South Dalton Church, St. Mary's, East Yorkshire.

12x10 plein air photo from phone a little too reflective and darker than original.

I know, I know, the spire is taller than shown here but it is only a small canvas. Of course, if you are not local then the spire is perfect (;o).
I started late, intending to visit Sledmere House, yet, being short on time found myself here, St. Mary’s Church, South Dalton. I walked into a field of growing wheat which looked almost white in the sunlight, a deep contrast to the deep shadows of the trees. Painted straight onto the canvas, with a small brush, I started with the church, then the sky and lastly, the foreground field of wheat. Overhead, a pair of low flying red kite with twitching forked tails made me pause to admire their colouring as they passed. Ladybirds are now out and about, I spotted one between the embryonic cereal crop of a neighbouring field as I was leaving. At the side of the church, a beautiful terrace of old, vernacular - well, to this area, bungalows are situated. They are enhanced by gorgeous floral displays, residents can sit on their cleverly designed outside porches facing west, thus getting the afternoon sun. In the common front lawn area are several bird feeders and on passing I watched a greenfinch busily taking advantage of the well stocked feeders. Now, I am sitting outside the Pipe and Glass having a coffee, listening to cooing pigeons, singing robins and ....the silence. After coffee I drove home via Etton and Cherry Burton. I had a mission. To visit a farm which has started selling milk direct from the farm. It was recently featured on local television, milk can be bought in one or two litres, in plastic or reusable glass bottles. I have always bought milk in glass bottles, as my former students are well aware, and I wanted to try their milk. It is delicious. So, if interested, the farm is on the Etton Road just outside Cherry Burton. Passing through Cherry Burton, on my way home, I saw a man with his small dog looking at the pond. What was he looking at? I slowed down. At the far side of the pond a large heron was standing, scanning the water for food. Then, when leaving Cherry Burton, near the Old Hall, I spotted a hedgehog on the road - so I immediately signalled oncoming traffic to slow down. Hope it survived. Sorry about the reflections on the picture I will alter it later.