Oil on board | 16 x 20 inches

I spent a few great days in late June, photographing, helping (a bit) and sketching the Puncher brothers with the hay harvest. I would cycle over at about 9:30 am as the sun warmed the cloudless, blue skies. I would find Will and John in the meadow behind the farm, Will driving the tractor and John sitting on the trailer as they made their way over the bumpy ground to where the bales were to be loaded. In moments of rest John told me about how they used to keep cattle on this meadow and walk them down to barn to be milked, and the farm cat would sit beside John whilst he milked the cattle and he’d squirt a bit of milk for the cat! How my imagination and inspiration fired at hearing those stories and how I wish I could have painted them then. I think some of my best memories of my childhood come from being down on their farm, sharing their ordinary lives that are so important to me.