Once upon a  family, the muma so so wanted a dog.

And as if by magic ( well the free ads and a phone call) this beauty of a beast was left in my care.

She was amazing, colouring our lives with her enthusiasm, her love of everything, especially food and mud !

She was constant , loyal, a true fluff bucket .

So when we muddled along on the edge of the woods , she huffed and puffed keeping up with the little ones on all their adventures among the trees.

She was such a part of those tales of giants, witches, dragons and unicorns , that she had to join Ophelia, and be kept alive in the stories ready to give back to my little ones.

So Fushia D arrived in pen and ink ,in paint and felt.

She was and is my first fluff bucket , I miss her always but carry her along and will introduce her to all in  a few more turns of Lady Luna…

Many moons ago when my little ones where little ones .

we muddled along at the edge of the woods.

We would take many, many walks, our old lady of a Labrador always huffing and a puffing alongside us.

The tales I would unravel for them among the trees , of unicorns and giants , dragons and witches.

As the stories stuck to us and the wanderings with my now not so little ones became fewer, I knew I had to keep the stories ready for when they would want them again.

So I found Ophelia, my pens and paint just kept coming back to her, she embodies all of the features and characters of my little ones , she carries the stories of our walks in the woods when we muddled along at the edge of them.

So now the story is written , been hidden for many moons, but with a few more turns of madam luna, it will be ready.

I love finding Ophelia.

She saw sea shells on the sea shore.

Ambling along Cobnor Foreshore is a treasure trove of delights.

Boats bobbing around in the natural harbour.

Much more wondrous is the nature reserve, you amble across bridges that let the tide slip in and out of salty march land with its birds, fish and seals.

The path gives way to pebble coast line with the most amazing oak trees that cling to the soil but stretch horizontal dipping some of their roots to the sea when it rises high enough.

Maybe it was the pure blue breeze-less skies, and t shirt temperature so unusual for mid October, that final grasp of summer clinging for one last afternoon before Autumn and the darkening days take hold.

Sitting dazzled by the shimming shore, my eyes ever looking for the magic nature shows me.

Always throwing up an amusing pebble, very seasonal to!

So much more than sea shells did she see on the seashore.

On platform 1 ( of 2) of a little rural train station, in the heart of the Sussex Downs …

… a group of local artists set upon a project to revamp its slightly tired appearance. A host of identical bird boxes were attached to the wall – though not to entice the local bird population to nest, but for something altogether unexpected …

I was among those artists, and it allowed me a germ of an idea …

‘Mystery’ – for that was his name – was placed in the box …

… all but hidden with his thoughts …

And as he watched and waited, he pondered the world …

He was hanging there a month before, along with his mysterious companions, he vanished …

Never to be seen again.

Patience waited …

On the edge of a branch he watched his (the) world forever changing.

Dawn choruses to late night screeches.

Sunshine dappled through leaves to detritus, mulching into the wood’s woven carpet.

He understood the language of the seasons …

His woods.

Time spans beyond human comprehension.

To be of the earth so long.

Yet to be so young.

Patience

Patience