The Warmest, Brightest Sunny Day so far this year - NETHER! - Aye for sure it was......

 "Karen Morton -artist from Holme busy  painting the "Nether Bridge" from the side of the River Kent in Kendal today"
Click over to enlarge photo

Wednesday 10th June 2015 - Walking the Banks of the River Kent in Kendal today 1030hrs to 1230hrs.

Dropped the boss off at the Kendal Leisure Centre, so just thought I will have a stroll and see what I find.  Just approaching Kirkbie Kendal School, I noticed in the walls near to the roundabout lots of the fern Asplenium, but 99% was the commoner Maidenair Spleenwort, but on examining more closely I did just find one little clump of the rarer "Ceterach" or also known as the Rusty Back Fern. So GPS out of my pocket and fern noted for the local fern "recorder".

A small clump of Common Bistort caught my eye when I looked over the wall on the banks of the Kent. There were lots and lots of other flowers as well.  The water was like "gin" as clear as that! half expecting to see a resting Salmon or Sea Trout, after all I do see them at this time of the year further down the Kent at Levens where there is "Salmon ladder", so they must be coming through here OK. but none for me to see today.

The next stop was overlooking the "Nether Bridge" where I could see at least 8 Mute Swans in the distance.  But then a lovely surprise to see a Dipper which flew direct and under the bridge where I was stood. I think the last Dipper I "dipped in!" (pardon the pun!) with was again on the Kent but down at Sedgewick a couple of years ago.

The day was the best so far this year, lovely glorious warm sunshine without that underlying cold breeze, for the first time it did feel like summer. 

Just below "Abbots Hall" I was pleasantly surprised to see artist Karen Morton busy at it painting the Nether Bridge (see photo above), I was drawn and captivated immediately by her work, so detailed, colourful and warm. You could see she was really enjoying putting the oils to canvas. Karen told me she came from the USA a few years ago and settled in the nearby village of Holme. She is very busy at the moment attempting to paint by portrait 100 of the Holme residents, and hopes to have all the portraits finished in time for her exhibition to show them all at the Holme Memorial Hall on the day after Boxing Day - December 27th 2015, I must put that in the diary before I forget!  If you would like a small preview of some of Karen's portraits then click on this link

I carried on I wanted to have a coffee at the small riverside cafe which has chairs outside.  It was nice to sit here and chill and count the Swifts overhead, I had at least 16 birds taking advantage of this good weather and the insect feast it brought with it.  Also there where plenty of Martins and Swallows.

I must have received inspiration, (but to be honest! it was my original intention) to get comfortable with my coffee and then pencil my outline of the Miller Bridge along with all its surrounding foliage, and try somewhere to incorporate the Swifts.  If I do manage to get it painted and it reaches my approval I will put it on here shortly. If it does not then I will quickly come back on this blog and delete this current paragraph.