Very very rarely an English summers evening in the countryside there are burnt grasses, shimmering light across the fields, not fading very fast and that waft of intoxicating warmness, utterly dewless, somewhat earthy and full of the day gone by such that it does transport one to more southern climes more appropriate to the Mediterranean –  rather than east devon.

But there we had it as we sat high above the Axe Valley looking south to where the tributary Coly wonders towards the coast and tucked up behind Janey’s  vineyard – so cleverly set sunward and taking up much time and pleasure when the London gallery does not beckon  www.flyingcoloursgallery.com – a must . And in this strangely un-English moment with my friend of painting renown Clare Inskip we quickly pulled the southerly view before being bombarded by thunder bugs that loved the skin. Clare in 20 minutes on the same view as above 

see  www.clareinskip.net  for her wonderful painting tours in well-researched far off places for the ultimate in bespoke trips with like minded souls.