spirals | Wild Daffodil

Back to the beach, rock pools, caves and gentle waves

the baby spuddled amongst the masses of black seaweed, E and my daughter went for a swim and R and I made a labyrinth

When looking for a link to a ‘how to draw a labyrinth’ site for those of you who would like to have a go I came across this site of ‘Peaceful Endeavours’ for children.

I love the way children always run around labyrinths, and R then spent ages making more paths and trails with his spade……

Since about 1989 I have been drawing or creating labyrinths, mandalas and spirals all over the place and walking other labyrinths whenever I can

this is one made out of carob pods in the garden of La Serrania, a retreat centre I went to in Majorca some years ago. I went on a walking holiday, but after half a day walking up a mountain and the second half walking down, my right knee gave way, so for the rest of the week whilst the others went walking, I had a delicious time drawing, sewing, chatting to the gardener and creating carob pod labyrinths

which smelt of chocolate as you walked them

and stone spirals

the gardener had placed this stone on the tree stump and painted a face on it, I did the spirals of stones so that one could walk in to greet your own inner smile!

and then a mandala of carob and olives on the terrace just outside my room.

Back on Solva beach another sand dragon was made,

but the tide was coming in so we had to leave her and walked back along the beach creating stories about the sand dragon swimming off to America when the tide came in and all the adventures she would have along the way……..

Yesterday was a perfect gardening day – no wind, no sun, just pleasant warm weather – the first time for months and months I was happy to garden all day – and I cut the grass for the first time – that must be a record – 21st May!!!

It put me in a pleasantly nostalgic mood, fondly remembering the garden I left in 2005. I had a large orchard and was able to mow a huge 7 circuit grass spiral

It was just wonderful to see the grasses grow and change throughout the seasons. I walked the spiral each morning for about 2 years. Children nearly always ran into the centre and out again, shrieking with joy.

Andy Goldsworthy (one of my favourite artists) says the best way to observe change is to stay in the same place; and watching the grasses grow, in the spiral, and flower and go to seed and notice what bugs and beetles, birds and butterflies were attracted to the grasses at each stage, was a brilliant way to understand what he means.

Early morning dew: