Nature Table

Nature Table – goodies collected on my walk

On Sunday I set out for a walk – just locally.  The forecast for the following few days was for terrible storms, torrential rain and gusting winds, and I thought I had better make the most of the fine afternoon.  It is ages since I took to the pathways and lanes that circle the near villages and moorland.  I love to keep up with what is going on in the hedgerows, woodland and farmed fields and knew there were things I’d missed.

Autumn gold

During the walk I couldn’t resist collecting – acorns, conkers, browning leaves, seed heads and lichen.  Anything really that caught my eye, and that, once home, I could pick at, examine and draw.

Autumn coloured, curled leaf

I make up little still-life groups, and then draw them.  It is amazing to see the little sprouts on the acorns – they’ve been on the ground only moments and yet new shoots press out of the hard shells, splitting them to reveal soft pale green.  I’ve planted them.

Acorns and acorn cups

Some of the acorns had striking ridges down one side, others totally smooth.  And the gleaming conkers – what rich, shiny brown rounds – like polished wood pebbles – I cannot resist filling my pockets with them.

Sprouting acorns

They’re shapes I’m looking closely at, drawing and comtemplating.  They’re forms I want to carve in stone – the undulations, sproutings, clefts and casings – these curls and curves are so beautiful, so naturally pleasing, I want to incorporate them, replicate them and to know what caused them to be that shape.  What pulls and pushes and growth determine this beauty?

I’ll show you my drawings next time.

Meadowsweet seed heads