I painted the church and our local flower symbol, the cowslip. I really enjoyed doing it ! I loved paper dolls when I was little and remember being so happy if Mum bought me a paper doll book/kit from the local post office !! Nowadays it's all "Sims" and much more sophisticated ! So I was really pleased that my daughter spent a happy morning making her own little people !!

It's all go !

It's a busy summer here, extending the house, building a new boiler room ( not that I'm doing that !) bees, farm shop, fruit picking and kids ! Anyway, I am trying to get some painting done as the garden comes into bloom. I am enjoying it ! Happy Summer all XXXXX !

Oh my word !! June already !!

I'm so bad at blogging !! In my defence I have been having rather a busy time with kids, bees, farm shop, garden etc...but who hasn't been....I'm just lazy !!

Just seen to my hives. I feel rather like I'm swimming around in the dark ! Reading books on the subject, trying to work out from the notes I took last year ( when I had lots of help ) what I need to be looking for etc. So far, no swarms anyway, and I have lots of bees who are producing honey. Fingers crossed for a good year as last year was. I have just made them rather cross though checking through all the frames as you can see in the picture they are sticking to the outside of their home wanting to get back in after I've been in and messed it all up for them ! I mean well though !!

Beautiful spring with lots of blossom, does that mean lots of fruit ? I hope so.

The lilac is still a picture . I have to paint it each year. This years effort has gone into a local exhibition, being rather stressed I forgot to photograph it before I put it in. Also entered two lazy cat paintings and a drawing of a friend in the lotus position meditating ( the theme of the exhibition was "peace and calm" so I thought these pictures fitted ) I will try and put them on the blog next time, when I've got them back.

So far the farm has purchased two new tractors ( one new and one second hand ) Rape seed has been planted, I am hoping to produce cold pressed rape seed oil at the end of the summer for my farm shop.

I have been working on the garden, making beds and planting amongst other plants 10 rose bushes, never tried roses before, I hope the moles don't get to them, or the deer, I met one in the garden on friday evening ! Very sweet, but destructive.

Trying to get a herb garden going and some veggies. Have also planted 10 Sea Buckwheat bushes ( think that's what they are called in English ) as the berries are very popular and very good for you. Also thinking farm shop here.

The pear tree has been a mass of white blossom, really lovely ! Take care XXXX

Visit to London

Been painting more lables for jam and jelly jars !

We had a great two night stay in London ! Shopping, sightseeing, more shopping, eating, coffees, more eating, more coffees....and a very enjoyable show " We Will Rock You" we all loved it !

Had an order for a Birthday painting of a house with the owners two corgi dogs. I find it quite a challenge to put together a painting from several different photo's, but fun, and I hope it will be enjoyed.