*like stars in the meadow

Almost all the flowers are withered by now, only some strong ones are still shining like little stars in the meadows. Yesterday I worked all day on a gift for my mother's Birthday and finished it in the late evening. I hope she will like it! Maybe I will show some pictures of it next week. 

I'm secretly waiting for some more snow or frost, but temperatures are always just a bit above zero degrees. My thyme plant is doing so well still, so I cut some more and dried it for winter. I'm also still harvesting mint which I had not expected to be able at the end of November. I feel a bit chaotic in my head right now as if I need to write down a list of all the things I have to keep up with and should not forget. Maybe I will make such list right away with all the tasks that need to be done. See you in December! :)

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*between the shiny grasses

Just some photos from those golden October days that we had, when I was collecting walnuts and taking some time to read between the shiny grasses. 

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*Fleeting fall memories

{Music: Quiet Resource – Evelyn Stein}

Oh, I forgot to post this little movie here. It contains just some more fall moments that I gathered here and there, of the first frost, breathtaking sunrises and moments in the forest. Nature feels more and more ready for her well-deserved winter sleep.

How was your first Advent weekend? To be honest I was not even aware for almost the whole weekend that it was the first Advent already! We made a long forest walk where I collected some spruce branches and I thought I will have a full week time to make the advent wreath, but when I noticed that it was already the first Advent I decided to make one straightaway and I am really happy how it turned out. It's always so nice to see with how little expenses you can make really beautiful things! I used walnuts and snail shells to decorate it. (Pictures will follow) 

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*let's bloom book project

Everything in me said YES when Marina from @serendipity.create asked me last spring to be part of her coffee table book project. The idea was to let 50 different artists paint their unique version of anemone flowers and give them also a bit of space to answer some questions and share their websites. It was the very last painting I made before I got so sick again and it feels so nice to finally see the finished book just when I started to get back to more regularly painting again. The book turned out even nicer than expected with it's beautiful cloth binding and it gives the opportunity to get to know so many artists at once. It's really a wonderful adding in my book shelf. If you are interested in getting your own copy or get it as a gift, please visit Marinas little webshop!

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*warm light & cold wind

This week went by so quickly, I don't have a lot to tell, I worked a lot and when we had no electricity for five hours, I finally took my time to write a letter and also I prepared some surprise packages for dear ones which I loved doing! I also received some really nice mail and the book that we chose to read in the book club. It is called "Der Winter des Bären" ("The way past winter") and has such a beautiful cover. If the story is half as nice as the cover, it will be an awesome read! Can you believe that Christmas is already in a month? Are you in Christmas mood yet? Every now and then I step into it, especially when we had the first snow and when I see all the wintery illustrations and photos from fellow artist.

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*all the leaves are brown | part 2

I spotted this weathercock on a roof on one of our walks and I find it so charming! I don't see weathercocks very often anymore, but they call up good feelings in me, of a rural and idyllic world. Similar to winter chimneys with smoke or freshly baked cookies! I'm pretty bad in baking during the year, but as soon as it starts to snow my fingers are itching to bake something. Maybe I will try something new, I got myself a book some time ago with lots of receipts with more natural ingredients that I want to try out. By the way, the snow stayed over night and we could make another really nice long walk in the winter landscape. I got something in the mail that I want to show you soon! Something exciting! So stay tuned :)

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*all the leaves are brown | part 1

I hope you are having a good weekend so far, I have finally my digital camera back after five weeks of waiting and I'm really happy to be able to film again and make pictures of my ceramics. It was actually the perfect timing as it started to snow yesterday in the evening and today all was white outside in the morning and we made a long walk in the forest and all the brightness was a really nice contrast to the last foggy and dark days. The air felt so refreshing and everything tastes better after such a nature walk, don't you think? I still have many autumnal pictures to share and some film material that I have not shown yet, and I also used my phone for filming at some point as this time of the year is just my favorite when it comes to filming and photographing. But my phone is unfortunately also dying now, it is not the best year when it comes to technical things for me! Anyway! I hope that you are doing well and I wish everyone who is struggling right now a lot of strength!

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*about fading colors and fallen leaves

Dies ist des Herbstes leidvoll süße Klarheit,

die dich befreit, zugleich sie dich bedrängt;

wenn das kristallne Gewand der Wahrheit

sein kühler Geist um Wald und Berge hängt.

Dies ist des Herbstes leidvoll süße Klarheit…

{Christian Morgenstern}

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*a little list of happiness

• making gifts

• the smell of books

• a giant full moon

• kind words from a dear person

• meeting up with the book club girls

• dew drops on spider webs

• misty forests

• a beautiful thrifted poetry book

• collecting snail shells

• starting a new crochet project

• apple-cinnamon tea

• silence

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*Golden days & autumn winds

{Music: The Wisp sings – Winter Aid}

I still don't have my camera back, in the meanwhile they sent it from Germany further to Portugal. I don't know what I should think about that, but I hope that at some point I will get it back and it will be really repaired. Last time they sent it back to me without having solved the issues, which was really frustrating. It seems services are getting worse. But I still have some video material left, especially from the beginning of October when we had lots of golden days. Everything was shining and glowing in the wonderful autumn sun and it was so nice to simply be outside, making walks through the colorful fallen leaves, reading books, collecting lots of walnuts and letting the wind come into the home to clear away all worries. Today is very foggy again and the birds were already waiting for me in the very early hours for giving them some bird seeds.

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*a new morning | part 2

Last week I managed to clear out the greenhouse, harvested the last "inka cucumbers" which tasted really fantastic, collected some more seeds and we made the garden fountain winter-proof. And (drum roll) I finally loaded the kiln and was not even able to fit in all the items I had prepared. It is still hard to calculate somehow for me. Now it's time for glazing and painting, surely one of my favorite parts! Have a good start into the new week!

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*a new morning | part 1

Waking up early and feeling the coziness of this new autumn morning. Enjoying a cup of tea while the first hesitant sun beams are merging gently with the morning dew drops on the tops of the shimmering grasses. A glimpse at everything beautiful that surrounds me, while a deep peace settles in my heart. The day is still untouched and full of hope and unwritten memories.

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*talk to the moon

Talk to the moon or even the sun,

both will tell you,

It's ok to disappear

when things don't go right.

But it's important to come back

and spread your light.

{Shreya Maurya}

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