In Praise of Postmen and Postwomen

What is it about Posties? They are always cheerful as they buzz from door to door. Always ready with a smile and joke. Is it that they are outside in all weathers and getting plenty of exercise?  Years ago I lived in the Yorkshire Moors and ran a village post office. I had the privilege of working with a postman called Denis.  He was a bluff Yorkshire man, broke all the post office rules, ran errands for outlying elderly residents on the moors and was unfailingly happy. His breezy presence lifted the dourest Yorkshire spirit. He retired on my watch and when he came round the corner from his last round the entire village was waiting to salute him with cards, champagne and tributes. His wife was in on it and was there too. He was moved to tears and believe me it takes something to make a Yorkshire man cry! He was so loved. God bless you Denis and all Posties.

Feeling Blue?

Usually when someone says " I'm feeling blue " it means they are feeling down, depressed even.

What is the origin of this term? For me feeling grey would be more appropriate or feeling black! If I have been feeling down it seems the colour goes out of my life. So the title of this painting is Feeling Blue to signify the sheer joy and delight flowers evoke in me.

 How can you feel down when confronted with the miracle of a field of flowers, wild and untamed. I am not talking about flowers that have been cut and placed in a vase, lovely though they are they are separated from the life force they represent.
The painting is Acrylic Ink and Acrylic on canvas 20" x 16"

The energy in flowers

Sometimes when we look at flowers we see more than the flowers. There is a power, a life force, a certain manifestation of energy. You can call this divine, you can call this God, you can call it what you want but what is undeniable is that there is more than a flower.

Acrylic ink and acrylic paint on a small 20x20cm canvas