Munchkin Pumpkins are beginning to appear in the shops to remind us that Halloween will soon be with us. More importantly, it also means that the rich Autumnal colours of the landscape will soon be brightening up our days. The leaves are already turning, and all we need is a little more sun to show the colours at their best.

Despite a rather wet Summer, our grapes have obviously enjoyed the conditions, and have done better than we imagined. OK, so there may not be enough to make a bottle of wine, maybe not even a glass, but it is the first time we have ever had enough to be able to call a BUNCH. There are a few smaller nearly- bunches too. Cheers !

As the rain falls in sheets, instantly causing roads to flood, gutters to overflow and schools to close, it is good to be transported back a couple of weeks to Ayrshire, itself no stranger to a wet summer this year, and remember a day warm enough to enjoy a walk along the banks of the water flowing peacefully beneath the small bridge.

We’ve been away for a bit of a break in a remote part of Scotland, where we managed to dodge some of the showers to follow the walks, some on the flat, others not so much. This is a lodge to a private estate, and the way over the bridge took us through some woodlands alongside the river.

Now it’s a matter of getting back into the routine and the start of classes again this week.

My Sunflowers, which I have painted a few times now, are starting to show a bit of wear and tear, though still very presentable, and this sketchbook page shows then in a stoneware jar. They still have a few days to go, so I hope I will be able to sketch them a few more times before they collapse completely.

After a wet start to the week, last Thursday was warm and windy, but good enough to sketch at the allotments, where there was enough subject matter – combined with a little artistic llicence- to keep everyone happy.

Sunflowers always brighten up the day, and apparently they remind us of Hope and Optimism in difficult times, and we could all do with a bit of both wherever in the world we are.

These are supermarket flowers and I’m hoping to do a series of sketches over the next week. I always find the first in a series is a bit stiff, and it takes a few attempts to get closer to what I want.

Typically, after wall to wall sunshine, the day I took the class out on location, it was cloudy and breezy, and someone somewhere actually lit a bonfire which of course blew in our direction! Mind you, it was probably just as well, as we could sit out without the fear of sunstroke. The heritage centre is conveniently near our usual location. It pays to have a walk around and see things from a different angle and consider how much you can realistically manage in the time available. Sometimes a few small sketches can be more valuable than a full-blown painting.

The original church building fell into disrepair after a new one was built in the early 1800’s, but was restored during the 1990’s. Today it stands overlooking fields which are the home of grazing horses, but which was once the site of the ancient village destroyed by fire in 1684.

Bales are appearing in the fields around here, which always cheers me up, as it’s usually a sign of better weather and the chance to spend more time outside. Sometimes, they are glimpsed in the distance, and once they are tracked down, there is absolutely nowhere to leave the car. As many roads around here are narrow, simply abandoning it on one side isn’t an option. Happily, we are well endowed with footpaths and access to open spaces. Very lucky, I know. Here, I sat in the shade of an old barn to paint the first bales of the season in a Moleskine 5×8 inch landscape sketchbook.

Four of us braved the uncertain weather forecast and went painting at Chastleton House yesterday. We ended up having to dodge a few showers but were able to sit in the gardens for quite a while before they interrupted us. The best moment for me was when a small and slightly scruffy Robin came and perched right on the corner of my sketchbook as I was painting. I managed to have a conversation with it before it hopped, skipped and jumped across the top of the page and flew away to see what others were doing. Moments like that can only happen when sitting outside and remain with one for ever.