Why Blog?

On Saturdays, I love to have breakfast out before doing my marketing.

Some years ago, when I first created a blog, it was to have a place to put my pictures and connect with other people around the world who also enjoyed sharing their photography.

These days, blogs are being abandoned everywhere and many of my blogging friends have disappeared, sometimes without a word, other times to post on Instagram and Facebook.

I miss by old blogging buddies and their blogs and the easy exchanges we all had with one another.

I suppose I need to ask myself why I blog. First and foremost, it's to have a collection of my favourite photos in the same place for a given period, usually one or two weeks. It's a journal in images.

I also like to write, but to do that I need to be in the right frame of mind, so sometimes there are mainly photos and other times there is mainly writing.  I go by how I feel in the moment.

Is it important for me that others be interested enough to want to visit my blog and maybe leave a comment? Yes, it is rewarding and I really enjoy exchanging with other bloggers and visiting their blogs or sites too.

Does it touch me that I get less visitors and less comments than I used to get a couple of years ago?

I have sometimes wondered what visitors expect to see or read. It is possible that what they find in this space is personally uninteresting to them!

Am I posting here for my own pleasure? Does it really matter if others appreciate it or not?

I do not put up images or write because it's what I think others want to see and hear - I would lose myself and my integrity if I did that. Yes, I am posting for myself, sometimes just writing things out makes me see more clearly, but I do love to get feedback from my visitors when they have the time to linger!

Above all, I need to be who I am in depth and I always speak from the heart, so what you see or read here is really me, not someone I pretend to be!

So for the time being, I will continue this space here, because above all, it's a place I like to be.

When you visit and when you leave a comment, I am happy too, but this cannot be my main motivation. It's a gift when others come in to leave a visible trace of their presence.

This is what I wanted to share today, and these thoughts have been weaving themselves in and out of my mind on the subject for a while now.

I shall be interested to hear your voice and what you feel about blogging today.

Wishing you all a wonderful day and may February bring us fresh thoughts and new beginnings from wherever we were before!

Sandra

When there is a sunrise or a sunset in my neighbourhood, I first see it reflected in the windows of the building opposite.  

This capture is a recent sunrise.

It prompted me to go out on my balcony and catch the faraway trees

and neighbourhood church steeple:

***

The Treasures in my Neighbourhood

This early morning scene takes my breath away!

Continuing my slow and mindful walks in my neighbourhood,

I was thrilled to see this beautiful clear sky on Saturday.

The crescent moon was just lovely

and the branches seemed to want to retain it a little longer.

It was around 7.30 am and the horizon behind the mountains,

was taking on a pink hue.

I had decided to walk downtown and have breakfast out, always such a treat,

before doing my marketing!

An afternoon stroll up the hill towards some fields,

made me notice these curly seedpods.

The trapped red-brown leaf, caught in their tendrils,

matched the colour of the pods.

Just a little further up the steep hill, I noticed the delicate details of this mossy branch.

This morning, the sky was a little hazy and had taken on an orange pink colour.

The street lights were still lit up.

Although I live in the upper part of town, I can still enjoy the beauty of nature.

I stood in the middle of the road to eliminate all buildings!

When we really look for it, there can be so much beauty wherever we live,

even in a town environment.

It all depends which way we look.

My goal this year is to seek out all the loveliness I can find

and as close to home as possible! 

Scene & Story: December 2017

My neighbourhood

Now when you live in the town, 

you have to look that little bit harder to find beauty

away from all the buildings and busy streets.

So I decided to make that my mission, I would look out the beauty

in my own neighbourhood!

I started off by walking more slowly and seeking out nooks and crannies

which I had never thought interesting before.

I chose different times of the day for my walks, so that I may see things in different lighting.

I started to look at things from another point of view,

as if seeing them all for the very first time.

The winter months had revealed all sorts of new things to notice

because hedges and trees were without their leaves

and there was simply more to see!

One day, I came across this partially hidden garden,

I had never taken the time to really notice it before -

maybe I was always walking too fast to get somewhere else?

I took lots of different shots, from different angles and on different days.

This is the image I finally chose because it perfectly captured the atmosphere

I wanted to convey.

The little lantern seemed to be the main subject.

enhanced by the red berries which acted as an embellishment

and the lines of the branches seem to bring it all together

as a whole.

Although I first discovered this garden in December 2017,

I know that it has encouraged me, in this New Year,

to continue seeking out the hidden beauty in unusual places 

and what better place to start than in my very own neighbourhood?

***

Linking up for Scene & Story

for the very last time.

This has been the wonderful project of Sarah and Lee

who had the grand idea of starting these monthly gatherings.

I shall miss these gatherings very much,

but I know I shall continue writing stories!

***

I Sometimes Wonder

I do sometimes wonder what all the fuss is about

as we leave one year and enter a new one.

I have always preferred it to slip in gently overnight when I'm asleep!

I do like to feel though, the gradual return to light, which I spoke about in December,

not so very long ago!

My daughter gave me this very pretty tree hanging in December.

I filled it with golden tinsel as a further symbol of light.

I thought it was perfect to wish you a beautiful start to your own year!

This second photo, is the first page of my new calendar for the year.

I found it so dainty and refreshing to represent these sweet peas

for the month of January, much more colourful and inventive

than a snow scene, don't you think?

For the time being,

I just like this first month of this year to unfold in harmony

and then it can be seen which paths to take

and how to take them.

There is no rush.

The Return of Light

Whatever you seek

Is already within you

Waiting to wake up.

***

The winter solstice, which was on December 21st,

marks the shortest day of the year and the official beginning of winter.

But from this time on, we shall be getting a little more daylight each day until the month of June.

In different countries all over the world,

there are different ways of celebrating the return of light.

Just one of them is from Persia which I find very lovely.

In keeping with ancient tradition, Persians celebrate Shab-e-Yalda

to honour the victory of Mithra, the Sun God,

 who symbolizes light, goodness and strength.

Shab-e Yalda is still celebrated by Iranians all over the world today.

Friends and families unite to feast and read poetry, especially the Sufi poet, Hafiz.

Fires are burnt all night to defeat the darkness.

With the return to light, after the winter solstice,

transformation occurs and goodness triumphs.

***

"Awake my dear.

Be kind to your sleeping heart.

Take it out into the vast fields of Light

and let it breathe."

Hafiz.

***

Links for you to follow if you wish to know more:

Shab-e Yalda

Poet Hafiz

Poet Rumi

Boxing Day

When my brother and I were younger.

Boxing Day was the day we had to write our thank-you letters

for the Christmas presents we had received.

It was also a day to relax with no hassle in the kitchen

as there were always enough delicious leftovers to see us through the day.

Today, my daughter and grandson came over for lunch

and to exchange presents.

I seemed to spend the whole morning in the kitchen

but the meal was good  and  made all the work worthwhile.

It's traditional to make mince pies over Christmas

and they are served warm, fresh out of the oven.

When I was on my own again,

there was all the washing up to see to.

I do not own a dishwasher.

That job seemed to go on for a long time.

Now I'm getting used to the contrast of having visitors over

and getting back into routine of being on my own again.

I don't dislike the solitude

as it enables me to really be me

to get in touch with who I really am at my core.

However, I do enjoy the company of other folk too

and sometimes it's really nice to be invited 

and not always be the hostess!

I do notice that many people prefer to be invited rather than invite,

have you noticed that too?

So on this Boxing Day,

I shall put up my feet, pick up some handiwork

and look at a recorded film.

I also have a new book to start

which is waiting for me on my bedside table!

I hope that you are enjoying a more peaceful aftermath of Christmas.

It feels so good, doesn't it?

Savouring the Season

These little elves come out every year before Christmas

I love their simplicity and the fact that they're made of twigs!

I have a really cute little film for you to look at HERE

It's the story of Stick Man and his family at Christmas!

It's also the time of the year when I love to get together with my grandson

for card-making and crafting.

Creating memories together of our own little traditions over the years.

We chat and laugh together, enjoying each other's company.

I am happy that he still loves coming to do crafting with me.

Here is the finished card he made and this one is for me!

It's a beautiful Zentangle bauble.

We also made some Origami fir trees.

I put these two at the base of my Christmas tree in the snow!

If you would like to make these Origami trees,

Just click here for an easy tutorial: ORIGAMI FIR TREE

An exciting parcel arrived this week.

It contained four beautiful jars in different colours and containing

sweet smelling candles with natural non-toxic ingredients.

They are a thoughtful Christmas gift from my son 

who will not be with us for Christmas this year.

A brief overnight snowfall covered the little pansy buds on my balcony,

but the snow soon melted in the morning sun.

We shall not be having a white Christmas down here,

only up higher and in the mountains.

I hope that you are savouring the special moments of the season

and taking the time to live each one to the full

even it this tends to be a very busy time of the year for many.