A wintery walk in Baldock with Vera and Baron
Living overseas from my family, I often get a little, homesick… ok, ok, I often get terribly homesick. But I am not really sure what for – my mum, my sisters, my friends or perhaps just the familiarity of England.
Well whatever the feeling is, or why I get it, looking at this painting gives me some comfort. This is a picture I did of Vera, my mum, taking her trusty companion Baron, the lurcher, for a long walk, across the fields on the outskirts of Baldock, the town in Hertfordshire I grew up in.
Whenever I used to go home from University, or a job overseas, and needed to discuss a problem or dilemma I was having, Vera’s solution would always be to go for a long walk. This long walk really meant a long talk, although looking back we didn’t really do that much talking, it was mainly walking and thinking and just enjoying the time together.
Baron has long gone, I have a family of my own and now live far far away from Baldock and from my dear old Mum, who although is still in fairly good-health, moves a lot more slowly.
But when I look at this picture, I really feel like I am just behind them, walking in spirit with my wonderful and caring mum, and I can almost hear her wise thoughts and I feel that all is at peace with the world.