Whispering Earth

It’s been a very long time since I’ve been active on this blog and first of all I would like to apologise to anyone who has left a comment that I haven’t responded to. It’s been my intention for a long time to write more regularly but I never quite seem to manage it!

I would love to share some new projects I’ve been working on as well as some snippets of May time beauty.

It’s been wonderful to enjoy the sunny weather and I’m also looking forward to the much needed rain that’s scheduled to arrive this week. The hawthorn blossom has been remarkable this year, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen it quite so full and abundant.

Hawthorn is such a remarkable tree in so many ways: medicinally in its capacity to heal our hearts; as a wild food; in its rich folklore and also for its wildlife, feeding caterpillars with its leaves, pollinators with its flowers and birds and small mammals with its berries.

This is my hawthorn booklet, available in my Etsy shop here and full of fact, folklore and original illustrations celebrating this remarkable little tree.

My dog Jampa and I have been loving roaming in the bluebell woods and gathering up on the Downs. Maytime truly is one of the most beautiful moments in the year.

I’ve also been working on illustrations for some other books that have been published in recent months.

First is Bird Tales, written by Dawn Casey in collaboration with the RSPB and illustrated by me. I absolutely love illustrating birds, there’s something about their bright eyes and the layering of their plummage that makes them one of my favourite subjects.

Second is Co-Creating with Nature by Pam Montgomery. I painted the Mandala used on the cover of this book and provided line illustrations of different herbs for the inside.

I have prints and cards available of many of my illustrations in my Etsy shop and for the next two weeks the profits from everything sold will be donated to help three families in Gaza who I have been in regular contact with over the last months. Life is unbelievably challenging for them and anything we can do to lighten the load and remind them that they matter is worth doing. I will include a free notebook with every order too as long as stocks last!

With prayers for peace, liberation and the deep healing of our world. Lucinda.