Spring Is Here — another wedding anniversary!

It was our 58th wedding anniversary on Spring Day. Just like when we married, the day was really dull to start with. The following day the sun shone and the spring flowers glowed. I took photographs to remind us of the joys of goodbye winter — hello Spring! I took them through our windows rather than outside. Yes, those plants in the bay window are still the same ones that were there in the Late October photographs! A couple have finished flowering but the plants are still growing strong! Like our marriage? I guess that is so — solid foundation with strong roots, blooms past their best but we look at our children and grandchildren and rejoice in the fruit! Soon the garden will be a mass of blooms and it will go on through summer and autumn. Even in the winter flowers appear. Not a lot but greatly valued for the cheer they give.

Walking the Hoad Footpath in Winter Sunshine

A sunny day in January and what better activity than to go for a walk? Since I have been having knee trouble for quite a while now, I have gradually avoided rough and hilly walks. But for whatever reason, yesterday I was determined I would do the circular walk around the Hoad Monument and take a look at the renovation work that has been done. Actually, it is not far to go. Years ago, I took our dog a walk up there most mornings. We set off complete with camera. I took a photograph each side of the walled path — seaward and inland. Further up, the Monument and then out over the bay. Near the top of the hill, we photographed the mountains beyond the fells and also looking down over the Smith-Kline-Glaxo works and canal. The path down the other side is a bit rough to start with, that is for anyone with knee problems, but it soon becomes smooth and the rest is easy. We diverted to have a pot of tea at Booth’s Supermarket, where we sat by the huge window and looked up at the path we had taken. We took the town uphill roads to walk home. Nothing like fresh air and nature to heal the heart and mind! Soon after arriving home, a heartwarming sunset!
I think it is true that a lot of people suffer mild depression at this time of the year (SAD). The usual dark, cold, wet days often cause a feeling of weariness. How lucky we are to have footpaths almost from our doorstep! But in Cumbria, few homes can be far from places to walk. Okay, we don't have the bright city lights but I know which we prefer.

Looking Out and Looking Back.

We are not planning on going anywhere this Christmas. Nothing unusual in that nowadays. Gone are the Christmases when we used to travel to visit our ageing relatives and meet with other family members there. WE are the oldies now but our nearest and dearest live within the area. We will be chatting to our remaining sisters and maybe other kin over the telephone.
Fortunately, we are warm inside the house and the Christmas tree cheers us in the corner. Cards around the room remind us of friends and loved ones. We have time to sit and reflect of what was and how blessed we are now.
Yes indeed. Years ago, when we rose in the morning and wanted to know what the weather was like we would first have to scrape the ice from the glass! No central heating in those days. When I was a child we only had a fire in the kitchen to heat both the room and the water. My husband's family had little different. When we married our house had no central heating or double glazing either. But that was 'normal' then.
We recall a blizzard on the way for our annual Christmas visit to Matlock. We had to turn back and were lucky to get home. Another Christmas my hubby became ill. As soon as we were home, the day after Boxing Day, he visited the doctor. The doc brought him home to pack his bag and take him to hospital. (That was a REAL family doctor!) Investigations presented a different diagnosis and after a small operation he was able to come home some days later. A worrying time though as we were about to move house in the coldest winter we had had for years. The house needed thawing out and the floors scrubbed. I was pregnant with our third child too. But my concern was for my poor hubby. But all turned out well. Hubby got the boiler system going, I scrubbed the floors. The frozen ground prevented the red mud from the building site coming indoors. The kids could play in the snow. We had double glazing, central heating, some new furniture to fill the extra space, and we had never been so comfortable. That is until the children came down with infections. The doctor told us to turn off the central heating and open all the windows!
Another Christmas we all had flu'. And so the Yuletide memories continue — births and deaths, joys and sorrows experienced at this 'season of goodwill'. Hard times and easy times — all of them memorable. The lights on the tree are cheering on dark mornings, the snow brings difficulties but also pleasures. Time to reflect on life and our many blessings. To remember loved ones no longer with us, and of the pleasures of life we shared with them. Right now, sun is giving colour to the snow-covered ground. Clouds drift against the blue of the sky, maybe later we will hear the shouts and laughter of children sledging.
Simple things in life bring us the most joy and peace.

Reflections

Sometimes reflections in water — lake, tarn, river — can be more lovely than the actual view we see on land.
Isn't this rather like memories? Unless what we recall is painful or meaningless, our memories are reshaped and coloured by time. I could list many things here but most are of a personal nature. These memories are my treasure, always available to be be retrieved and viewed at will. Like my growing store of photographs, there's a lot of them!
This photograph is a more recent one. We have a brilliant print of the same place but taken in summer-autumn when the trees are full of colour. But this one reflects the brilliant blue of the sky as well as mostly dull deciduous trees. And the ripples on the water, breaking up the evergreens, add texture and detail. Yes, just like life as we get older.


For lovely photographs visit Lake District Saga

Lots more photographs, walks, points of view, stories, at Writing For Joy

Short stories, reviews, thoughts, dress designs, and much more at Wrinkly Writers

Let Your Light Shine

Sometimes we get so tired that it is hard to keep cheerful. We may ache and it is hard not to relieve stress by allowing ourselves a little moan. Nothing wrong in that. Better to be truthful than put on a permanent grin.

We had a pleasant walk last Saturday. We drove to Canal Foot — a small community at the sea end of the local canal — parked the car and took a small walk. Having a few problems at present we did not go far. To our delight the tide had come in. It is rare to see it so high. I wondered what happened when a strong wind coincided with a full tide. Were the bungalows at the side of the narrow road safe? apparently yes.

We walked by the delightful houses a little further up and, not being able to walk over the rocky shoreline because of the tide, we followed the footpath that went upwards to fields with views towards the local monument on Hoad Hill. It has been recently renovated and now it stands out white against the sky. It looks like a lighthouse but no rays of light will ever shine out over the sea. But it stands out in the daytime and it does get lit up at night.

We managed to get back to the car just as my knees were getting troublesome. It had been a wonderfully refreshing short walk. I never cease to wonder how blessed we are. I loved the dark clouds and reflections in the sea. Ever changing, ever mysterious.

Bunny in the Garden — GOT IT!

Bunny in the Garden — Got it!

We have had a rabbit hopping through the garden since spring. We don’t know where it goes to and we don’t know where it comes from. It does not stay long. Sometimes it does not stop at all. We have no objection to it nibbling weeds in the lawn or borders and there is no evidence of damage to anything. Hoppity usually has his ears up listening for trouble. Amazing that he’s still alive. There are plenty of predators in the area.
I have tried to catch him with my camera many times. When I have had it ready he hasn’t appeared. I race to get it and he’s gone, or just disappearing . Today my hubby called to say he was on the lawn. I rushed for the camera. Did not stop to get the focal distance correct and snapped the bunny through the kitchen window — never mind the haze caused by double glazing and the usual distortion of damp mist on the glass. No time to open the door to get a snap. No time to readjust the camera from the past setting.
Okay not perfect, but I now have my dear bunny on record.
No way would we eat him. Neither would we eat the dear squirrels. Unfortunately, a shop in London is selling squirrel meat. No doubt before long they will be hunted down for their flesh as well as the hatred some folk have for them. Already interest is growing. Golly, you would have to suck bones to get anything from them.

See also my
Writing For Joy
Wrinkly Writers
Gladys Hobson — Writer

Busy Squirrel

One of the great pleasures in life is observing the life of other creatures around us.
After a busy time I now have the chance to observe the wil life in the garden. I took a lot of photographs of a squirrel trying to get at the food put out for the birds. First in the back garden and then in the front. All the photos had to be taken through the glass of windows. Most of the time the squirrel was on the move, but I managed to get a few hazy photographs.

Golden Moments — little things mean a lot

Sands of Time — Golden Moments



Little things that change our thinking.



Yesterday ended well. Someone got in touch, requesting information about writing and self-publishing. I doubt her comments about my writing were just flattery, otherwise why choose me to gather grains of knowledge? It gave me a good feeling. We all need to feel appreciated. A low self-esteem is not conducive to fulness of life.
Okay, so the sands of time are running low but it is good to find they are mostly golden grains!
Little things really do mean a lot:
A pair of squirrels are going crazy in the garden — leaping and dashing, prancing round each other. Junior fun or the mating game? Ah yes, we oldies remember that all right!
The nesting pigeon has now flown away from the nest. Did that egg finally hatch — it's had plenty of time to hatch and produce a fat youngster. No evidence (carcass or feathers on the ground) that a cat or bird of prey had it for lunch.
The mother blackbird has been trying to feed a young one with a lump of white food. It pecked but turned away. She kept offering it, pecking at it herself to get bits to feed to her infant. It was going on for a while. We suddenly realised it must be a nugget of polystyrene. Concerned (would it choke?), we dashed to the door but the blackbird just flew off with it. Now I am worried it's beak has stuck in the stuff. Well, if I don't worry about that, I'll find something else!
Must make a list out — chores to do and shopping this afternoon.
And must try and get a bit of creative writing done today — lots of starts and much to finish!