My Pocket

the sound of clear skies

taking a break in the sunshine on the porch. in my favourite outfit for the moment - turn-up jeans, flowery dress and sandals.

Hello :) Just coming up for air... Hope you are having a lovely week. I'm keeping a window open to my study desk - the mild breeze, the little birds warbling, the drowsy bumblebee and the sound of dry weather drifting in (I swear sound moves differently in spring - can you hear the dry dusty roads, the warm protected spots, the joy of people and animals, the spaciousness of clear skies?)

It's still crisp and frosty in the mornings though, the air turning chilly as soon as you leave the sunshine, which I'm also happy about. Spring in February is disconcerting, as welcome as it is to my winter-weary heart. The weather will throw us some icy rainfall or overcast weeks before long for sure. Right now I'm just cherishing the clear skies, the warmth and light during the day, the clear starry ceiling when I fall asleep.

the walk-in-the-woods collection is growing

Nature in, Nature out : Numbers 66 & 101

my winter display, photo taken through mirror

Number 66 on my 101 Things in 1001 Days reads: Bring indoors finds of nature for each season of a year and display it. This is my Winter display. Winter in Britain is green, but not in a lack of snow way, I mean really green. Lushly, deeply and richly. Graceful ivy dress the trees, brambles cover the ground and the moss is a glowing carpet.

The curled up beech leaves, on the ground and the few on the bare branches, balance the greenery with their deep browns. This with a few sprigs of wild honeysuckle, some early snowdrops and a twig with dark shiny buds is what I thought represented winter to me. I left the mud out, though that is probably what reminds me the most of which season we are in. :)

Number 101 is: Go for a walk through the woods every day for two months and collect one small thing every time to bring home and keep. I have a very modest collection so far - an ash twig, a beech nutshell, a berry, a beech leaf (not in photo) and a piece of moss. Tomorrow on our Sunday walk I can't wait to see what we'll find when we have time to wander further afield. This treasure hunting idea has worked a treat so far, in just five days I've braved rain, thunder and lightning, grey skies and damp drizzle to go out finding. What do you find on your walks?

Number 7: Feminine Jewellery - in progress

Thanks for all your comments on my list - :). I realised afterwards that one of those challenges I had already made into reality while preparing the list. I didn't expect to have an Etsy shop selling prints by now! I will turn that one into a joker I think - a blank card to pull out when I come up with that marvellous thing I'm sure I'll eventually come across now that I've finished writing the list. I haven't finished a single other thing yet, but I was so excited wanting to write something so here's number 7 in progress:

I've got these colourful glass bangles that Maddie sent me, she brought them back from her India trip. I love the tinkle they make when I'm putting books back in the library, brings magic into my day. :) She also sent me a beautiful anklet chain that has tiny bells on it and I wear it all the time, but couldn't get a good shot of it today, will try again later.

The silver bangles in the first photo I got recently as I got so inspired by Maddie's glass ones (I don't wear them all at the same time though). I like the soft sound they make when I move, makes me more aware of what I am doing. And I do feel more feminine, which was my aim. I've been working on this for quite a while now, to grow out of the tomboy trousers, but jewellery has eluded me so far. Lately I've felt a desire to have something out of metal close to my skin though - which is new to me, but I usually trust my intuition. I go through phases where I need a certain colour, so why not a certain material.

The satin ribbon I've got tied around my wrist for the moment was borne out of inspiration from this Swedish song by Jakob Hellman featuring the girl next door that he is secretly in love with (sorry about the translation):

she has little ribbons
around her wrists
and others in her hair

she has a certain smile
that only I
that only I
can grasp

she has a way
of moving her hips
gently as she walks

she has a way
of walking past you
sometimes
as if you didn't
exist

I always thought that woman sounded so feminine (though cold) and I wished I dared wear small ribbons around my wrists and moved my hips gently. Well, it's getting there. :)

I hope you had a delightful Sunday and that the week brings you more than you wished for. See you!