Craving some colour

It's always around this time of year that I start wanting some colour in my life. The fields are brown, the garden is brown (and very messy), the skies are low and grey and the house is looking a little unloved. Colour makes it all better. Maybe that's why I'm reaching for vivid daffodils on the market, bright Seville oranges for marmalade, and these beautiful scarlet pomegranates.

I saw these in Manchester at the weekend when we took Jack back to uni. We treated him to a curry for lunch, and were enthralled by a wedding party at the restaurant, the women arrayed in sparkling saris and an amazing drumming accompaniment. We came out and I went into a vast international superstore full of fruit and vegetables. I bought these pomegranates and a big box of mangoes.
All week, I've been wanting to paint these, so yesterday I finished work a bit early and had a go. It was so nice to sit down with these paints and mix up the reds and oranges. 

Couldn't quite get the texture, it was harder than it looked. I'll try again. These little sketches all go into my journal, which I have continued since the one I completed for the local exhibition. I'm really enjoying it, but it probably accounts for the fact that I haven't been blogging as much as before. The trouble is, I like doing both....need more hours in the day.

On the kitchen top are Sevilles waiting to be turned into marmalade and the Manchester mangoes which are destined for chutney. 

The dresser gets the colour treatment too.

Back again soon, hopefully with jars and jars of preserves!