Painting 'en plein air' part 2

So, here we go again! Off for more painting in the great outdoors! I decided for my second trip out to go to my beloved river Thames. Going downstream from Henley, there are public footpaths on both sides of the river but one side is far more heavily used than the other. I took the quiet side. My destination was a series of large, very low lying meadows, which are sometimes used for grazing sheep or cattle. One field in particular had always suggested itself; it contained several dead trees, their trunks stripped of bark - they would stand out, almost white against the green of the living trees.

I collected my things together and off I went.

The trees had been cut down!

Not only that but the field had been recently mown and now looked a million other fields.

I decided to stay!

It started raining!

I shouldn't have been surprised; the signs had been there. The forecast was for good weather and I had set off in strong sunshine only wearing a shirt. I was in England!

I decided to stay!

The painting went OK. There were sheep, which always add something and there were still some stacked tree trunks in the middle of the field.

It rained some more and I started to get cold!

I had been wise enough to place myself under a few trees in the corner of the field, so I was under some cover. The sheep realised this and began to move closer... Would they try to claim the trees for their own? Should I embrace one for bodily warmth? What would my father say when confronted with the news 'son found dead clutching sheep'?!

'I'll just get his mother, I'm sure she'd like to have a word with you!'

The rain stopped and on I went. I finished after about two hours - the canvases are only small, 10 x 8 inches - so I packed up and started back. But the day was still young and I had another canvas with me, so I found a view across the river and did a second picture. I include both here for you to see as well as the fully worked up picture from the last blog.

Now what's the forecast for Thursday?