Sunday 27th April 2025
The closest I got to a butterfly without it fluttering away!
A fatigued Speckled Wood butterfly, rested on the brolly table cloth and I revived it via a dandelion flower. They usually feed on aphid honeydew from trees and plants during late spring and early summer.
Prim-rose hybrid
In her 17th April 1905 Nature Notes entry, Edith mentions going on,
“an expedition in search of wild flowers. Went by train to Lapworth, walked across to Bushwood, from there to Baddesley Clinton and then to Knowle station and home by train. Flowers gathered – Primroses, Cowslips, Ox-slips, Cuckoo Flowers, Strawberry Anemones, Early purple vetch; White violets, Dog Violets, Wood sorrel, Moschatel, Lady’s Mantle, Blackthorn, Bullace, Corn Crowfoot and Common Lesser Sedge and Daisies.”
She also makes an interesting observation,
“I noticed that may of the Ox-slips had single stems to each separate stalks to the root and looked like small Prim-roses, only deeper yellow and with the orange-star. Can this be caused by bee-fertilisation?”
I have sketched ox-lips on the left and cowslips on the right. The possible hybrid primrose flower, (from our garden) that Edith mentions also features in this picture.
The background frame is based on an e-processed blue brolly fabric.
Happy Easter
Edith mentions Easter Sunday within the text of 15th April 1906, (Country Diary of An Edwardian Lady). She is actually out and about in the southwest of England at that time. On the 17th she mentions, ‘Miss B. had some lovely Pasque flowers sent her from Oxfordshire this morning.’
The Pasque flower name originates from the French word ‘Pâques’ which means Easter. This also connects to the theme of resurrection and renewal. Throughout history various cultures have revered the Pasque flower for its representation of rebirth and new beginnings.
An illustration of the Pasque flower from the book is shown below.
Happy Easter Season
A Resurrection Bible reading
The wood spurge plant and yellow brimstone butterfly are illustrated in the adapted style of the artist Edith Holden.
“Come forth ye blossoms! – over hill and lea,
A breathe of sweetness wantons with the sea,
And mid the smiles and tears of tender Spring,
Ye cups and stars that strew the fair, green field,
Ye wings of gold the prickly gorses yield;
Ye perisive bells to purple pageants born,
Ye milk-white may-buds of the mantling thorn;
Ye violet gems and eyes of sapphire blue;
Wan, flushing wind-flowers and shy elfin crew
Of every crannied wall, — come forth! –and fling
Young vernal showers around me while I sing;” – A Song of Salutation – E.M. Holden
Note: E M Holden was Edith’s sister, Effie Margaret
The coltsfoot, daffodils and periwinkle are illustrated in the adapted style of artist Edith Holden.
Black bird song dawn chorus sound
The background frame is based on an e-processed blue brolly fabric.
The celandine, daisy and wren birds are illustrated in the adapted style of artist Edith Holden. The background frame is based on an e-processed green brolly fabric.
Celandine
"Pansies, lilies, kingcups, daisies,
Let them live upon their praises;
Long as there’s a sun that sets,
Primroses will have their glory;
Long as there are violets,
They will have a place in story:
There’s a flower that shall be mine,
'Tis the little Celandine.
Ere a leaf is on a bush,
In the time before the thrush
Has a thought about her nest,
Thou wilt come with half a call,
Spreading out thy glossy breast
Like a careless Prodigal;
Telling tales about the sun,
When we’ve little warmth, or none."
Wordsworth
The violet flora and female chaffinch are illustrated in the adapted style of artist Edith Holden.
In her 1906 Nature Notes she writes a quote from Shakespeare.
‘Violets dim, yet sweeter than the lids of Juno’s eyes or Cytherea’s breathe.’
The background frame is based on an e-processed purple brolly fabric.
Edith Holden includes in her 'Days of Note' section, 25 March Lady Day in both the Nature Notes of 1905 and 1906. Lady Day is also known in some parts of the Christian community as the 'Feast of the Annunciation'. This is the period in time when the Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she would bear Jesus Christ.
Numerous artists have painted their interpretation of this significant event. Some are shown below.
The background frame is an e-processed blue, green and yellow brolly fabric respectively.
The baby chaffinch and daffodils are illustrated in the adapted style of artist Edith Holden.
The background frame was created via an e-processed green brolly fabric.
Adaptation of Huckworthy Bridge
Edith Holden also produced over fifty oil paintings (as listed in The Edwardian Lady book). Have you seen any?
I illustrated this picture (June 2022), as an adaptation of Edith’s Huckworthy Bridge on Dartmoor that she produced as an oil painting in 1908. Edith’s version contains much more details!
I produced this daffodils and thrush bird illustration, (February 2020) in the adapted style of artist Edith Holden.
The picture has been given an e-processed purple brolly fabric frame.
If you are part of a local community group, consider marking the occasion with:
* Having a wildflower patch in your own / community garden.
* An Edwardian Tea Party
* An Edwardian Fancy Dress
* An Art Exhibition (invite members of the community to bring and show their flora / fauna art work.
* A Talk / Discussion with members within your group.
You can find summary information about Edith and her Natures Notes online.
Ken Burns and others including members of his family produced a well advertised, (on YouTube) excellent detailed documentary for the PBS channel. The documentary aired in America and Canada 18 -19th November 2024. It is also available on the PBS app and BBC iPlayer.
I watched the BBC iPlayer version and noted with interest a description via an actor covering Leonardo’s voice in the second part, (37 minutes in). It seems that the description could potentially also be linked to some elements of a sketch such as this cloudburst in representational form.
Various coloured brolly fabric have been e–processed and made semi-transparent on the upper section of the sketch. Further information on each part can be found on the earlier posts.
Link to: Part One , Part Two, Part 3 , Part 4 , Part 5 , Part 6 , Part 7 , Part 8, Part 9
Advent Season
Over the centuries, the Advent wreath featuring five candles has come to represent variations of similar themes. In some churches, one candle is lit each Sunday leading up to Christmas day.
1. The Patriarchs in faith - Hope
2. The Prophets - Faith
3. John the Baptist / Gaudete - Joy
(also for those who are fasting over the period, refreshment day)
4. Mary and Joseph / Annunciation - Love
5. Christmas Day Candle / White
In the arrangement shown above, the background and outer candles are created from brolly fabric and the central one from a piece of cardboard. As I do not have any holly in the garden, I have used the rosemary herb for the circular effect. Furthermore I find rosemary easier to work with as it:
- has a pleasant scent
- is not prickly like the holly
- can be washed and used in teas / cooking / cosmetics afterwards!
Advent song: Christmas is Coming
Adaptation of Leonardo Da Vinci’s, Studies of Water
Leonardo observed and analysed the movement of water for his civil engineering works, scientific studies as well as his artistic landscapes. Most of his water sketches that features the movement of water can be found in his notebooks and what was called the ‘Codex Leicester’ in 1717.
My adaptation of one of Leonardo’s water sketches is illustrated below on pink brolly fabric.
Now ten years have elapsed since I started this blog. A wide range of topics have been covered including using the broken umbrella (brolly) for a variety of applications. Below are some examples over the years.
To see what else was posted in that year simply click on the year listed below. You can also scroll to the right in 'Web Version' mode to access the list of years on the blog.
Umbrella / Brolly fabric used as a background in the art work shown below.
