Monday, 29 July 2013

A Quiet Cool July Morning

Early Start


   Another cooler start to the day on this late July morning, grey clouds ride the wide fenland skies with hints of coming rain and not a leaf moves on the trees as if they sit waiting for the waters to start falling. The odd early traffic rumbles by as folk head to work yet the green little world of the bead maker sits here deep in the fens like a small piece of nature lost in the open countryside, red, black and white currants hang from lush green branches while the kitchen garden is rich with fresh produce and under the eye of the Lord Robin who sits on his ivy clad post.
   Young thrush and finches work the garden with fresh colours of new feather making them look so new, every day they grow and learn, no more those young helpless chicks who were fed on bush and tree, now proud cocks who display their new colours and who will visit my feeders this coming winter, new performers for my cold winter theatre they will be and next summer they will feed young of their own under my gaze.
   Long long days have again ruled this last week, the heat at times did make this bead hermit slow but his flame did still burn, the second quiet month this summer with sales so slow but worried thoughts are no answer and on I go with beads of colour filling the kiln, summer reds and blues mingle with yellow and greens, pinks and purples dance together bringing smiles on faces as village fate and fair roll over my mind, nice thoughts that keep my heart beating strong.
 

Friday, 19 July 2013

Cooler Morning

A Real Summer


   A cooler start to another summer day here in the flat world of east anglia, scarlet armies of poppy ride the gentle breeze in fields of barley and silver birch shimmer their sun ripe leaf in waves. Bees are working early on lavender as I sit by pond and watch fish spawn on the surface and this strange world with open lands and wide skies just rests after the heat of the last week as if to cool those folk of the marshes and droves.
   How different these lands in months of sun, rich damp soils make green this magical world when other lands are dry and waters stay so deep while most are shallow, wide clear skies of crystal blue watch over those who tend the land as food is grown and fruits do ripen, a simple life but one that makes a man true, a life in which he learns to understand the nature and the way she looks after him, hard at times she seems but every hard day is for a reason and every reason a good one.
   On this cooler day my flame will burn and beads I will form to smiles, heat will once more rule my barn and hours will seem long but thats my life, the one I've chosen to lead and if heat be the day then in it I will work as I do in cold winter and moan I never will, just thanks I will give that I have this craft to work and learn.

Thursday, 11 July 2013

Good To Share

Mr Jay, I'm Watching You !


   A cooler morning starts off this day of July, easy breeze and dull grey skies cover the fenland, no early sun warms our backs yet nature is busy as another of her great shows I sit and admire, with early bee's working the rich smelling lavender flowers and clear falling waters that run through rocks does bath birds of every kind, wing flapping and tail shaking start their day.
   The Jay sits in cherry tree pinching all that he can of the half ripe fruits while this old bead maker sits and reflects on the past month, a long one it was and one not full of joy but one of work, long days seem to gang up on this worker of glass but dreams of easy days and smiling faces that will soon visit keep his flame hot and hopes alive, dreams of trips to quiet beaches and woodland walks fill his mind when days are hard.
   Another crowd of summer colours await my flame today, bright cheerful beads will be the positive results and thoughts of country fair and hippy parties will wonder my head while yellows, reds and blues fall to my mandrels.

Thursday, 4 July 2013

The Stone Age

Been A Long Long While


   Again the kiln does make this bead maker smile on this July morning, a morning of calm here in the flat lands of east Anglia, grey skies do welcome but talks to heat and sunshine roll from the voices we hear, The early start gave joy to this old hermit as the door opened on my box of fire bricks and those stones of glass found the cool morning air after their cooling, granite beads with veined cores and surface works forged over a million years greeted my eyes as smiles found my face.
 

 These old friends once more excite and please just as before, no colours of brightness sound loud this morning just the works of nature found on every mountain and moor, the stone on which our world is built and one that never fails to please with every crack and crevice that only nature can produce.
 

Monday, 1 July 2013

Early Sun Lights The Fens

Summer Perfect


   Apart from the slight cool breeze that surfs the open fields of the east, a more perfect summer morning you could never wish for, sunshine heats the rich soil while crops ripen and hedgerows are awash with fruits and wild herb, already the larder that nature presents is there awaiting the chance to enrich our evening meals and bring goodness to our diets.
   While swift hunts high above the flat lands and swallow fly the reed and sedge beds of the marsh, this rich mythical world in which we live turns from one of cold hard winds and ice wrapped mornings to this amazing nature filled land of organic wild wonder, a place where only the waters were reclaimed but never was nature tamed, a land where great fish swim the waters and great bird fly the skies and where the people know and respect the lands that fed the lost and forgotten folk who's voices still ride the winds of the fens.
   For this bead maker the hopes of a few hours in the kitchen garden will ease the long day ahead, a day of fire and glass that will both excite and annoyingly tease at times, a day when the magical tricks of the flame will cross over with the mundane task of dipping countless steel mandrel and beads of all colours will find room in that warn kiln for the night.