Red Sky, Red Soil, White Grass, Scented Myrtle....

Tonight I was out at dusk in one of my favourite Birch woods...ssshhhh.....not telling where it is....

.....the purpose to gather the last of the season's Purple Moor Grass - left any longer and the leaves become fragile, gathered too early and it's still attached to the plant and is less easy to harvest. As the UK's only deciduous grass it's nice to take advantage of it's leaf dropping properties by gathering simply by running your hands through the tussocks. You can see the gathered grass drying in my studio here: studio blog.

Tonight the wood was full of roosting Rooks worried by my presence and giving me a swift fly by, the sky was red and the shallow stream was brighter than ever with the special Iron fixing bacteria. I've gathered the Iron slime here before and it makes a strong painting pigment - perhaps I should try it for dying my basketry materials?

It's great to see the woodland being managed well to increase the marshy area and encourage many of the special plants that are quite rare on the Isle of Wight. Bog Myrtle, Hair Moss, Ling Heather and various sedges whilst common just over the water in the New Forest struggle to find acidic soil habiats on the island.

Below some pictures from the same spot last November, Bog Myrtle still in leaf and the Moor Grass only just turned and pretty soggy!

Comments

[craig ratcliff]

Lovelly seasonal blog, tim. Interesting and as ever beautiful photography.

[indiana]

glorious images here...was directed to visit by a friend, glad i came.