I am eating moons, drinking moons and sleeping moons right now. I am, as you can see, right in the middle of painstakingly hand drawing the diary pages for next year’s 2012 diary. I am nearly cross-eyed with all the data, festivals, void of course bits, and the colouring in of these little lovelies. Days and days of adding a bit more, penning in full moons, dark moons, to an eclectic play list including Martha Tilston, Sigur Ross, Seize the Day, and Carolyn Hillyer.

It was only later on, yesterday evening, when I did actually look into a charcoal grey sky that I saw a nearly full, beautiful white moon, that caught my breath. I have been charting the moons progress on paper, but had forgotten to go out into the fresh air, and directly experience her, floating serenly through fast moving clouds, real and beautiful.

I am planning a celebratory chocolate cake for early next week, when I will hopefully pass the finish line for the pages….and I cannot wait. I do love doing it, but question my sanity each February as I sit down to January 1st!

Wishing you all a real, and big full moon Friday in all it’s wonderfulness!

This dark Imbolc moon brings blue skies and a piercingly bright morning to Stroud.  My world around me still sleeps, quietly dreaming, and so would I be, if it wasn’t for my busy hands that keep wanting to make and make, stitch and paint – easing me out of winter. I learned how to weave on a peg loom, with raw fleece at Fernhill Farm in Somerset. I sat by a fire in Kesty and Martin’s woods and wove ash sticks with wool into a Brigids cross. And I have started the artwork for my favourite little summer festival on the other side of the river – the Space for You camp held by Rainbow 2000.

Our valley – called the Heavens, (and I really must find out why) – is full of these dusty hazel catkins right now. While the rest of our house is being turned upside down by building work and upheaval, these are sitting on my window ledge in the  sunshine, watching the mayhem and sighing at their own completeness and promise. If things don’t settle soon, I am going to hop right up there with them where I can breathe in calmness and yellow-out in my own dusty vision of the world.

Hoping the Imbolc brings you seeds of exciting new ideas in your deepest winter compost!

An exciting and challenging week for the Earth Pathways team – we are gathered at my house in Stroud for our big meet. A chance to catch up, fizz ideas together, brainstorm and share the most delicious food.

Normally we are scattered between Essex, Kent, West Wales, Northumberland, Derbyshire and Wiltshire – each of us beavering away doing our different jobs, pinging emails back and forth – sometimes frantic, sometimes hilarious, often supportive and sisterly. I love these wild women, and it is the most vibrant of times when they upsticks and journey all the way to Stroud to visit.

It is often the small details of the diary that make my heart beat faster – a piece of artwork with a secret story, writing that changes pathways, an email from a reader singing encouragement and gratitude. But it is the bigger picture that inspires – as we start off our 2012 edition we are filled with bubbling up hope and creativity, a sprinkle of naughtiness, and the lovely feeling of having already produced three diaries so far, that people have told us they love.

I am ending a full, heartfelt and chocolate fuelled day with a group of women who always amaze me with their energy, truthfulness and an enormous will to carry on…..so watch this space….here comes the 2012, and the Seed Fund (more of that another time), and who knows what other delicious things……

and all under the Chandalier of All Loveliness. Perfect.

You know, I suddenly thought it might be fun to show you where your Submissions land up when you trustingly send them in the post to us! (that’s when the naughty goblin of post office land doesn’t misdirect them to Iceland or somewhere else inaccessible). Well, they come to me here, at Rowan Tree – our postman is lovely, and if I am out and its raining, will pop them in the greenhouse for safekeeping, where they chat happily with the tomatoes until I return…..hmmmm! You can tell I spend an awful lot of time at home alone.

Then they end up in my little artshed, in the corner of our small garden, and this is where it all begins! Debs, our database Diva, puts them all on file and onto c.d’s. You will meet her sometime, I will get her to send a picture of her and the very lovely Harry (normally seen bouncing on her hip). Eventually all of the Earth Pathways team meet up in December – they come to me in Stroud and bring delicious food and plenty of chocolate. We all squeeze in to our house, and have a very wonderful time looking through what you’ve sent……what a great job!

Thank you everyone, for so generously sending us your art, writing, photos, and poetry – it is so so appreciated! If you havn’t sent us anything, and would like to – there’s still time – click on the Contribute button at the top of this page!