I worked out last week that I’ve now done over 245 days-worth of ‘random acts of wildness’. Looking back, I’m really glad I documented them all and I can see that it’s done me a world of good over the past 36 weeks. I hope I can keep it up despite the faster pace of life once again!
With that in mind, it’s definitely fair to say we’re storming through September and this week brought some artwork, along with other highlights, including:
🍁 Autumnal colours
🦋 Magpie moths
🌸 Common borage on a hot, sunny walk
🦆 Tufted ducks in Stratford-on-Avon
I hope you enjoy the read – thank you very much 😊
Monday 13th September 2021
I’m really aware of how dry the ground is at the moment. I thought this on my canal adventure in August too. It’s been so odd to have such humid weather and yet such dry fields. I took these photos on a walk through the meadow this afternoon. The field had lovely green peas in it at one point. I’m not sure why but the peas were just left to dry and wither (helpful for crop rotation?) Believe it or not, this track gets proper muddy in winter. That’s right. Not just muddy. Proper muddy. It’s difficult to believe that right now. I really hope it’ll turn green again.
Tuesday 14th September 2021
Time for a bit more colour! I put the final touches on a birthday postcard for a work friend this evening. I’ve really enjoyed tweaking my flowers design and I just had to add some pumpkins to this one – she’s growing some amazing pumpkins in her garden! The postcard is ink on watercolour.
Wednesday 15th September 2021
I had a lovely late afternoon walk today. It was just around the meadow and then on the road towards town. The orange leaves on some horse chestnut trees really struck me and made me realise that, though I’m not looking forward to shorter days, I’m really look forward to the autumnal colours that are heading our way. I definitely didn’t appreciate them enough last year!
As I walked up the road, I suddenly spotted an interesting-looking beetle. According to an app on my phone, it’s a devil’s coach horse beetle. I wasn’t sure if it was definitely alive at first so I gave it a teeny tiny nudge and it’s abdomen reared up above it like a scorpion!
Thursday 16th September 2021
Another artwork day. I’m trying to get back into the routine of focusing on some art for a little each day. I’ve been working on this magpie moth for quite a while and I finally finished it this morning before work. It was inspired by a magpie moth I saw a couple of months ago in the garden. I’d never heard of a magpie moth before this encounter – it’s amazing how colourful moths can be. Apparently the oranges and yellows on this moth are to warn predators that it taste pretty nasty!
This piece is pencil on watercolour. I painted the watercolours across the moth as a base layer and then added detail with pencils.
Friday 17th September 2021
I’ve been reading quite a lot about twaite shad recently (as you do). There’s a project along the River Severn to create passes around weirs and other obstructions so that these fish can finally return to their old breeding grounds. When my partner and I walked along the Kennet & Avon Canal in August, I remember wondering how on earth fish manage to get around the barriers (locks, weirs, etc) that we’ve created. Turns out many can’t. When the project is done, the shad will be able to spawn in their old territory for the first time in around 170 years.
Saturday 18th September 2021
A friend from work visited me this morning and we went for a lovely walk around Shipston with her beautiful dog. It turned into a rather warm day and I was very pleased with myself knowing that, unlike my usual self, I’d remembered to put some suncream on!
The fields are still very dry but we walked through a lovely meadow on the way – there were lots of purple flowers in this field, along with large white butterflies fluttering about in between. I think the flowers were common borage.
Sunday 19th September 2021
As the rain lifted this morning, we stormed into Stratford-on-Avon on the X50 bus. The bus only comes through Shipston about 5 times on a Sunday but we had a river boat cruise and afternoon tea to get to – a Christmas gift from my partner’s brother.
I think my partner and I were both a little apprehensive about the weather when we woke up. It was pretty horrid. But, to our delight, the sun shone for almost the whole time we were out. It made the 30-minute river cruise particularly enjoyable – the light twinkled on the river and the mute swans and greylag geese frolicked about along the whole width of the Avon. A couple of tufted ducks, with their bright golden eyes, stood out from the crowd as they chilled on the water too. It was lovely.
*For anyone new to my blog, let me explain a bit more about what these posts are about. Every week I share a summary of my daily ‘acts of wildness’. This wildlife challenge was inspired by ’30 Days Wild’ and ’12 Days Wild’ from The Wildlife Trusts. The ‘356’ isn’t a typo – typically, I only thought about doing this after 2021 had already started so I won’t be able to do a full year this time. Next year will be different though! Thank you and I hope you’ve enjoyed the post!
Ramblings of a (very!) amateur artist 
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