Lilac memories

Back in October,

The sky turned lilac

And the water filled

With slender ribbons and hearts made of clouds.

And underneath all that splendour,

The ducks swam  on purple velvet.

For more velvet memories, please visit: Skywatch.

The joy of dogs

Indulge me as I revel in the joy of dogs.

(This is our dear Oscar – gone but not forgotten.)

They know how to live life

So fully and happily and goofily

(Life is better with a bit of silliness in it and Simson is our little goofball.)

They know how to greet friends

With open paws and make them feel appreciated

(This is Alba, a friend’s dog.)

And they know that a smile and some snow

Is the best cosmetic in the world,

(Just like our Ruby).

For more joyful posts, please visit: Our World.

Sunburst

The great big

Hallelujah of the sun

Bursting out into song

Over rooftops and trees

Gives me energy.

Even the melody of the setting sun

In the city a couple of weeks ago

Sang a beautiful tune.

For more music, please visit: Skywatch.

The elegance of winter

A couple of weeks ago, we had a lovely snowfall

And I got to enjoy berries wearing a Santa hat.

The dried seed pods

Glowed like lace in the sunlight

And delicate diamonds

Glittered on slender stems.

Even the snowballs on the frozen lake

Looked like pearls.

But my favourite sight – as always –

Are snowflakes of joy.

For more elegance, please visit: Our World.

Small beams of joy

It’s been gloomy and grey here

And I’m sad to see winter trying to say farewell.

But sometimes, all you have to do

Is look up (and hope you have your camera with you)

And appreciate the rays of light where you find them.

For more joyful beams, please visit: Skywatch.

Wonderland

It’s been a fairly mild winter again.

But back in December, we enjoyed a week or so of wonderland!

I found some lamps ready to light the way

And a little brown cabin

Enjoying the view of the frozen lake.

This magnificent tree

Looked lovely in its winter dress of hoar frost —

As did Ruby!

But my favourite sight has to be

This hidden red cottage

Nestled in a bed of frosted branches.

For more frosted views, please visit: Our World.

 

 

Heart’s delight

When the broken yolk of the sun

Splashed over the ice,

I knew a wonderful sky was coming.

(I snapped Ruby with my mobile phone.)

I rushed home to get my ‘big’ camera

And was just in time

To see the sky

Romancing the snow.

For more heart-felt skies, please visit: Skywatch.

Inside look at Gothic Revival

Many of you wanted to see the inside of Lancing College Chapel (from my previous post) — so here goes!

The chapel is very tall and narrow

With a lovely vaulted roof.

At the centre of the soaring pillars

Is the famous Rose Window,

Made out of more than 30,000 pieces of stained glass.

The hallway as you enter the chapel

Has a colourful roof

And a more modern stained glass window

That was dedicated by Archbishop Desmond Tutu in 2007

In honour of a Bishop, who was a former Lancing College pupil.

I can’t let you go without showing you

The beautiful warm stone of the chapel

In the lovely green setting of the South Downs.

For more interiors, please visit: Our World.

Blushing dawn

The blushing apricot tones

Of dawn light up the sky,

And bring a sparkle

To the trees wearing

Their winter dress of hoar frost.

Then the dawn mellows

Into a melody of lilac and pink

Over the old church across the frozen lake.

Who says cold isn’t beautiful?

For more sky songs, please visit: Skywatch.

 

Gothic revival

Nestled in the green hills of the South Downs in England

Is a magnificent example of a Gothic Revival church: Lancing College Chapel.

Its spires soar up into the sky, giving me vertigo

And reminding me of Hogwarts College.

It is the largest school chapel in the world

And a well-known landmark in Sussex.

Even though it’s only 100 years old,

It’s due for a cleaning.

Can you see the mossy windows?

All in all, it’s a stunning piece of architecture.

For more great posts, please visit: Our World.