Captive voice

During the summer holidays we went to Guth Gafa (meaning captive voice) held at Headfort House in Kells. It's an independent documentary film festival showing films from all around the world on a wide variety of subjects. Although it's been on the go for a number of years the festival has the feel of something low key and gentle. There was food, music, cakes and coffee but obviously the focus are the films themselves. We split up - Kevin took the the younger boys to see The Eagle Huntress while Hugo and I watched The Island and the Whales in the ornate surroundings of the Adam room. It was fun seeing the boys' eyes open to the possibilities of differently led lives, lives not shaped by western conventions and expectations. We saw a little flash of another world and it provoked a lot of excitement and wonder in all of us. It's important to remind ourselves that there are other ways of doing things, other ways of being and that the world is full of possibilities.

first day

First day of December. The car windscreen is completely iced.  Freezing fog is lifting slowly from the fields and lake. I say to the boys perhaps we should have an adventure one morning and walk to the school bus. Back home I light the fire, put my porridge on the stove and decide to make a cake with the fresh eggs my friend gave me yesterday. Her chickens are still laying. I heat the water for coffee and use some of it to boil an egg. Egg and buttered toast - one of the most comforting foods. The advent calendar I made three years ago has been strung up in the dining room. The pouches are filled with gold foiled chocolate coins. One for each of the boys. William says homemade is best. Homemade is best. I nod.  In fact home is best.

pottering along

I'm not the best planner in the world. In fact I rarely plan anything, which in some respects might explain the state of my life so far. But about six months ago I wrote a list of things I would like to do. This might have something to do with the fact that I am approaching a birthday, not a big-y but a middle-y (in many respects a far worse prospect) and suddenly the time to achieve all these things might, well, be (small voice) running out. Some things on my list (like travelling to Iceland or walking 100km of the Camino de Santiago) will have to wait for next year or longer. But some have been achieved. I am now 7 weeks into an 8 week ceramics course and I can now pinch, coil, slab, build and glaze pots with the best of them. Or possibly with just the rest of my class. 

busy planning

image from pinterest

Now that we have a little time thanks to school holidays, added to the fact that it's raining (again) I've been thinking of things to do that'll keep little hands (and big hands) busy. I'm planning on making a Spring tree to hang with decorations ~ there is some willow in bud up the lane that I think will look very pretty in branches on the dining room table. There's also:

delicious primrose decorated easter cake from Circle of Pine Trees

really cute easter decorations from Seeds and Stitches

oh my goodness, this gorgeous bird's nest from 5ftinf

this popcorn recipe from Green Kitchen Stories ~ I think the boys would love it!

eggs benedict from Manger

last week...

 ...making clay houses with golden roofs

 ...watching mist descending on the garden

 ...moon gazing

 ...walking into the fields to admire those rolling hills and clouds

 ...enjoying a trip to that most perfect of small buildings, Casino Marino in Dublin

...loving the smiling lions

rest easy

Today I need something to unblock a feeling. A feeling that bubbles and troubles me. One that has nestled deep inside and seems to have taken root. I always feel better after I have looked at something beautiful, a mix of colours that pleases, a sense of symmetry and order, something restful. My mind focuses on these things and ignores everything else and I manage to come away feeling rested. The work of Kenne Gregoire is beautifully detailed but also a little melancholic, his world is slightly frayed at the edges, like all of ours.

For more on his work go here

made by the sea

If you need to be lulled by gentle sea-sounds, the wet slap of clay dug from the beach and watch an artist at work this video of potter Judith Rowe might be just the thing... I love the opening sequence with the cry of the sea birds and the sound of feet across sand...

Judith Rowe - Made by the Sea from Alun Callender on Vimeo.






Wrapping your fingers around a hand-thrown mug as you drink your warming tea connects you to the person who made it, connects you to their creativity, connects you to their wobbles and finger pressure as the clay is turned and formed, connects you to their time and place.

If you want to buy any of Judith's ceramics go to the lovely Made in Hastings shop.

clunk...thud...

that's the sound of falling in love

Having read a gorgeous interview with Philippa Stanton over on Littlegreenshed I fell head over heels for her scrubbed kitchen table, her flowers, her compositions and her philosophy. She says on her blog by way of explanation
"I paint, and photograph flowers, my table and tea...My photographs often sum up an inner feeling, which I can't put into words or explain in any other erudite way: The Table still life compositions are a sort of visual haiku or poem, which give people the space to think their own thoughts and which also inspire them to take a moment, sit and look, really look, at details and spaces, in particular details of plants and textures..."

Follow her on Instagram or go to her blog and let yourself, your soul be soothed.

wildflowers

Do you know the names of some common wild-flowers? We wandered up the lane beside our house to find some.

 It was a typical Irish summer's day. About to rain.

Lots of painterly skies. I do love clouds.

We found poppies, cow parsley, buttercups, vetch, dandelions, herb robert and greater stitchwort. The dogs bark as the thunder rolls in.

We lift out the watercolours. I paint the vetch. I like its tendrils and heart shaped leaves.

William draws, observing so carefully he finds a teeny, tiny spider.

And then paints the herb robert.

oh heck....

...what have we done?? We've just taken the bold/totally-going-to-ruin-your-life move of getting rid of the TV. Breathe. And unclench. And try to think of the positives...

manifesto from here

It began with us not watching TV during the school week. No-body missed it and the grown-ups watched the news at 9pm when all children were in bed. Then the TV stopped working. Then the TV licence bill dropped into the letter box (€160). Then we started saying "what if we had no TV..." So here we are with no TV. And I'm wondering "oh heck, what have we done?"

But it's hard to do anything even remotely creative when the television is on (or waiting to be turned on). And to be honest that's not we want for our boys or for us. I really want us to read, play, explore, get muddy, bake, sew, make, do, rest, draw, paint, dance, talk instead.

So for better or for worse we have no TV. 

And yes, I am a little bit scared.

at the table

This round table of ours has seen countless meals and get togethers, spilt drinks and jigsaw making, colouring and home-work, game playing and arguments, hand holding, candlelight and late night chats. Today it was the turn of rune writing, Viking drawing, Caterpillar reading and blogging.

whisper this...Christmas is coming...

We are getting that jingly feeling, we are coming over all Christmassy with Santa lists and the gentlest, simplest of decorations made last evening from a recycled box, paper, moss, pages from a 1940s cookbook and seed heads painted gold...