Seeing the light

Alas, this is the end of my postcards now as we have now left the Lake District and returned to Somerset and, although this marks the end of our trips away, I have one more busy week at home before returning to my studio to paint larger work for galleries and exhibitions.  I have really enjoyed sharing the postcards with you all and it has been lovely reading the emails from the people receiving them.

With lots of time to think when we were out and about on walks and cycle rides,  I have new ideas and hence quite a schedule is approaching in September!   I wanted to share the above photo which is one of many favourites - I noticed the light on the hill, grabbed my camera and stood in awe looking at the amazing light.

Seeing the light can happen in so many ways!   

Postcard 9

Perfect picnic spot!

We have been visiting the Lake District for years and years.....pre marriage, pre children and we've seen some changes over this time!  Today, we visited Ambleside and Grasmere - our one and only attempt from Alan for a bit of retail therapy and we were surprised to find charges to use the public loos in both places - seriously is this British??!

We've seen increased commercialism and noticeably changes to paths for protection to the environment.  But...this little picnic spot, for us, is the "Old Lake District".  We found it by accident last year, it has a gentle, undefined path to the most beautiful, peaceful and unspoilt view towards Ullswater.....

Please don't get me wrong everyone, I still love the Lakes - it will always be very special to us, we've too many happy, funny, and lovely memories and, after all, change is probably inevitable and necessary?

www.kayeparmenter.co.uk

(ps - a little video of the red squirrels is to follow shortly!)

Postcard 8

 Birds in the garden
Still absorbed by the wildlife in the garden, here are two blue-tits and the corresponding postcard!  Sorry if you can't see it too well, I was trying to show it in the surroundings with the feeder in the background.  This is nestling in a patio area very close to the house where so many animals and birds come to visit.  When painting the blue-tits, I did really have to think carefully about the colour - I wanted to paint their chests yellow, but on close inspection, their chests here are only just yellow!  

We have been cycling again today and walking too, trying to dodge the showers and not succeeding, lol!  Thankful we're not camping :-)

www.kayeparmenter.co.uk

Postcard 7

 A Room with a View!

How naive of me to think that I could paint a postcard a day during the summer holidays - all very well in theory!  After a short interlude, here I am again with a gorgeous little fella eating "the nuts in a shell that I can't remember the name of!"  After being in our holiday cottage near Ullswater for a couple of hours we'd seen red squirrels, a wood-pecker, red deer, blue tits, chaffinch, buzzard and many more birds that I'm afraid I'm not sure of the name.  I think Alan mentioned a Nut-hatch??    

Never satisfied, lol,  I still haven't seen the badgers.....although all their peanut butter sandwiches had gone by the morning!

www.kayeparmenter.co.uk

Peek a boo!

Peek a boo!

For those that have noticed there's a little gap with my postcards, thanks for noticing!!  We had the most fabulous week in Cornwall and now I've had a quick chance to catch up with a couple of gallery commitments.  But soon I will be continuing with the postcards and I'm delighted that the people who are receiving them are loving the mini-paintings.   There will hopefully be some Lake District views to see soon.  Last year, I sat out in the garden at midnight in a cottage by Ullswater, with a glass of wine, looking up at the clear starry night and trying to tempt the badgers into the garden with Peanut Butter Sandwiches.  Who knows what will happen this time :-)

www.kayeparmenter.co.uk

Postcard 6

Postcard 6 - Rock-pooling! 

We were saying today, as many people as there are in the sea - there is usually the same number, if not more people in the rock-pools with nets and buckets looking to encourage some grumpy crab from his home!  It's not for me I'm afraid not being too keen on the smell of seaweed and the slimy feel between your toes, but my postcard for today is a sight I've seen many times this week!

The birthday girl has received her ice-cream postcard and seems to have had a lovely day :-)

Postcard 5

Postcard 5:  Sail Away

A boating theme......today's postcard is inspired by watching sailing boats launch and sail away.  We hired a sea kayak yesterday and paddled along the shoreline.  We were lucky enough to see three seals, they were quite curious and seemed quite unconcerned when we stopped to look - a magical day!   

Postcard 1 has been received and they love it :-)

Postcard 4

Postcard 4:  Baby Seagull 

Seagulls generally get bad press, but the baby seagulls have made me laugh today on the beach.  Although physically much larger than their parents, they still follow them round pleading to be fed.  I'm sure the parents must struggle to keep up!

      

Postcard 3

Postcard :  Nice as Ice!

I hope my postcard from today makes you smile.  I bought this ice-cream,  I had visualised a plain white one with a flake and cone, but I was asked for sprinkles and strawberry sauce too!  Fantastic idea.....it gave me a lovely challenge with the drippy pink colour.  This postcard is for a special friend, it is her birthday in a couple of days and I wish her the happiest of days x

Postcard 2

Postcard: Day 2

Hydrangeas, delicate shades of pale.

Thank you everyone for commenting to my blog post yesterday and for thanks too for saying that you like my idea of painting a postcard a day to send to someone special.  I'm loving looking for inspiration and have had "two first-time" experiences today.....firstly I saw a a beautiful rainbow over the sea, and I'll share the other on a future postcard :-).  Hopefully the recipient of the first painting will receive it soon!

Postcard 1

Postcard 1

For the next few weeks, I'm hoping to paint a postcard a day and send it to someone special - hopefully you can follow my progress here on my blog!  

Postcard 1 is the view form a garden in Cornwall - this view is so inspiring and can be seen in a different light many times throughout the day.  Hydrangeas and daisies are lining edges to paths and the countryside is rich with deep green colours.   Although it is now late evening and dark here, I can see the cliffs to the left of this photo (out of sight here) are illuminated as producers and a team film the new movie "About Time"!