sarah-jane down the lane: Miss Potter

Saturday, 15 January 2011

Life is tweet!

The morning birds that sing me into wakefullness each morning sound very chirrupy indeed this week. They start slowly, a lone song that is gradually built to a crescendo as the sun begins to rise and eveyone joins in.

I wonder if they really are more chirpy or whether perhaps my own longing for the early signs of spring has tricked me?

This year there are so many blue-tits darting about, they are such a joy to stand and watch for a while, so playful, diving and darting and swooping into the hawthorn opposite the kitchen window.

Hopefully they are thinking about building their perfect little nests

I gave Mr.Lane this mug for Christmas - very appropriate!

I am thinking of investing in some of this beatiful stationary from Dear Prudence ~ find them here

Dont worry the robin has not been usurped in my affections he is still number one! ( you may remember my "the robin" post from 2009, read it here )

I have been trying to determine their different songs and have been listening to a brilliant radio staion called "Birdsong Radio" where you can listen to the dawn chorus any time of day, genius!

I saw one of these at the end of the year whilst having lunch with the Magpie in Tuckenhay at the Waterman's Arms

I was so excited!

There are quite a lot of these about at the moment

and these

but I am desperate to see Jenny Wren

All of this musing got me thinking how much I would like to be able to paint birds well, I can definately have a bash at sketching them but there is something wonderful about capturing the character of your subject and I am not talented enough.

Unlike the amazing Beatrix Potter, I was looking at some of her illustrations, trying to see them with a fresh eye. Her work is so iconic I don't think I always take the time to study it as it has been with me since childhood.

I really like this pen and ink study of her garden at Hilltop Farm.