Winter barns
What is it about barns that tugs the heartstrings
And makes me think of strength and beauty?
Maybe it’s the way a red jewel wears winter curled on its roof
Or how the old timbers speak of age and grace.
Some barns are run down, bare bones
Waiting patiently for a loving coat of paint.
A broken window does not speak of a broken spirit however.
Faded and aging, but still standing –
Just like us.
For more loveliness, please visit: My World!
The message
I wake to a world of plummeting temperatures and snow.
Minus 25 C. It’s cold. Very cold.
My glasses are white with a thick layer of ice.
Not a bus or train in sight. Freezing.
I’m on the verge of giving up the wait.
Then, suddenly, a sound…
A woodpecker.
Beating out a message on the frozen bark of a tree.
It’s a drum roll that speaks of determination,
Of patience and hope.
Of the promise of better things to come.
For more messages, please visit: Camera Critters.
The poetry of flight
A glorious November day with the sun shining just so,
Shedding golden pools of light on trees
As birds took off – into a purple veil of fog.
Poetry in motion.
I leave no trace of wings in the air, but I am glad I have had my flight.
- Rabindranath Tagore
For more amazing skies, please visit: Skywatch!
A real Viking winter
February is traditionally the coldest month in Sweden. And it hasn’t disappointed us yet…
The weekend dawned bright and very cold. And when I say cold, I mean colder than – 25 C.
So, what do Vikings do during the winter ?
Well, they (by which I mean Sir Pe) fetch the newspaper in dressing gown and bare feet…
They (by which I mean me) spend a long, long time getting dressed.
Thermals on, three layers on the legs and a further five layers on the torso underneath that warm winter jacket.
Don’t forget the balaclava – winter’s must-have fashion accessory.
It goes nicely with icy hair and glasses!
Vikings (by which I mean me again) take their dogs out for long walks in the cold
Pausing for a few seconds to enjoy the scenery.
Eventually they stumble home
Because there is so much ice on the inside and outside of their glasses that they can hardly see a thing.
They warm up inside, ready to do it all over again at lunch time!
You don’t have to be crazy to enjoy a Viking winter – but it helps.
For more crazy tales, please visit: My World.
The Viking Dog
Imagine if you will …
Cold winter sunshine,
An iced over lake swarming with dog walkers and ice skaters,
Temperatures well below freezing.
Suddenly, on the way home, we arrive at the little bridge over the cold stream feeding into that frozen, frozen lake.
It’s the only open water for miles around and the meeting place for shivering ducks.
And yet – it is tempting, so tempting.
“Will I? Won’t I?”
Why not?
It’s refreshing, very refreshing!
After taking the plunge, Oscar shakes diamonds into the air and trots home, satisfied with his long winter walk.
Life is so much better when you carry sunny weather in your heart…
For more stories, please visit: Camera Critters.
Fog, framed
Quite a few of my photo albums reflect the weather.
They have names like ‘frosty fun’, ‘snow – early’, ‘November snow’ and ‘more snow than you thought possible’.
They talk about ice, chill factor freezing and long winter walks.
I don’t think it will surprise you then to learn that these photos come from the album:
Freezing fog and frostbitten fingers.
But just look at the view – those cold fingers were certainly worth it.
For more cool shots, please visit: Skywatch.
Winter tropics
Sometimes there is nothing more delightful than bundling up in warm jackets
And heading off to the tropics! (Yes, I have a wild imagination.)
To the huge greenhouse filled with warmth and sunshine
And marvels of nature.
Where colours and blossoms run riot
With soft velvet petals sprinkled with gold.
Outside – the delicious cold of winter.
Inside – a festival of flowers,
A blossoming of the heart.
For more celebration, please visit: My World.
Three simple lessons in love
Lesson 1: Smile!
A smile confuses an approaching frown and brightens the world around it.
I’ve never seen a smiling face that wasn’t beautiful. Have you?
Lesson 2: Hug someone!
It’s easy to take love for granted and we may only realize what we had when it’s already gone.
A hug says more than a thousand words. (Remember to hug yourself too.)
Lesson 3: Choose love over hate.
It’s all too easy to hang onto those familiar feelings of hate or anger towards someone. Unfortunately, this harms us more than it harms others.
I like to think of the Swedish proverb that goes, “Love me when I least deserve it – because that’s when I really need it.”
And have you noticed how nothing loves you as much as a wet dog?
For more wisdom, please visit: Camera Critters.
Witness
A humble weed surviving the winter as best it can.
Suddenly, the sun hits it in just the right way,
With a light that transforms it into a work of art.
Sometimes, all we can do is witness the miracle of nature.
I’m out and about for the next couple of days: have tests, projects and parties to attend, so I won’t be able to get around to your blogs for a few days.
On ice
Last weekend was glorious!
Sun, dancing diamonds on the iced over lake
And a sky that made the heart sing for joy!
A perfect day for an adventure…
Some brave souls drove their cars out onto the ice and started a barbecue.
“Look! They’ve got a living room on ice!” the anklebiters squealed in delight.
Others slept in the sun while skaters swished by.
Children pretended they were knights jousting on their steeds.
And some of us stood still
And took the time to drink in the beauty of the moment.
For more stories, please visit: My World.
On the rocks
It’s great weather for ducks…
Cold and crisp with the crunch of snow underfoot.
Even the rocks are covered in ice
Reminding me that ducks are like feathered ships
Navigating the icebergs in their way.
If they can do it, so can we.
One kind word can warm three winter months. ~Japanese Proverb
For more stories, please visit: Camera Critters.
Temple in the sky
Today heralds a bright new year: the Year of the Rabbit. A year of peace and collaboration according to Chinese astrology.
The rabbit symbolizes graciousness, kindness and a sensitivity to beauty.
When I lived in China, it was always a time of great excitement. Students flocked home on overflowing trains – often travelling for days to be re-united with their families.
Red and gold dominated the streets as did happy smiles and the sense of finding a new beginning in the ending of things. And no matter what the weather, we all carried blue skies within us.
“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” — Lao Tzu
恭喜发财 Gong Xi Fa Cai | Happy Lunar New Year! 兔年顺利 Tu Nian Xun Li.
For more beginnings, please visit: Skywatch.
Who says what?