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Wheatstacks at the end of Summer (Claude Monet 1890/91)

In 1890/91 Claude Monet drew a series of 25 paintings of the same scene – haystacks in a field. Monet captured the same subject at different times of the year, and different times of the day. It enabled Monet to paint the ephemeral nature of the changing light.

This painting (displayed at the Art Institute of Chicago) is a snapshot of the end of summer – early Autumn. I like this time of the year – the inevitability of autumn and winter creeping closer, but still the late colours of summer hanging on.

This is a photo from Florence Park, Cowley, Oxford. The Horse Chestnuts in the background already indicate full autumn colours, but the bright flowers in the foreground haven’t quite caught up with the autumn season; they could be a scene from June or July.

Bright red poppy.

From a distance the bed of wildflowers doesn’t look much. But, the small red flowers catch the eye and today I veered off the path to have a look. There is great beauty close up. In one sense the flower bed is rather out of place by the edge of a large expanse of grass and surrounded by trees. But, why not?

This was later on in town.

Magdalen College Tower.

The Cotswold stone captures a little of the fading light of summer.