solitude

painting by Anne Davies

Oh dear. It's one of those days. I need to run away and stay in a little green cabin. I need to sit by the fire, read by candlelight and watch snowflakes softly fall. I need the utter peace and quiet of solitude.

See some of Anne Davies work here

quiet time

November skies - grey, cold and with the promise of rain. The leaves are squelching underfoot and the brown-ness of everything can be a little too much. Time for candles and firelight. Toasty warm toes and a winter reading list, music, a glass of wine. Tune out from the world for a bit and re-balance the self. Quiet time is what's needed.

peace

That moment of peace. The house is quiet. I can hear the birds outside, a delicate chorus punctured by the occasional throaty call of the crow. I make tea in a favourite cup and sipping, read a few lines. The calm action of drinking and turning pages a balm to counterbalance the noise of life with young boys.

tea

One of my five-a-day. Honestly, is there nothing that can't be fixed by tea? And isn't that late afternoon light lovely. And it's warm outside. Happy Friday!

snowfall

Last night snow flakes started to fall and all their talk going to bed was would there be enough snow to make a snowman and would there be enough snow to get off school... 

Sunrise this morning. A dusting but not much more. William came down the stairs at 6.20am to check the time and check the snow. By 8.30am both he and Mide are out in the garden, throwing snowballs and whooping in the freezing air. Not much later they are back in. There isn't enough snow to stop school and off they go.

Sunlight in the dining-room. It is quiet. I roast a butternut squash with garlic and chilli to make salad for lunch and then print some linocut snowdrops, the only noise is the radio mumbling in the background and the crackle of wood in the stove. Then I make flapjacks with oats and golden syrup and butter for the boys when they come in from school. A snow day. A quiet day. Nothing out of the ordinary, but all the better for that.