Inspirational Forests

Stepping into a forest

Stepping into a dream

Reflecting lakes

Textures of moss, lichen and bark

Enchanting birdsong

A breath of life



This months Festival of the Trees is being hosted by Suzi of Spirit Whispers

To enter a post please email your posts weblink to:

suziscribbles [at] yahoo [dot] co [dot] uk

A Wakeful Green

Forests have seasons all of their own. Today, wandering through the forest I listened to the call of the sparrowhawk, I heard the wind rustling through the trees and watched the tall slender saplings bending and swaying to a rythmic dance.

My two favourite seasons are Spring and Autumn and today I felt I was walking with each side by side. Gold and rust coloured leaves littered the floor and my eyes rested upon the russet hues of last years bracken while all the while leaves are unfurling, the brambles are tentatively marking out their territory and ferns are still enchanting with their fossil like curls. So much is happening.

I miss this forest feel. I spent so much time gazing at the dreamcatcher/medicine wheel like patterns to the log rings whilst my friend could not help noticing the runic symbols scattering the forest floor. Newborough Forest lies at the other side of the Island to me and I get the impression that large forests are not natural to the isle of Anglesey. Anglesey is essentially a small island known for its farming history and 200 miles of magnificent coastline. I am blessed with miles of hedgerows, gorse and heather lined fields and coastal paths, wildflowers and alpines unique to Anglesey with unusual healing properties.

Having so much outdoor beauty to focus on I find that I have not been creating art or pieces of felt but instead have been occupied with creating willow domes, tending to my garden, going on long walks and getting inspired by foraging. I have been adding gorse flowers o my salads and have made the gorse flower cordial, which is delicious, and dyed wool in gorse. I have plans to flower pound gorse flowers through a stencil. I quite like the idea of making a CND stencil to pound through, and later in the year if i am feeling more adventurous I think making stencils of peace symbols with a rainbow of different pounded flowers.

Next, I think I will be making a study of heather. I am going to help my aunt and uncle create a heather thatch roof for their pagoda, I think I'll make a heather besom, some heather tea for my mam to use as offerings at her Buddhist Centre, some heather wine and of course use heather as a natural dye.

I'll keep you posted with lots of pictures. Until then enjoy your spring and thanks for sticking with me during my silent unproductive months xJ

Nature of the Night

Dancing in shadow, rustling the leaves
Snapping of twigs
A quavering branch
Then, silence.

The forest of night
Frozen in time
A land of primal lore
Beyond mans miasmic clench.

Mother Nature, wildlife under wing
Her gliding grace
Branching antlers
Her translucent moonbeam face.

Blessed by cloaks of midnight
Hedgehogs, owls, hares
Brock's, vixen and doe
Lady Oak tracing each move as they come and go.

Lady of the night
Transcending circles
Osmotic to and fro
His will, her woe.

Autumn Trove

Autumn is in the air

The magical scent of Pines
The flowery beauty of the Beech husks crunching under foot
The gentle breezes complimenting the magnificent autumn sun

Holly looking her finest
Magical berries of Yew, Hawthorn, Elder
The Blackberry, Blueberry, Plum and Sloe
Acorns, Hazels, Horse Chestnuts, Sweet Chestnuts

A time for stocking up
A time for letting go
A time of new horizons
An eagerness to learn

Changing colours from green, to red, to gold
The Scattering of leaves
A great time to teach the wisdom of the trees
Of identification, recognition

Playful squirrels, fox cubs, migrating birds
The bustling season
Excitement all around
Changes...

My favourite time of year

Attika SOS - Art for Trees

Last weekend mainland Greece was ravaged by fire. Thousands of homes were evacuated. Agriculture and pasture land was scorched, trees were burned, wildlife and nature were harmed. The tragedy of the situation is that it is probable the fire was man made.

In the immediate aftermath of the destruction Manya and others within her community have worked together to organise an exhibition of arts and crafts to raise funds for the reforestation of the area.

The environmentalists amongst you will be all too aware of the importance of reforestation. Not only for ecological, environmental and economical reasons but also to prevent desertificaton which is becoming a very real threat to European countries.

A blog has been created to document the progress of the 'Art for Trees' campaign and to provide information about how you can help. Press releases will be made this week to advertise the campaign and most importantly appeal to the creative folk of our shared planet asking for donations of arts and crafts which will be exhibited and sold to raise money needed for the reforestation of the afflicted land.

Please help the 'Art for Trees' project. I have listed some ways that you could help below:

• Donate arts or crafts
• Follow the blog 'Attika SOS'
• Forward the blog link to any friends, family or colleagues that you feel may be interested in this project (but please only send the link to those you believe will want to see it)
• Write a post on your blog informing your readers about this project (never under estimate the word of mouth or power of the metaphorical pen)
• Write suggestions or messages of support on 'Attica SOS'
• Post the link to your myspace, facebook, twitter, bebo or other networking site homepage
  

The picture used at the head of this post is 'Athena' by Gustav Klint. Mythology tells that Athena struck her spear into the earth and an olive tree sprung in its place. The place that the olive tree sprang was named Athens after the Goddess Athena. Olives through the ages have symbolised prosperity, health, wisdom, civilization and peace. Now, when I think of an olive tree, my mind pictures Manya's olive tree full of birds. The green pocket that sheltered the wildlife displaced by fire.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Thank you to everyone that has already made kind offers of support. I will email you personally over the next few days.

A Magical Forest of Delights

The 27/6/09 was a bittersweet day for me. I should have been expecting the arrival of my baby, instead my friend arrived from Seattle for a visit.

The following day we were blessed by glorious weather so embarked upon a forest walk. The rich fertile earth of the forests heart had yielded a bountiful bed of sapling Oaks and blueberries.

Everywhere we turned thee was evidence of life around us. Badger paths, bark damaged by the repetitive beat of the Woodpeckers song, Butterflies and Dragonfly's gracing our day.

Off the beaten track we found 3 felled trees by a babbling brook. The roots were still deep in the earth and the trees remained living. They provided a bouncing seat and were springy under foot. A natural barrier for a magical delight.

Beyond the felled trees lay an ancient Yew at the centre of a protective ring of trees.

The presence of the tree was wondrous. I stood in awe breathing in the magic of the moment.

My heart was in my mouth, I dared not reach out and touch.

On the walk back we passed so many wildflowers, enough to make the heart sing.

A magical forest of delights.