April's days

Spring was hiding a bit through April's days. Shyly and slowly she is making little appearances. Longer evenings are calling for short walks, every time a little glimpse more of green along the way. Dots of pink and white cherry blossom buds waiting to open. Hinting. Just needing a touch more of sun and warmth. Evening visitors of robins and blackbirds. They are not shy or slow to broadcast the Spring.

Windy. Gaofar. Vindful. Venteux. Winderig. Ventoso

A week of windy days. Windy outside, causing the daffodils to turn and stretch almost down to the ground. Windy inside at my painting desk too where a tiny boat is trying to sail the wind-tossed seas. 

They make it!

When bad weather is good weather

Some snippets from conversations I have heard lately:

Where is the Spring?
It's been a long Winter.
That's a skinny breeze.
Bbbrrrrr!
I normally have my windows and curtains washed before Easter, but this year the weather....
There's no growth. The field is too wet to get the tractor into it.
This weather would put years on you!

Still though, this spell of Wintry weather is very good weather for painting. Snow and rain outside make for perfect sitting at my painting desk conditions. And this unseasonal weather is also very apt for reading Endurance,  true story of survival.  28 men (among them Irishman Tom Crean) drifting, after their boat was crushed by ice,  for over a year on the unknown, ice-packed Antarctic seas with no way of contacting the outside world. Very inspiring story of how they overcame seemingly unsurmountable obstacles.

It makes this present cold spell seem not too bad after all!

February, 28 skies come and gone (where do they go?)

February skies. Soft and blue and misty. Fringed with branches beginning to bud pinkly pale and unfurl leaves greenly. Then, for a few days, cold skies filled with flurries of snow.  Lengthening light in the evenings and soft sunsets at February's end.

There's great drying out

Blathín (Blaw-heen, little flower in Irish) hung the washing out on the line to dry the first day Spring was hinting with a blue sky and a mild breeze. Though the ground was still damp beneath her feet, she could hear a hundred voices of Springtime - birds twittering, branches rustling. Oak catkins swaying. Tiny little buds appearing.

Pancake Tuesday

Pancakes anyone?! Ingredients are cadmium yellow, yellow ochre and burnt umber ;)

Bye bye January sky

January brought 31 skies. Tints of paynes grey, burnt umber and ultramarine blue. Many shades of greys and whites, sending watery tones of drizzle, downpours and sleet. Occasionally a glimpse of brightness to come on the clearing western evening skies. February is on the doorstep. What colours will she bring?