Winter Landscape with Deer
On the edge of the nearby forest, a small herd of roe deer scrapes for food under a light covering of snow. I see them often in the woods and fields around the Mill , usually in twos or threes. In this painting a larger group has emerged from the shelter of the plantation to feed .
It is early Spring and the first flowers of the year, the snowdrops and aconites are fading already. Large flocks of Redwing continue to rake across the nearby fields, rising with a whoosh as I skirt the perimeter each day, their raucous calls and noisy, flashing flight alive with life and chatter. The flock distributes itself among a couple of tall oaks that line the old stone dyke along the Eastern edge of the field. The air is alive with their loud twittering as they wait for me to pass. Soon they will swoop down on the half-cultivated ground once more to forage when the perceived threat has passed, although I would never wish them harm! These large flocks have remained here throughout the winter this year instead of passing though as normal to strip the last of the berries in late autumn. Soon they will head off to their summer breeding grounds in Scandinavia, Iceland and, in our warming climate, even as far North as southern Greenland. The fields will seem quieter for their passing.
Preparations are well underway now towards ‘Spring Fling’, Dumfries and Galloway’s open studios event which is being held from 25th-27th May 2024. I am among many lovely artists along the ‘Pink Route’. The only downside is that the studio needs a major tidy-up and re-arrange before then. It’ll be good for me though – and for the studio!