[This year I have decided to study two big Horse Chestnut trees near our house. This is Part 7 of my sketchbook-learnings.] I’m a little behind with my update on the chestnuts. Things have been really very busy in my little business. It has been so hard for brick & mortar shops this year, and …
[This year I have decided to study two big Horse Chestnut trees near our house. This is Part 6 of my sketchbook-learnings.] These are the last few weeks of the dense, dark, green canopies. Slowly, slowly the golds will creep in and the burnt oranges will light their flames. Autumn’s winds will blow holes in …
The Drygrange Chestnuts Pt.6: July, August, and the last of the Greens Read More »
We are just back from a much needed few days by the sea. I’ve always been of the opinion that the closer you are to the ocean, the better you feel. I’ve just googled “why is being by the sea good for you?” and this is what I’ve learnt: doctors have been prescribing curative trips …
[This year I have decided to study two big Horse Chestnut trees near our house. This is Part 5 of my sketchbook-learnings.] In my last update I was celebrating the new green leaves that had burst forth all over the two chestnuts. That was at the end of April. Since then the trees have been …
The Drygrange Chestnuts Pt.5: May, June, Flowers and Environmental Justice Read More »
I’ve been absolutely fascinated by the woodland in spring this year. I missed three months of the woodland last year with being either too heavily pregnant to walk very far or stuck in the house recovering with the new-born. Whereas this year, during lock-down, I’ve had all the time in the world to stoop down …
This is part two of my mini series on pencil drawing. Part one was about the materials I use. You can read it here. In this post I’m going to talk about the inspiration for my drawings and how I record it so I can use it in my work. I find it easy to …
[This year I have decided to study two big Horse Chestnut trees near our house. This is Part 4 of my sketchbook-learnings.] In my March update on the Drygrange Chestnuts, it was all about the sticky hard buds that had been progressing all month. In early April those buds burst. At first they looked like …
The Drygrange Chestnuts Pt.4: April, Nests and Buds Bursting Read More »
[This year I have decided to study two big Horse Chestnut trees near our house. This is Part 3 of my sketchbook-learnings.] In my February update on the chestnuts I commented that I thought February was the toughest month of the year. Well! Hasn’t March been weird? This month the chesnuts have been in bud. …
Drygrange Chestnuts Pt.3: March, Buds and a Global Pandemic Read More »
We currently have a large group of Long Tailed Tits who come to the feeders every day to feast on the fat balls. They pop to and from the tree to the side of the feeders – some feed, some keep a noisy chattering watch from the tree. The best view of them is from …
Long Tailed Tits Are Rubbish At Social Distancing Read More »
[This year I have decided to study two big Horse Chestnut trees near our house. This is Part 2 of my sketchbook-learnings.] February was hostile. Storms everywhere, wet almost every day, icy winds. Not the ideal weather for visiting trees with the baby. We did manage a few trips along to check up on our …