I am so grateful for all of the support and orders I received over the last few months.
It was clear that many of you really connected with nature and especially the nature in your own backyards. Here in Belfast the city was so quiet during lockdown that the dawn chorus and bird song in general was so noticeable. It was amazing to hear it so clearly.
Interestingly the most popular prints were the humble Sparrow and the bog cotton.
I have always loved the happy chirps the Sparrows make in there little family groups. Although they are pretty common garden birds and may look pretty ordinary compared to many other birds, they have their own special talent of being extremely adaptable and have been found living and breeding 2000 feet underground in a coal mine.
My favourite wildflower the bog cotton has been in season and clumps of it cover the mountains that surround Belfast. This print in particular seems to evoke childhood memories of time spent outdoors during the summer.
We have two types that grow in Irish bogland, the Hare's tail and Common cottongrass. When they are in flower you can tell them apart as the common cottongrass has many flower heads on a single stalk while the other is a single fluffy ball that resembles a hares tail.
Common cottongrass grows in very wet areas and can be a good indicator of areas of bogland that are hazardous to travel through. Hares tail grows in drier parts of the bog and if they have been left to grow undisturbed can be centuries old.
Up to 100 years ago bog cotton was used to make fabric, stuff pillows and make candle wicks.
Take care,
Eimear