Just before the harvest

English Lavender

I painted this Lavender field just before it was harvested in the middle of August.
Its not really a Celtic Year painting...but it does celebrate Lughnasadh.
It also marks the start of a new blog...summerland. ...my new venture into blogland...a little more about painting and day to day life.
Its here if you want a peek .
Sally x

Holding on and letting go

Sally

And it rains

And it rains

Down the valleys waters gather becks filling fields flooding crops flattening
Biliously boisterous winds orchestrate frantic leaves manic dancing
Sheep for familiar shelter scatter faithfully follow flocking habits
And it rains

On the hill water takes the road cars slow nature decreeing dominion
Bumptious bending winds collect toss then tear man’s plastic indiscretions
We bow pull coats closer rush to cover fragility perspective sized
And it rains

In the sky clouds are darkly driving spilling colliding shipping oceans
Bombastic bulging winds roughly arrange impressive panorama
Birds battle whirlpool eddies feeding focused song silent survival mode
And it rains

Round the drooping garden flowers dripping stems snapping petals pulverised
Booming belligerent winds rip riotous order through all borders
Flora weeping fauna sanctuary seeking eloquent subsistence
And it rains

And it rains


And it rains

Lindsey Starborn

The Day Before LUGHNASADH

A single shadow falls

from my feet into the forest


The wind has wet weather

in its mouth


Words splinter, running away

and I chase as fast as a thought


As fast as a hand might grasp another

touch and examine- lines, scars, patterns


Whose hand then?

Writhing in my palm


Fingers washing a story onto my skin

So now I prepare to decide


What has this year produced

What notions remain


Were the moments as rich as the story

Will my bruises and cuts heal


Another feast that strikes the year in questions

Each finger a different place to follow


A valley, a curve, an edge, a health mark in every nail

All you need is glove.


Roger 30/7/09

Return from WOMAD....

I've been busy...WOMAD and workshops (making printing blocks)...but back now in time to celebrate Lughnasadh (pronounced loo'nass'ah) one of the four festivals of Celtic year.
The festival of the Irish god Lugh marking the first day of the harvest.
Traditionally a time of community gatherings, market festivals, horse races and reunions with distant family and friends.
Among the Irish it was a favored time for handfastings - trial marriages that would generally last a year and a day, with the option of ending the contract before the new year, or later formalizing it as a more permanent marriage....as good Celtic Yearites we have celebrated this tradition...all be it a little early....WOMAD Handfasting The Movie...see it here soon!
Sally x