Sunshine and Flowers

Our exceptionally warm temperatures for the season

and daily sunshine have brought us spring flowers

like these Crocus

Snowdrops

and Winter Jasmine

The full moon got me out walking to capture a lovely sunset.

It shone brightly in my neighbourhood

A day's outing by the lake in the town of Morges.

The mountains were misty, but the water reflected the beautiful blue of the sky.

Other people were out enjoying the lovely weather.

Another day I took a boat over the lake to the town of Evian for the day.

I was amazed and thrilled to see the first cherry blossom of the year.

It is very early, but luckily this is ornamental cherry.

The fruit bearing trees need to remain in hibernation a while longer.

Leaving the French town of Evian and surrounding mountains

to return to the Swiss side of the lake where I live.

I have been enjoying spring flowers in pots for a few weeks now.

Like these orange primroses and ivy leaves.

Spring crochet is getting ready to decorate my home with fresh colours

and a new tiny owl scissor fob was made over the weekend.

I found the lovely pattern here:

Anabelia craft design

Deck Fourteen - Scene & Story - October 2017

Deck Fourteen

In October, I took a cruise for the very first time.

We started off in Venice and went down the Adriatic coastline

in Italy, Greece and then up to Dubrovnik in Croatia.

I very much enjoyed most of the stopovers 

and the fascinating history behind the places we visited.

Of the actual time we spent on the ship, 

my favourite space was Deck Fourteen which was the very best place,

and the quietest, to look at the scenery, to walk and to enjoy the view

or take in a sunset leaning against the railings.

The deck went all around the ship and was known as the

Power Walking Track.

I only ever saw one other person doing power walking

and very few people seemed to come here.

The most I ever saw were four others at the same time.

I could tell they were enjoying the peace, just like me and my travelling companion.

For those who love the hustle and bustle of life on a cruise ship,

there were plenty of occupations:

sunbathing on lounge chairs, the swimming pools and the jacuzzis

dancing classes, variety shows and sitting in the bars drinking cocktails

with live (very loud) music.

Because of the music, people had to shout to make themselves heard

and that increased the volume of everything very much indeed!

Maybe you will understand if I mention that we were around

3.223 guests on board and that there are 1.039 crew members!

Deck Fourteen was a haven of peace where we could forget just how many people

were on board.

There was no seating and no lounge chairs and that discouraged

most folk from staying here.

Perfect silence with just the faint sound of water as we glided forward.

Was going on a cruise everything I had imagined it to be?

In some ways, yes.

The overall ambiance makes me think of the first lines of a poem:

"Go placidly amid the noise and haste,

and remember what peace there may be in silence."

'Disiderata'

by Max Ehrmann

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