With a beautiful blue and cloudy sky I was looking for Swifts as the Swallows , House Martins and Sand martins are already are here. Alas no sign of them yet although it occurred to me that even without them it was a beautiful subject and so it became the subject for week 17.
A rather dull and slightly cool Saturday morning down at Southwold looking out across the sea.
After a few weeks of warmer spring weather this is feeling a little more like winter and this is reflected by the darker grey sea. This makes you realise how much the sea responds to the weather.
This week has seen spring unfold with the Oak trees leaves starting to fill out the trees with that distinctive fresh colour. The edges of the cart path are tinged with the pale yellow green of the Alexanders and the hawthorn trees and Blackthorn now fully leaved whilst the fields either side are still brown and empty waiting for this years crops to break the surface..
Great to come back to Whin Hill where I did my sketch last year for Look East with Mike Liggins, I always said there would be a colour version. I was volunteering again on the reserve doing some maintenance work on my Red Deer scupture which is just outside the Discovery center. Spring if now in full force with the great weather.
Looking north up the beach from Covehithe towards Benacre with my gallery assistant Pippa (my dog), she certainly enjoyed the walk and loves the beach and sea. I love the ever changing cliffs here as they are constantly eroded away by the high tides. Walking along the cliff top the other week towards Benacre it was fascinating to see last years path right on the edge at points completely it disappeared off the edge to be seen rejoining some distance further along. Glad to say there is now a warmth to the Spring air which has made painting outside far easier.
