BLOG about PAINTING

It was another windy day today, but I refused to confined to the house. I wrapped a scarf around my head and neck - geekiness be damned! - and went out for a walk. When it blows like this, the harbour/river mouth is very turquoise in the sun with dark patches of shadow. I did a quick sketch, again trying to work swiftly and loosely. I like the looseness, but it's not nearly intense enough.

Mahurangi Harbour

That's Mahurangi West across the water... West, but it's actually south of Mahurangi East. To get there is quite the drive, You have to go north and west to Warkworth, then head back south and east. By car, it takes at least 40 minutes. I imagine that you could row across in 20 minutes or so.

TODAY'S TIDBIT

One of the joys of being here is seeing all the weird and wonderful plants that grow everywhere. Not only is this a very benign climate, there seems to be very a deep overburden. Lots of soil, though I don't know how rich it is.

Here's the flower of one plant that started blooming a couple of weeks ago. The leaves look rather like Yucca, and there are anywhere from one to four great spikes that look a bit like dinosaurs: