River Cottage

This is how I decided to spend my Saturday evening, painting this landscape of an English country cottage using watercolours on English cotton paper. This is my first attempt, I shall try again.
I saw this scene flash by on the television a few months back, it was a part of the opening titles for a program called 'River Cottage'. I was so impressed with this beautiful image I decided to do a quick sketch and tonight have painted it from memory.
I would love to own an old stone cottage like this, white-washed, with deep window sills and white paned windows.
How lovely to be situated on the side of a gently sloping hill which reaches down to a pristine river or stream where one can hear the water flowing by. To take in the fresh air and soft fragrance of the meadows and fruits and flowers from the orchards.
To walk over undulating hills of meadow grasses of different textures and softness and hues of green, scattered with white and yellow wildflowers.
To pick wild apples from some ancient tree and berries growing within the hedgerows. Listening to the birds singing who have nested in the hedges and trees ... this sounds like perfection to me.

Watercolour painting by Dianne D ... ♥
Please enlarge for a better view.

Haiku Monday : Treasure

Dew drops suspended
On a trapeze of cobwebs
Sparkling morning light


Golden memories
Of sun shining through the leaves
Cathedral of trees


On my window sill
Treasured blooms from my garden
Transient beauty


Forest trails of green
Golden light through canopy
Shines to light my path

My dear friend chickory is running her Monday haiku competition and the meme for this week is 'Treasure'. We all find treasure in different things, mine I find in the beauty and wonder that nature gives us...nature in her many manifestations.
A special thank you to all who voted for me.
Voting is now completed and Anya from Aspects of Life was the worthy winner. Congratulations Anya!

Sweet Echoes From The Past

Sweet words wash over me
Like soft breezes in the trees
Words spoken softly
They return to me
Like a sudden found melody
A song of happiness
That I thought I had lost along the way
Sweet echoes from the past. . .

Poem: Dianne D ... ♥
Image: Wallpaperhere

A Fragrant Bouquet

The weather today was quite a mix; it began with a hot sunny morning and a warm blustery wind which persisted throughout the day, well into the afternoon. While I was watering my plants the warm air was scented with the beautiful citrus aroma of the oils from the leaves of the lemon-scented tea tree. It was delightful, so I decided to pick a little bouquet of flowers. I always like having fresh flowers in the house, especially on my kitchen window sill.
So in this small bouquet you will find a mix of spicy yellow and French vanilla marigolds, their scent is divine. The sweet scent of miniature pansies, lemon-scented tea tree and in the small vase the blossoms and leaves of the Lemon Scented Myrtle, a delicious mix. This afternoon the sky became overcast with clouds and a darkening sky, so thankfully now it is much cooler and hopefully it will be cooler tomorrow, perhaps some rain.

Lemon-scented tea tree "Leptospermum Petersonii"

A partially opened flower spike of Grevillea 'Peaches and Cream', with a grey fluffy feather left by a nectar- feeding bird.

Please enlarge images.

When We Two Parted

When we two parted
In silence and tears,
Half broken-hearted
To sever for years,
Pale grew thy cheek and cold,
Colder thy kiss;
Truly that hour foretold
Sorrow to this.

The dew of the morning
Sunk chill on my brow---
It felt like the warning
Of what I feel now.
Thy vows are all broken,
And light is thy fame:
I hear thy name spoken,
And share in its shame.

They name thee before me,
A knell to mine ear;
A shudder comes o'er me--
Why wert thou so dear?
They know not I knew thee,
Who knew thee too well:
Long, long shall I rue thee,
Too deeply to tell.

In secret we met---
In silence I grieve,
That thy heart could forget,
Thy spirit deceive.
If I should meet thee
After long years,
How should I greet thee?
With silence and tears.

Poem - George Gordon Byron, Lord Byron. 1788-1824
Image - The Convalescent (detail) Gwen John. 1876-1939

Happy New Year for 2012

To all of my dear friends and followers to wish you the blessings of love, friendship, peace, health, happiness and prosperity in 2012.
Thank you all for your constant support and wonderful comments here at 'Here is my Heart' throughout 2011.

Much love and best wishes to you all from Dianne.
♡ xoxoxox ♡

Merry Christmas

To all of my friends and followers, to wish you peace and happiness at Christmas as you share this special time with your families and loved ones. Thank you all for your friendship, kind comments and support of my blog throughout the year.

Love and best wishes, Dianne . . . ♡

"With our eyes we see the glow of Christmas
With our ears we hear the merriment
With our hands we touch the tinsel-tied trinkets
But only with our hearts can we feel the miracle of it"

Helen Steiner Rice