Redpolls on Niger seed

Lovely to see a pair of lesser redpolls on our garden feeders. I'd heard they were around but we are very rural and no one else feeds the birds within quite a radius. Apparently they may well increase their population now that more people are using niger seed. ...just waiting for siskins now!

Robins, tree creepers and ratlings!

Photos from this morning at Caerlaverock WWT reserve.

Ratlings under the bird feeders.

Caerlaverock WWT reserve

A cold start to a cracking day. Left home and it was 2 degrees above zero ...and got there and it was minus 2! But the sun made some atmospheric appearances and the birds were stunning.

Mallard; chaffinch with sparrows;snipe;yellow hammer; tufted duck; shoveller and wigeon....with reflected whooper swan. 

Whooper swans; barnacle geese, mute swan and Canada geese.

Snowdrops Gelli Print

A print with oil pastel to finish.....I'll do some more similar to this I think to develop the process...

Valentine's cards ...

Enjoyed playing with the gelli plate to create these lacey heart designs. Everyone is different and I can't reproduce them exactly!

Watchtree murmurations

A real spectacle at Watchtree nature reserve tonight - hundreds of starlings twisting and turning, merging and swirling in their murmuration. I arrived at 4 and left at 5:15 ....a lovely sunset but unfortunately the sun went behind cloud before it would have dipped below the horizon. Lovely clatterings and squeakings as I walked back past the roosting starlings on the way back to the car.

Piling in to roost.

Textile beads...

Today I squeezed a couple of hours melting (with a hot air gun) various colours of chiffon, organza etc ....and then extracted the colours to go alongside them.

Gelli pebble prints

More experimental work .....printing on Somerset satin paper certainly makes a difference.

Pheasant feathers

I just love the colours and patterns!

Scarlet Elf Cup

At this time of year there aren't a lot of fungi around ...but these little beauties always make a nice photo!

Great Gable from Innominate tarn.

A big oil ...pleased with the snow ...covering the canvas in white and then adding the rocks and grass. 36" X 28" ...just need somewhere to put it while it dries!

Gelli print ferns and moths.

More experiments using the gelli plate ....now I need to work out what I like in the different prints, or don't like, and then try to plan a few properly. I also need to let the paint dry in between layers!

Gelli plate printing experiments

Well I finally decided I was unlikely to get around to making a plate, so I bought a reduced price on and then spent the morning using foam patterns and leaves to produce a range of prints. I was asked by a friend - how did you do that one?....No idea! Just keep taking prints and ghost prints - great fun on a dismal day. The photos aren't good as the light is so poor today.

High Cup Nick in the snow...

A superb walk from Dufton.

Gorgeous, well kept stock on the way up...

Fantastic views!

Gelt woods pastel sketch

Following our visit to gelt Woods at New Year a sketch of the chiselled sandstone cliff face with tree shadow.

Acrylic wave....

After the New Year I have some time (lack of Christmas craft fairs) to experiment and develop ideas. This afternoon was an experiment.....

Textile seashore hearts ...........

Hand-dyed fabrics are combined and manipulated/distressed before forming hearts with shells sewn into them. Lots of room for experimentation here and making the hearts much more site specific or doing small framed pieces ......

Frost and sunshine....

I love it when it's cold and sunny - cold enough for the frost to stay throughout the day.

Constantine waves and foam!

A large oil painting of the rough seas at Constantine last year ....

High Pike and Carrock Fell - a classic walk.

What glorious sunshine - rather chilly though!
First up High Pike...

Then along the saddle and across towards Carrock Fell...

...and onto Carrock summit....

....and Christmas cake!

A grand day out.

Gelt Woods

A gloriously sunny walk to welcome the New Year in. Superb colours, light and shadows on the rocks and in the woods.

Roman chisel marks in the sandstone quarry.