A January Stroll

It was a good day today. The snowdrops are pushing up through the soil in the garden and the ones kindly donated by a friend and neighbour a couple of years ago are thriving and filling out nicely. I was really pleased to see that the snowdrops we bought when we visited Cambo Estate in Fife last year, have survived and it won't be long before they flower too. For such small flowers they have such presence and are a real sign of a new year and nature's remarkable resilience.

This afternoon I went for a walk with the very same snowdrop giving friend. It was nice to get out into the open air, get some exercise and catch up on each other's weeks.

The sea was so calm and still. The sand had been pounded by the recent storms and was really compacted. The water is so clear here and it just drags you towards it. Your eyes say "take your shoes and socks off", but your head says "are you insane"! I did dip my fingers in....it didn't feel too cold....

We wandered further along the road. I just love the old gates you see dotted around the area, real craftsmanship in the making of them and now often sadly neglected and somehow out of place between modern fences.

I don't think you can ever tire of or take the views for granted. Every time you look it's slightly different.....the light, the season, the weather, your mood......it was so quiet today - apart from our chattering - a real stillness and calm and yet I felt that nature was gathering itself, getting ready for a busy year of growth and change.