Sunshine, attics, and paper on walls

May

Olivia, 2008

The blossoming warmth

The lengthening days

Heart of the spring

In so many ways

Crier of sunshine

"Summer--remember"

Colored and golden

Brilliant and tender

Plant stems are poking

Rain and warm weather

Lily-of-valley

--Lilacs together

Beauty is climbing

To summits of light

Sunshine and flowers

So happy and bright

 The air is warm today, and the sunshine gilds all with hope of summer.  The sky is broad and bright, and seems to be keeping its thunderstorms back for later.  These past days have been characteristic of April, I think: cool mostly, with plenty of rain and wind; some patches of sunshine and warmth.  The Brown-Thrashers are back!  I saw one under the bird-feeder in our garden the other day, and it thrilled me.  They are a sign of true spring, always returning from their migratory ramblings just when we should plant peas.  Most of the trees have taken on their fluffy verdure, and our rowan tree is starting to put out blooms.  Crab-apple petals are chasing each other through the air, showering the streets with scent.

 Some days, however, have been cloudy, rainy, windy, and otherwise conducive to indoor activities.  On these days lately, I have been taking my creative energy up to my room with a cup of tea, and on to the attic.  As you may know, part of the garret is devoted to my very own use... writing and such.  It has been a pleasure to decorate and write in, but was getting a bit neglected and needed some sprucing.  So while I was at it I also redid the walls of the stairway.  They looked quite shabby and multicolored before (half-painted in a peculiar color of blue) so I started out by painting the walls.  It was a lovely feeling, and made it all look crisp and clean.  But then I proceeded to cover up the walls with all manner of papers, pictures, and drawings.  I have always wanted to do that to a wall, but never had one that I didn't mind to smother.  I don't mind it here at all.

 I plan to do even more smothering and filling in with all sorts of clippings and maps and papers and poems and things.  In the picture on the right are also the weights that pull the trap-door up and down to go up into the attic itself.
While I worked I listened to Over Sea, Under Stone on audio (I've talked about the virtues of unabridged audio while painting before ;)  It kept me happily occupied for quite a while.  Below is a picture of my England-with-pages.  I pasted old book-pages together and then tore and folded all the edge bits until it was the proper shape.  That will go on my wall too when I'm finished with it.

 These are my mini-murals in the corners... (London skyline, and ships at sea)

And while we are here in the stairway, I'll show you my writing-room, redecorated.  This time it is set up with a bit of WWII inspiration for when I write.

 And there it is; that's what I've been working on!
There are plenty of other things of course, including some very necessary and rather pleasant spring-cleaning.  There is a good deal of music being played and sung, plenty of cooking, a little spring-gardening.  I haven't forgotten to read, and I hope I don't forget to write, and I am very glad to be back here on Run the Earth and Watch the Sky.  That is my inspiration, after all:

Nonny, nonny, odle-ee
River washes over me
Up for air, and carry me away.

Nonny, nonny, odle-eigh
Run the earth and watch the sky
Playing hard and waiting for the day.
Nonny-nonny-odle-ay...