Friday 15 July 2011

Childhood Memories

The Poet Reclining by Marc Chagall (1915)

Chagall painted this work remembering the Russian countryside where he and his wife Bella spent their honeymoon.  Whenever I look at this painting I'm immediately transported to my grandparent's farm,where until the age of seven, I spent many happy and carefree holidays. The field where Tommy the horse lived looked much like this,behind
the farm buildings and backing on to a wood of fir, birch and rowan.


   The farmland as it is now. These photos were taken when I visited the area in June.


Click to enlarge


Looking towards the hills.


Birch trees beside the trout burn.


The farmhouse, as I like to remember it.


In front of the house is the sole surviving tree of a copper beech plantation which housed a rookery.


The old hump back bridge over the nearby river. It was originally built to carry horse drawn traffic, but went out of use
 with the introduction of heavy motor transport and is now in a state of disrepair.

Wildflower meadow, glowing with buttercups and clover.

Click to enlarge



21 comments:

Charlotte said...

the epitomy of idyllic

Lady Godiva said...

This countryside is soooo beautiful. The water in that stream is just calling to me. I love coming to your blog and looking at the photos of your wonderfully lush land.

Hugs xxxxx

Deborah Lawrenson said...

What you always do so successfully is link art to your natural surroundings. Here, with the added dimensions of time and memory, it's just a delight. I especially love the depth you've captured in the wildflower meadow.

biebkriebels said...

I see you do the same as me, looking back to your childhood and have a look where you have lived before. It will have to do something with getting older. These photo's give me a happy feeling of spending time in such a beautiful countryside. Thanks for sharing.

cosmos said...

Hi Ruby,
What a beautiful memory and pastoral landscapes you have!
Those good old days you spent as a child must have nurtured your love of nature and every living things around you.
The photos here made me feel so nostalgic and peace of mind.
Thank you for sharing, Ruby.

stardust said...

I'm happy for you, Ruby, as you are still able to visit such a nice place of your childhood memory. I, too, have a fond memory of staying at my grandparents’ in the country, where I had a wonderful time with nature,
especially “medaka” (Japanese killifish) in a brook and fireflies in summer. Sadly, the place has turned to a developing housing area with little remnants of the past.

Your photos are superb as always. Flowering meadow is lovely and I like the bridge which looks unpretentious but beautiful, dignified, and impressive at the same time.

Wish you happy days ahead.
Yoko alias stardust

Anonymous said...

Summertime in Scotland, very nice Photo's Ruby from a beautiful landscape and then your memory's from your childhood, it's a poem! I like your links alway's from the art to the reality in your work.

have a nice weekend and many thanks for your comments on my site!

Greetz,

Henk.

Suzanne McDermott said...

Tommy the horse! and a copper beech plantation. The sole survivor must be lonely. Thanks for yet another wonderful tour. I so appreciate these.

Tomoko said...

Hello, Ruby!
Lovely your post makes me smile and happy feeling, Ruby. These are such gorgeous photographs. I like to think of you spent your happy childhood in those nostalgic and beautiful landscapes. Thank you for linking Chagall. Have a great weekend.
Tomoko.

tattina said...

Do faries and elfs still live in this faryland?

snowwhite said...

Ruby, I think, there are some sceneries which evoke nostalgia and tug on our heartstrings very much. When I see patty fields, tea plantations, a small village in mountains and so on, I feel “Oh this is my homeland.” I guess the seceneries in your photos are ones make not only you but also many people feel “This is my homeland.” The poet is dreaming his hometown like yours. Yes, I also was transported to the small town in Kyoto where I was born.
I think that there still you can enjoy the same scenery which you saw in your childhood. It's so good! I love the farmhouse in your photo very much.
Ruby, have a wonderful week!

Forest Dream Weaver said...

Tattina.........but of course!

Anonymous said...

These photos are so dreamy!
So lovely to come over and feel like I'm in a beautiful place.
Love the artist also, very gifted!
Hugs!
Julie

dritanje said...

ah the lovely copper beech and the hump back bridge has an almost Ottoman look to it. A lovely weaving of Chagall and your own memories.
M xx

Lynn said...

Beautiful. Thanks for sharing the tour. That old bridge is charming.

Forest Dream Weaver said...

I'm pleased if this jogged memories of happy times.
Thanks for your comments.

Have a lovely week,
Ruby

Lynne with an e said...

Truly enchanting.

Jenny Woolf said...

How great to have those childhood memories. Wonderful to run wild as a child. I was watching some TV programme in which they took a family back to Victorian times, supposedly. They left out absolutely all the good things - the freedom to roam and the people, and everything. It annoyed me. Of course I know you don't remember Victorian times :) but the point is that the past is not about the details of what you ate and wore, more to do with what you did. Or at least I think so.

Pelageya, русская американка said...

How beautiful! Peaceful and serene.
You are fortunate to have such precious childhood memories. Also, thank you for including the Chagall painting!

Maddie said...

I love your photo's - what a beautiful place. Where was the picture of the Wildflower meadow, glowing with buttercups and clover taken? I would love to visit!

Maddie said...

What beautiful locations and photos. Where was the photo of the Wildflower meadow, glowing with buttercups and clover taken - I would love to visit!

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