Of course trees were a sacred part of Celtic rituals and I was fascinated to read that in the Celtic language 'trees' meant 'letters' and that Druid colleges were often founded in woodland. 'Beech' is regarded as a common synonym for literature and Druids or poets were called 'oak-seekers' hence the idea that poetry was originally considered magic. Is it a coincidence that oak and beech are the best logs to burn?

The traditional anonymous poem 'Logs to Burn', gives all the advice needed for those of us who love the smell and romance of a real wood fire. There are several versions but this one is my personal favourite.

I have chosen to write it in a simple round hand letter form with a plain serif capital. To continue the rural feel I have used earthy colours for the text, green with bronze/red highlights to emphasise the different types of wood mentioned in the poem. Autumn signals the start of the log burning season and my illustration of leaves with their rich colours reminds us of those shorter days as winter draws nearer, the log fires and cosy evenings with the heady smell of burning wood, how each has its own characteristics. Why the butterfly? I love to include one somewhere in these watercolour illustrations and the Speckled Wood reflects the sentiment of the verse like a full stop to the design.