Above the Mists

It is a stunning morning here on Dartmoor now that the early morning mists have lifted. I took this picture from one of my favourite walks along the Hunters path below Castle Drogo which you can just see on the top right of the picture. I love the view from up here especially with the mists hanging in the Teign valley below. Note the Gorse which is in full flower, it never seems to have stopped flowering as its been so mild. Also the Herb Roberts & Pink Campions are still flowering now joined by early Primroses, Celandines, Snowdrops, Violets etc......Spring is on the way!

Hare Painting

Here is a picture of my latest oil painting of three hares running beneath a moonlight sky. I think I will call it Moon Shadows. I am now working on a Three Hares oil painting here in my studio in Chagford, it is nice at the moment as the town is quiter than usual and I can get on without too many interruptions.

January Floods

So far this year has been very, very wet and yesterday was really wild. The river Teign here in Chagford was so high it almost touched the tops of the arches on Rushford and Dogmarsh Bridge and flooded over the fields almost lapping the walls of Mill End! The bullocks in the field beside the river looked rather confused as their grassy space got smaller and smaller!

Honeychurch

This is a picture of the inside of the remote little church at Honeychurch, which is very aptly named for this tiny 12th century church is just so sweet. It has medieval wooden pews and a wall painting in the nave that is possibly the Royal Arms of Queen Elizabeth. It is a short walk from the village I now live in Sampford Courtenay.

December Daffodils

I was surprised to see these wild daffodils out in an orchard on a walk in the village of Exbourne, I don't think the Chickens were that impressed though! It has got a lot colder during this week and the tops of the Moor are today white with snow.

Redwings

There are masses of Redwings and Fieldfares about now, a real sign of cold weather. They are in large flocks stripping the hedges of their winter berries, I just wish more farmers would leave their hedge cutting till after the berries have gone. Here is a watercolour of mine of Redwings with Sloe berries.

GOLDCREST

There are quite a few Goldcrests about at the moment, they are one of my favourite birds, just so tiny. I have been watching them flitter amongst the Gorse bushes beside the Hunters path below Castle Drogo. Here is a picture of one of my watercolours of a Goldcrest