Painted Ladies

Last week my sister reported that she'd seen the first Painted Lady this summer, growing near the side of a  road, so on Sunday morning we went in search of these exquisite little flowers.  Undaunted by scorching sun,  a brisk breeze and the knowledge that if we didn't get shots immediately we wouldn't have the time later, we were delighted to find the Ladies in profuse numbers,  along the verges and dotted around the fynbos.

The only way to even attempt to capture the flowers was to shade them from the sun, using hats or jackets, and to wait for the tiniest pause between the flurries of wind.

I was reminded of William Wordsworth's  Daffodils   "tossing their heads in sprightly dance"  Well these little dancers made it extremely difficult to capture any really sharp images.  Perhaps, however, the soft look caused by the wind captures some of the ethereal nature and fleeting life of the blossoms.

If I was painting a picture of all these pink flowers I would use soft washes and sweeps of watercolour  paints...

... but the medium of my choice for these courtyard beauties would oil paints, preferably laid down in luscious sweeps of colour with thick brushes or palette knife.

The textured sandstone walls of the courtyard fill the space with a honey glow, making iit one of my favourite, most sheltered places for flower photography

I can only marvel at the skill and precision of the craftsmen who built these intricate walls.