I love water and often wished I lived nearer the sea. But there are little streams and rivers and lakes to be found everywhere. I found myself on the bridge over the lake at Brocket Hall, Hatfield, recently having got there more or less accidently, getting a bit lost on my bike, then realising where I was!

I had my sketch book and new Koh-I-Nor dye based paints with me and looking down over the bridge saw a mass of yellow water lilies with huge leaves and dark shapes moving amongst them. Magnificent mysterious carp!