A quiet Sunday paint

The weather was wonderful on Sunday. A bright, if crisp ,morning saw me venture out to paint for an hour or so. I intended to go to Mcgregor's road, but the light was too bright over the plain and it was a washed out landscape and I was in the mood for some color. So I headed south and drove to a quiet little road that I know snakes through a slight valley, offering possible views and painting opportunities. Quite rightly, as I kerb crawled along ,I found my view, pulled over and set up my paints. As I was doing so, Melanie ran past with her dog, both enjoying the advantages of a quiet morning in the country. We said our quick hello's but my easel was freaking her dog out. Admittedly, it does look like a small giraffe, especially with umbrella waving above it!

It was an awful start and I wiped the canvas clean 3 times before I found my stride. I was really getting into things when a cyclist whizzed past me , yelling my name as hello.Maryka, I belatedly realize. Then another two. Giggling. Pieta and Claudi
Claudia.....aaaaah. It dawns on me. I have parked myself on the route of a local Sunday morning bike race!!!!!!!!! And they start streaming past, pelatons of Lycra clad, sunglassed ,super- fast cyclists. Some yell out comments like " you gotta paint fast to get us" and " nice". I hear this a few times as the race follows a circuit and there are a few laps!! I see quite a lot of people I know or rather, they see me and I recognize them mainly by voice. The cycle helmet/glasses/speed thing makes it hard to single out individuals......except for Lesley, whose grin and wildly yellow-green jacket made her quite obvious!!

I had a great morning, in the middle of nowhere, seeing so many friends and neighbors ,painting in the sun and cheering on the Tour De Ngahinapouri . Not the morning I was expecting , way better. The painting needs work!!!!