There aren't many environments where you won't spot a feathered friend. Thriving in the unlikeliest of situations, birdlife brings hope that even the most wilderness-starved corners can host a little of the natural world. In our rushing around, bird song can be something we tune out, or if we do register it, it may not go further than thinking "Oh that's nice." But learning just a few simples tunes and who makes them can suddenly unlock a whole orchestra of understanding, create connection with the more than human world* and bring a little wild just a little closer. The best part is that it doesn't have to be hard!

I use an amazing tool called Birdnet which is an app for iPhone or Android that records the sound and tells you the most likely singer along with links to more facts. Not an ad, I just really love it and use it most weeks!  So you get the joy of tuning your ears to songs, whether they're starting to sound familiar or not, and the instant gratification of an answer.

During lockdown, I watched this 1 minute video BTO series on birdsong, focusing on different birds in an easy and accessible way and would really recommend it. Being blessed with a garden, that window into a bigger world during that difficult time when all our horizons shrank gave so much joy and peace. Just like that first lockdown, early Spring is an excellent time to start to open your ears - birds are tuning up in earnest as they start to lay their claim to breeding territories, and the aptly named Song Thrush can be heard from dawn until dusk (and sometimes at night too!)

Remember that it’s not a test, but becoming familiar with just a couple of feathered friends will open up a whole new world of understanding and connection. So instead of hearing bird song and just thinking "oh that's nice," you can think, "I can hear a surprisingly loud wren even though they're so tiny and camouflaged I can't spot them."

“A sky filled with tiny, twinkling lights is one thing, but a sky filled with other worlds is quite another. Deeper understanding confers that most precious thing - wonder.”
- Professor Brian Cox

Oh and I’m working on a garden bird collection at the moment, hopefully coming soon!

* This phrase is often used by We Are Stardust - a small business hero of mine who also blends science and beauty.

Just to let you know that I'll be out of the studio from 10-28 March on another creative break, so any orders placed in this window will be sent when I return. This might be useful to know if you were hoping to buy something for (UK) Mother's Day, which is 19th March this year - smack in the middle of my break! So if you've had an eye on something for the Mumma figure in your life, please order before 10th March so that it will arrive in time!

I hope 2023 is treating you all kindly so far! It's starting to feel a bit more Spring-like here in Herefordshire - we've even enjoyed lunch outside in the sunshine!

Thank you so much for all your orders this year. I have done everything I can to get them to you in time for Christmas, including upgrading postage to send first class or via courier at no extra charge to you. Unfortunately, sometimes things still take longer than they should for reasons outside of my control, and I'm very sorry if that means that your order hasn't arrived in time for the big day. In anticipation of this, I have put together a free printable voucher for you to prepare in plenty of time, just incase. Just take a screenshot of the inky loveliness that you've chosen for someone special to cut out, click the voucher below to open a high quality version to download, and still have something thoughtful to give on the big day. Hopefully your order will be with you very soon, but please don't hesitate to get in touch if there are any issues in the new year. Merry Christmas!

Shop good, do good, feel good
As usual, I'm avoiding the usual Black Friday price-slashing in favour of something kinder and more sustainable. For every single item ordered on katemoby.com, I'll buy one item for the Hereford Food Bank, which feels like a positive thing to do on a weekend that can be a little overwhelming. But that's not all!

Hopefully together we'll be able to buy loads of food, but the treats don't stop there. As a thank you for you too, for every order over £10 I'll pop in an Inky Animal A4 unframed print worth £15 - my most generous freebie yet! You can add a note at checkout if you have a favourite animal (click here for a reminder of designs, no alphabets I'm afraid), otherwise I'll add one at random. I don't want anyone to be left out though, so orders under £10 will have a bundle of postcards worth £5 instead. No code needed, free UK shipping as usual, offer runs from now until 11:59pm Monday 28th November. Let's add some colour to Black Friday together.

This months book list! Some books that I have loved about the optimistic power of the natural world to mend itself and us, how to connect with it more, and why we need the wild to not only survive, but to thrive.

Wilding: The Return of Nature to a British Farm by Isabella Tree
Inspirational, accessible, but above all optimistic. I think it will be one of those books that I read again and again.

Losing Eden: Why Our Minds Need the Wild by Lucy Jones
Both meticulously researched and deeply personal, this book explores our long lived, but often lost connection to our natural environment. The fruit of that research are methods, data and real solutions for improving mental health, physical wellbeing and happier societies. A powerful book.

Philip's Stargazing 2023 Month-by-Month Guide to the Night Sky by Nigel Henbest
I buy a copy of this every year - this is 2023's ready and waiting. What's that extra bright star? Oh it's Jupiter. If we go outside on Wednesday night we should see the Perseid meteor shower. A true demonstration of the more you know about something, the more wonderful it can be. As Professor Brian Cox says, “A sky filled with tiny, twinkling lights is one thing, but a sky filled with other worlds is quite another. Deeper understanding confers that most precious thing - wonder.”

The Long Spring: Tracking the Arrival of Spring Through Europe by Laurence Rose
I read this at the beginning of the pandemic, and choosing to be aware of Spring emerging and the hopefulness of new life was definitely a calming influence. A beautifully poetic, bird focused pilgrimage.

Rewild Yourself: 23 Spellbinding Ways to Make Nature More Visible - Simon Barnes
A playful look at easy ways to reconnect to our wild side in our original surroundings - the natural world. Now I always carry a plastic bag in my backpack so I can sit and dwell in nature no matter the conditions.

Fingers in the Sparkle Jar: A Memoir by Chris Packham
This book is beautiful, challenging, at times disturbing, but always vibrantly alive. Chris Packham allows us inside his mind and experience of growing up with Asperger's and you won't leave unmoved.

Clicking on each book cover or title above will take you to an ethical online bookshop supporting independent UK bookshops, where you can read more details about each book and buy if you feel inspired - for full disclosure I may receive a commission if you do buy them, but all reviews are my own honest opinions.

Approximately 3 years and 100 illustrations in the process, I have finally finished my Inky Wildflower alphabet! Celebrating British wildflowers with my usual bamboo dip pen and ink, each print features calm typography with dainty floral hand-drawn illustrations matched to the letter and the option to add botanical information so you can tell your Hawthorns from your Hellebores.

Now that the whole alphabet is complete, I can also offer my personalised name prints in this design, perfect for a new baby, to thank a flower girl or for anyone who loves botanical beauty. I'd love to hear what you think and if there's any products that you'd like your floral name or initials to adorn!

All your orders are so appreciated whenever you place them, but if you were planning on buying something from me this Christmas, I would really advise shopping early if you can. As you can see below, the post is likely to be very disrupted this year, so please do bear that in mind if things are taking longer to arrive. If you need something urgently, I will always do my best to accommodate, so please do get in touch.

I really enjoyed exhibiting in the Arts Market at the Malvern Autumn Festival at the Three Counties Showground over the weekend. I saw lots of friendly faces, the weather was on side, and it was the push I needed to finish my Inky Wildflower Alphabet! I managed to sneak round early on day 2 to have a look myself, the giant vegetables did not disappoint! Click on the image for a little taster incase you're considering visiting another year, perhaps I'll see you there.

I love books.

I've been prioritising time for reading more - as much to escape the screens as anything and have enjoyed putting some lists together of recent favs that I thought might help spark ideas and starting points on a theme. This list celebrates the joys, hardships and revelations that can come from tenaciously putting one foot in front of another.

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn
A beautiful and profound book, written about her experience of walking the South West Coast Path, with homelessness, personal reflection and overcoming hardship woven through. I loved every moment.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Cheryl takes you on both her reflective inward and challenging outward journey, set along the Pacific Crest Trail in America. Tender, amusing and moving. I've not seen the film adaptation, let me know if it's worth a look!

Epic Expeditions by Ed Stafford
Expeditions from history are mingled with modern explorers with an emphasis on their kit lists and experiences. Great for gear geeks and armchair explorers alike.

Two Steps Forward by Graeme Simsion & Anne Buist
A fictional account of walking the Camino de Santiago. An easy read that I enjoyed, but I wasn't captivated, so would love to hear your recommendations for similar themes.

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
You know what you're getting with Bill Bryson - funny anecdotes and social history all mingled together. This one was about hiking the Appalachian Trail in America.

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
A moving account of one man's ultimately tragic journey to question everything that modern society accepts as "normal life".

Clicking on each book cover or title above will take you to an ethical online bookshop supporting independent UK bookshops, where you can read more details about each book and buy if you feel inspired - for full disclosure I may receive a commission if you do buy them, but all reviews are my own honest opinions.