winter wandering...

I have to confess to have been feeling a bit down of late...not really sure why, combination of not being quite sure of where growing up children leaves us, working very long hours and not feeling I can keep on top of things... And it has been sooo dull and grey. I love the change in seasons but I do find that in the winter I feel increasingly trapped and closed in. Then a friend pointed out on Saturday that I am not seeing much daylight at all at the moment and perhaps that was not helping. When I thought about it she is right - on a working day (and I work full time) I leave the house by about 7am and rarely get home before 8pm, so dark both ends of the day. I hardly ever get a lunchbreak and although it is not a desk job by any means often I am indoors for the whole day. And on the days I am not at work there is all the 'other stuff' that has to be done...washing (never ending!), shopping, cleaning, bills etc etc much of which requires me to be indoors.

So I made myself a couple of loose promises on Saturday (loose because I fully expect that I may fail!!) - to try to put some sunshine in my life, real or otherwise, and to aim to get out every day, even if its just for a quick walk around at lunchtime (I should be taking lunch - right?).

Saturday afternoon found me distracted by the flowers at the local little supermarket and I couldn't resist these daffodils.

Yes, I know it's too soon for daffodils really and although they said they were grown in the UK, they can't be outdoors ones. But I think daffs are my absolute favourite flowers - I love the promise of those buds and the cheeriness of their flowers. And the alternative for 'sunshine' were blowsy chrysanthemums, fine in themselves but almost certainly less local (and certainly even less out of season) than the daffodils. I love this cheerful jug too - bought for me from a bric a brac stall by my middle son S - it just begs for fresh flowers!

And the daffs haven't disappointed - the very next day the sunshine was coming through -

Beautiful! And absolutely guaranteed to lift the spirit!

Plus...when I woke yesterday morning the real sun was shining more than it has for ages so I decided to take myself out - yes OUT! I just walked from my house  but took my camera and tried really hard to notice the little things...the sights, sounds and smells of the countryside around where I live. I probably walked for about 6 or 7 miles, along a footpath (of sorts!) that I didn't even know was there (and I have lived here for nearly 18 years!). It was tinglingly cold but the sun was so lovely and I truly felt as though a bit of me was coming alive again.

Beautiful frosted leaves on the path

Delicate seed heads catching the light...

Ice crystals on the leaves... 

My house from the other side of the field - we are one half of the fourth chimney in form the left!

Even the grass looked fresh and lovely with the sun shining through it.

My bit of the world is pretty flat and I do at times long for a hill to climb - a walk with an 'aim' if you know what I mean. But this did make me smile - it was a case of 'turn left at the post'! Two random footpath posts in the middle of a field. I was very glad of them as the footpath was not exactly clear, sadly from here the posts disappeared so there was a bit of meandering around in the mud but given that I had no time pressures, what the hec?

It was a bit blowy but these dried maize plants looked like shimmering gold in the sun.

Such blue sky...

With trees glowing in the sunlight...

Amazing ice patterns in the puddles in the field

Sticky buds!!! At least that's what we called them when we were kids! And I know its early but to me they mean the beginning of spring - and that made me so excited I just had to take a pic! Yes, I know they're out of focus - result of a point and shoot autofocus camera that has different ideas about what it wants to focus on than I do!!

And new leaves!!! Yay!!!

Very muddy boots but sooo enjoyed my walk!

So all in all I had a happy day yesterday and I did feel revived for a bit. Sadly today is back to grey, grey... but it has cheered my soul just looking back at these photos so I think I will try to take the camera everywhere to capture the small brightnesses around me and check back often for a reminder!

One final photo... a scarf I made with the leftovers from a chunky yarn I made a cardigan for my younger sister for Christmas. I have cut out what I have managed to make look like my double chins cos the point is the knitting! H-u-g-e needles, 10mm, like knitting with wooden spoon handles! Can't say I overly enjoyed it as I couldn't hold it in the way I normally do, but seriously quick to knit and very warm!!

Sx