Maple Sun

Maple Sun, originally uploaded by e s c h e r.

Born lucky? Well maybe.

I've been thinking of taking a break or at least slowing down a little as everything has been a bit frantic lately. I just seem to be churning them out (churning is probably the wrong word), but it feels almost obsessive. But then everything I make is true and honest, comes from the heart and means something to me. I blame the weather. It has been so damn nice lately that I loathe to waste good sunshine

When I got up to go to work this morning the weather had certainly changed. After more than a fortnight of no rain (quite unusual in the NW of England), it was absolutely chucking it down. The garden will be grateful and an enforced rest from making anything will do me good. Or so I thought.

Come the afternoon we were back to lovely sunshine and I just can't waste an opportunity.

I have two maple trees in the garden in pots. One produces deep red leaves in Spring and the other pinky/yellowy/orange. They are small and delicate and beautiful. I had in mind yet another circle with leaves pinned to it so that it looked like the flaming sun. Then I was going to enclose it in a box.

After painstakingly pinning the little leaves on the frame they soon became limp and wouldn't stay upright. This wasn't going to work but ignoring what I knew to be true I went looking for a patch of sun to take a picture. I found a place and I couldn't ignore it anymore - this really wasn't going to work. 99 times out 100 I get something, to score a blank is rare for me. So, I thought, what I will need to do is prepare another frame with little struts to hold up the edges of the leaves, that might work and in a few days try again.

As I was out in the park anyway I went to recce different spots to see where the sun hit at this time of the evening when the light is nice. I traipsed passed several courting couples on park benches. Fortunately they were embarrased to see me so the score was one each as I faked nonchalance as I was carrying leaves on sticks! What people make of me I do wonder.

Just before I was about to leave the park I tried one more place, nice spot with the sun in a perfect place. It'll be my luck that the sun won't come out again for a while, I thought, but I can make something here and get a good shot when I next have an opportunity.

Then I noticed in front of me a load of Snakeshead Fritillaries planted everywhere. After never seeing any before now I have seen them three times recently. And next I spy a lovely red maple, so I inspected its leaves. Then the killer - lonely on its own in a corner was the most wonderful japanese maple adorned with gorgeous pink leaves that were much more robust and perfect for what I orginally had in mind. Added to that the light was perfect and these pictures are just as they came out of the camera. I didn't have much time as the sun was dropping fast but where I think I have lost something in quick and sloppy construction I made up for it with fantastic contrast.

It has convinced me to not slow up just yet. The last few years we have had lovely weather either side of the summer - April/May and September/October and in between it has rained. So I must make the most of my opportunities as it is quite a while until September.