First Storm of the New Year...

I watched as the first storm of the New Year came in across the Irish Sea - from warming sunshine and bright blue skies to biting wind and driving snow in less than an hour.

I watched the storm light out at sea, white pillars and angled slashes of light, grey, purple, blue, white clouds, whirling upwards and outwards on the horizon, moving towards me across the sea. At one point the bottom of the storm cloud glowed with rainbow colours faintly – in one spot and only for a few minutes before the grey-white light reclaimed the faintly iridescent hues.

I watched as the storm broke out at sea, pools of white light on the ice green water as the snow began to fall on the waves. I watched for as long as I could - and then from nowhere the wind, ice cold and cutting arrived sticking long needles in my face... time to leave.

Back home, in the warm the snow falling steadily outside, I took out the oils and one of the canvasses that Gaynor bought me for Christmas and dashed down a memory using my new brushes from Asda (really excellent brushes). Another resolution started! I am doing so well.

So here it is – first storm of the New Year. Somehow I doubt that it will be the last.