The long-awaited first signs of the stirring of nature - snowdrops thrusting through the verge grass beneath the hedgerow
Already, a longer gap between posts than I had meant...life intervenes. But this is also intended to be a place where I will come only when I have something to say and show that I hope may be of interest -so you may find a gap of one or two weeks, and then two or three posts in quick succession. I hope you have the patience to follow me in that intention.
These photographs are of a walk once again through Great Pen Wood on Sunday, just before the Pagan festival of Imbolc, which marks and honours the first stirrings of growth and renewal of the natural world in the Northern hemisphere.
Something else has also been stirring in Pen Wood - the harvesting of the conifers - (Much of the wood is a managed mixed plantation by the Forestry Commission) which was delayed by the heavy snows has obviously been taking place apace since the snow cleared. Notices inform walkers that the plantation will then be prepared for re-planting in the winter of 2010.
Watch this space for progression towards that - in the photographs the impact of clearing is evident. But, as I will show you over and over again on these walks, Mother Nature quickly restores and reclaims her own in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds, if she is given just the smallest chance. Treated with reverence and respect, the natural world - and therefore ourselves, who live within and as part of it, can flourish.
Though the snow has gone, the cold and ice remained - but even the ice has been beautiful, forming crustings and patterns as it freezes, melts and reforms. Seeing and photographing all these natural forms reminded me of the portfolio of images and ideas I was required to develop some 27 years ago, when I was studying enthusiastically for a City & Guilds qualification in Embroidery, taught by the visionary Valerie Campbell-Harding (now sadly deceased).
Val was responsible for teaching me to deeply look, and intensively see what was all around me wherever I was - but I looked especially closely in the natural world. My looking and seeing has never been the same since she opened my eyes - what a wonderful legacy to leave to the world. You can see the list of books that she produced here (are any of them familiar to you?) and here is a downloadable .pdf file of a workshop created by Val which shows images of just a few of her delicious works on the last few pages, and the processes she used to create them.
So - here is a brief record of Great Pen Wood at the start of February 2010. I hope you enjoy walking with me once again... The road through the woods - now sans all signs of snow
The wonderful textures of the gnarled bark of an old birch tree
The quilted lines of water beneath ice
Loaded up and ready to go...
More logs stacked and waiting for collection - the progress of the plantation clearing visible behind the stacks
A gracefully fallen birch, left and allowed to rot down amongst small sapling conifers from an earlier replanting
An avenue through the trees with other logpiles left to rot down - all part of the careful management plan.
The still-sharp edges of Winter - ice like broken glass in one of the exposed ruts and furrows
This way has passed the tractor
The softer edge... melting ice and running water in one of the streams which criss-cross the woodland. Are even fractionally warmer days arriving?