‘Spring In Yorkshire’
Spring In Yorkshire
“Be willing to be a beginner every single morning” – Meister Eckhart
When I began the #100dayproject I had no idea how much it would develop and spark my creativity. Following on from my plan to combine my art and our outdoor adventures it became a natural progression to include the birds, flowers, and insects that end up making me stop still and notice. Not just stop still and notice, but to properly stop, take it in, and document the changes that I noticed from day to day. I made a watercolour painting each day and created a nature journal. The ‘Spring In Yorkshire’ print is a collection of my favourites.
Spring here in Yorkshire has felt like a journey, through the lives of the plants, animals and flowers, following their rhythms and growth. Through sketching and documenting the smalls details, the first spring bulbs to appear, the arrival of swifts zooming overhead, it has made me see more.
See more and notice more. It has made me stop mid run, to watch and listen as the swifts made acrobatic dives over the pathway. Made me put down my phone and stand at the window to watch the gang of blue tits hunt among the apple tree for caterpillars. Made me bend down and look closer at the tiny wildflowers squeezing their way in between all the rest along a busy motorway roundabout.
It has also made me learn more, I know more plant, bird and insect species than I did in January. By ‘allowing myself to be a beginner’, I have learnt so much. Developing my watercolour technique has been a huge bonus, and I am still learning.
We walked along the East Yorkshire Coastal path in April, and sat on the beach at Hayburn Wyke eating our pack lunch. A nosey seal popped out of the sea, beautiful shiny green, jewelled seaweed still wet from the tide lay at our feet, and a grey wagtail bobbed up and down in the waterfall.
Hearing the first cuckoo of the year, at RSPB ST Aidans knowing that warmer, longer days will be on their way soon.
As Meister Eckhart so wisely said ‘Be willing to be a beginner every single morning’, be open to trying and learning something new, look at the world around you as if it’s the first time, you might be surprised what you see and learn.
Maybe next Spring you could document what you see in your area?. Stop, notice, write it down, photograph it, draw it, and learn.
You can find my ‘Spring In Yorkshire’ print in my Etsy shop.
‘Spring In Yorkshire’ print by Raspberrythief
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