Of All The Things...

 My hand beaded Bonsai
 
This has been a very odd week, full of a vastly differing experiences. For a start, I haven't been feeling great and that fact alone seems to affect my workload.

But... and this was a big one... I managed to finish one of my latest projects, the beaded bonsai tree you see above. It is entirely my own design, (although I must admit that the film Avatar influenced me greatly) It is approx 10 inches high and I used masses of the smallest beads I have ever seen. I first got interested in making these trees when I came across a lady in Covent Garden market who made similar trees, using tiny seashells instead of beads. Her trees were beautiful and have remained my constant inspiration. I especially like the notion that they cannot die from lack of attention or daylight. They don't lose their leaves in the winter, and they always look just right! That's an awful lot going for them, right there!

The weather finally decided to behave, so I went on lots of walks to our local pond (its a huge lake really, no idea why they call it a pond!)
It's very peaceful there and I usually get loads of inspiration, but I didn't feel good, so I just sat and watched the ducks. We have been watching a pair of swans this Spring. They built this huge nest and seemed to be sitting on it for ever. But someone said they had seen newly hatched cygnets, so I waited for them to appear. Just when it seemed they would not, I saw a flash of white among the reeds. Then another, and then they sailed into view. They did have some cygnets but for the life of me, I couldn't count them, couldn't even see them properly as they were the same grey colour as the water they were swimming on.
Slowly they came closer and I couldn't believe my luck. I tried to count them again, there seemed to be six or was it seven. Round about then I started cursing that I had not had the foresight to bring my camera. I usually did, but as I said, I wasn't feeling up to much so I hadn't bothered.
Just as I sat there, contemplating what an idiot I was, the male swan suddenly lumbered out of the water and I froze. I knew how protective and dangerous swans could be, and I was barely three feet from him and his beautiful family!
But he ignored me. When his mate lumbered on to dry land, followed with some difficulty by all seven of the cygnets I could hardly breathe. They pottered about for several minutes, inspecting blades of grass and all the babies sat down. They looked a bit tired, very small and so close I could have touched them. But all too soon they left me sitting there with tears in my eyes.
It was the most magical moment, and to say that I needed one right then would be an understatement.

I will be eternally grateful, but will remember my camera next time!