Vicarage Farm, Lund Dale, East Yorkshire.

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After a busy morning planting and sowing seeds I decided to head out and paint. I did not travel far, turning off the main road opposite Lund village and stopping at this spot, to see this view, of Vicarage Farm. The sky was very lively as a warm, strong wind blew from the west. I had to set up the easel in the lea of the car to avoid being buffeted by the wind, which was nice for George as he sat at my feet as I painted. The field in the foreground was planted with broad beans which were flowering on short stems. The farm can look rather bleak, standing, as it does, on the crest of an exposed hill. Usually a planted windbreak would provide shelter, but not here. My main notion with this view was to quite crudely paint the animated sky, mixing colours and discovering subtle shades.
The grass verges are full of flowers, cow parsley is now being joined by the hemlocks, known to us as children as, 'Dead Mans Oatmeal'. Once, I recall having the bright idea of making a peashooter. I used a stem of hemlock, which is nicely hollowed, and hawthorn berries as 'peas' . I guess I was lucky to get away with just swollen lips as the sap escaped from the hemlock stem. So, lesson learned..... ah, the benefits of feral education, Rousseau would have approved I think, or as we would say now, experiential learning (;o)
I packed up and took George for a walk along the roadside verges. These have been cut back by about a yard, carefully leaving about four yards uncut. I think this is to help provide cover for partridge and pheasant but also hares and other animals. Indeed as I began to drive to the Pipe and Glass, for a coffee, I saw a Barn Owl ahead, it was flying alongside the hedge hunting. I followed it for about a mile and saw it suddenly swing round, pause, and hover then drop into the grass. I crept foreward, slowly, and could see the top of its body as it held on to something. It took off, wheeled back towards me and I saw it had been successful in it's hunt as it carried off a small mouse. It was probably heading off to feed it's young owlets no doubt, which would explain why I had seen it in daylight at about 6pm.
I arrived at the Pipe and Glass where I did, indeed partake of a coffee before walking George again. It was nice to meet another resident as I walked George who was busy clipping a shrub. We chatted briefly as I admired the lupins and foxgloves, which though biennial, came every year as seeds were always collected and sown.
Back at the Pipe and Glass a dog barked as we passed. I was impressed by the dog cage, it looked very strong with larger than usual grill. A couple sitting outside mentioned it was their dog and we chatted for a short time, George being a beneficiary of the Visla's sausage.