Plein air down by the lake.
I had an overwhelming urge to go paint outdoors this cool but sunny spring morning. But time restrictions...I had to be back by 11am to open my gallery so bundled what I thought I would use into my truck and headed off down to the lakeside.
Firstly though, I really needed to take my dog for a quick wander, I have been a bit remiss in making the effort the last couple of days so to quieten those feelings of guilt it had to happen. Plus...I NEEDED the walk too, laziness is not good for human's! So 2 kms I thought was enough...shouldn't take too long!
I could not have picked a better morning...tuis and bellbirds singing their little hearts out in the trees as they fought among themselves.... the kowhai trees along the lake edge just starting to flower attracting them in. The sun was trying to challenge the cloud cover, a slight breeze just freshening everything...all positives for one's soul!
Back at the vehicle I backed into a likely looking spot where my subject choice was just a little headland jutting into the water with a couple of trees silhouetting in the sky. Looking straight toward the sun everything was high contrast but also looked quite hazy as the light was coming through the sea air making the landscape all look a bit mysterious.
However, guess what I forgot? The palette on which to put my paint!! What to do?? Looks like a paint out off the morning's agenda without a 5 km trip back home.
Solved! A little camp table in my truck would suffice. The colours I chose to use being very limited to ultramarine blue, light red, cad yellow and white. I'd make them do one way or another. Always fun setting challenges! The surface I was going to create my masterpiece on was just plywood, primed and sealed with a coat of red automotive primer/sealer. I have used it before, but I'd forgotten it was quite "grabby" with the oil paint...especially when said paint was cold and stiff to use!
Time was a passing and unfortunately clouds had won the sky battle, so quickly got down to putting paint on board with a big knife. Talk about frustrating, deep breaths and be more purposeful, cold paint, sticky board, grey sky! Not a lot of joy in that!
Less than an hour later, I was over it, the dog asleep in back seat, sun almost non existent, coffee calling, so it was done enough! 
Not my best work... but hey... it's all about just getting out and about and forgetting the real world for a change!