Tag: walk (page 1 of 8)

Sunshine

I live on an island that doesn’t always get a lot of sun. When the sun does come out however, it seems to make people go slightly crazy. No one pays attention to what they’re doing. I think they’re too enraptured by the sun and all the possibilities that it holds.

It was cold when I went for my run yesterday, but gorgeously sunny. And since the sun seems to create almost a manic fever in British people, I was almost hit by three cars, who weren’t paying attention! Later in the afternoon on my way to the grocery store, I had a fourth car almost hit me. He had his windows rolled down, singing along to a tune and he just decided that he would pull up on the sidewalk and stop, because that would be a good place to park. I quickly jumped out of the way! So, I’m going to chalk it all up to the sunshine yesterday and not them being horrendous drivers.

It was cold again this morning, but the sun rose while I was out and it was glorious. I made my way over to the train track footbridge and the cherry trees that sit on the hill have all started to bloom. The sunshine filtered through their delicate creamy white petals and gave the centres an almost rosey orange glow.

The breeze was swaying the branches, the clouds were playing peek-a-boo with the sun and for a moment, everything was perfectly quiet. No trains going by, no car sounds, no people. Just the robins singing, the sunshine, the cherry blossoms and me. It was heaven.

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Snow

From Friday night until we went to bed late on Sunday, we were pretty much constantly being sprinkled with snow flakes. It would come down heavy for awhile, stick and a few hours later dissipate from the sidewalks and road and then start all over again.

After Saturday night everything had iced over and then it snowed on top of the ice, so it was hard to tell where you could walk and where you would start ice skating, when we headed out for a run on Sunday. After ice skating for a bit down the road, we decided to head to the coffee shop to warm up with hot chocolates. I made fast friends with a little furry girl, whose coat was so tight and curly, it was like running your fingers through an ebony shag rug. Her name was Roxy and I got lots of kisses.

It was 15°F when we got up yesterday morning and the ice was still pretty thick in places, so there was no run for me. I hate not being able to get out there, but it is better to take a day off, then six weeks off, because I’ve ended up in a cast with a broken limb.

I headed out early this morning and the air was so cold and clean. The ice had mainly melted, but you could still see it here and there in places. However, I did skate over the train tracks footbridge, as it had remained a solid sheet of ice. Snow still speckled the earth. Thicker in some places than in others.

I love how the snow changes the landscape. Things become more pronounced or softly hidden under a blanket of white. As I made my way to the woods this morning, I only passed one other person, it was so quiet. The birds were singing and I watched a magpie couple slowly build a nest. He flew back and forth carrying small sticks in his beak while she flittered about and helped.

Now, I’m home, defrosting with a cup of tea. The sky is pearly grey. I’ve got buttermilk rolls rising on the counter for dinner tonight and I had just enough buttermilk left over to make another loaf of my Nana’s Irish Soda Bread. Happiness is…

Two Foxes

I ran through one of my favourite neighbourhoods this morning and right past one of my favourite houses that has a giant dog statue who sits on their porch. He is dressed up for every season and holiday. Today he had on his Scottish tartan tam and scarf, to ward off the chill that was in the air.

I stopped running just before I hit the footbridge over the train tracks. Sometimes I enjoy sprinting across it, it’s like you are flying through the air as you run across the bridge and disappear amongst the tree tops.

This morning I had an inkling not to run. When I have that feeling, I know I’m in for a treat. Sometimes it’s a robin who talks to me from the apple tree or a muntjac who is munching on grass along the banks.

This morning, it was something truly special. I came out from under the trees, just in time to see two foxes strolling up the hillside by the tracks. They walked slowly and then one stopped to let the other one move to the front and then they disappeared into a thicket and down into their burrow.

It made me so happy. My heart was singing. I’ve been worried about my foxes, I haven’t seen them in a little while. So, I’m pleased to know that there is a cozy den, nestled in the banks by the train tracks where two foxes live and this spring when the wildflowers come out, if I’m really lucky, I’ll see cubs rolling around in the grass.

{Imaged HERE // Pinned HERE}

Snowfall

We had our first snowfall of the season yesterday and it was magical. Above, is a photo I snapped yesterday morning. I went for a run and as I rounded the corner that was my view.  I crossed the street and slowly made my way across the common until I came to the woodland path. The snow was half a foot deep in some places.

Once I entered the woods I just took my time. I walked, breathed in the clean fresh snow air and listened to that silence, the silence only snow can bring. I was happy to walk, I couldn’t have run if I wanted too anyway, the tree boughs were so heavy with snow that a lot of them were laying on the path. I had to shimmy my way over, under and around them.

It’s snowing again as I type this. Big fat velvety flakes are gently coming down. I don’t think too much of it will stick this time, it’s pretty icy out there. But, it is lovely to watch.

The candles are lit, Christmas music is playing and we’re staying toasty under blankets on this wintry Monday morning.

A Woodland Offering

December is almost here. I’m elated to decorate our little cottage for the holidays, but at the same time, I feel that it is all happening so fast. I just want to slow down and enjoy the season we are coming in to. A large majority of stores have had their Christmas decorations out since the first of November. And although this is one of my favourite times of year, I want to savour it and not have it go by in a swirling rainbow blur.

I worked on taking all of our fall decorations down yesterday in preparation for Christmas decorating. I always bring our leftover pumpkins and gourds to the woods. This morning I headed into the woods on my run, which was really more of a swift walk at that point, because my pockets and hands were laden down with mini pumpkins.

I slowly moved off the path, after picking a good spot and nestled a few of them on a moss covered tree stump. I’ll keep my eye on them as I cut through the woods in the morning on my next couple of runs to see who has been feasting on them. Usually they are gobbled up by the muntjacs, squirrels and birds.

After leaving my little offering to the woods, I made my way back on to the main path, but not before a muntjac crossed in front of me a little ways further up. Maybe she was watching me? I hope she headed that way after I cleared out, she would have had quite a feast this morning if she did.

Magic in the Air

This morning, there was magic in the air. I could feel it. The world was iced in a hoar frost. The sun was rising and it was warm when it fell on my face. The sky was crystal clear and a robin egg blue hue. I saw a bit of a rainbow, a muntjac nibbling acorns in the woods and one of my favourite four-legged buddies was waiting at their gate for me, for my good morning “hello” and kisses.

I couldn’t ask for a better way to start my day then surrounded by the beauty of the world at my feet. And I’m thankful and blessed that I’ve been given the eyes to see it. There is beauty everywhere, sometimes we might have to look a little harder for it, but it is there nonetheless.

Leaf Snow

It was overcast when I headed out for my run this morning. The clouds were low and the way they wove into one another made me think of snow clouds. As I made my way onto the woodland trails, I started to see glimmers here and there of the sun trying to peek out.

When I came out onto the main path, the sun suddenly burst through the clouds. The wind picked up and forced the tree branches to sway and so many leaves that had been holding on with all their might, started to fall. Some came down quickly, some spun around and around in a dizzying circle and some slowly drifted. It was like leaf snow the way they all floated down and came to rest on the ground around me and it made me smile.

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Leapin’ Lizards!

I’ve lived in England for a long time now and there is one thing that you very rarely, if ever see. In fact, I’ve never seen one here outside of a zoo. I’m talking about SNAKES! I can’t stand snakes. I grew up in an area of the States where you needed to be watchful for venomous snakes and spiders and where cockroaches, or as we call them “Palmetto Bugs”, do in fact fly. So I always pay attention.

Last year, while walking home along the footpath, I heard a noise that you only hear in horror films. The noise where something big is being dragged. I don’t know how I missed this thing, usually I’m constantly looking up and down as I walk the footpaths as there are always little mice who I don’t want to squash and normally dog poop.

But somehow I was looking up and stepped straight over something and it was only when I heard the noise of something huge being dragged through leaves did I turn around and witness the last two feet of a snake disappear down the hill to the train tracks. I kid you not when I say this, but it’s girth was the size of an Amazonian python that had just eaten a village cow.

There was a horrible smell in the air and after a mini panic attack where I didn’t think I could walk, I all but ran home and after a long internet search came across a site that informed me that that horrible almost rancid garlic odour I smelled was from a grass snake. It’s their defensive move. That snake and I crossed paths many times last summer, even when I avoided the footpath. The first time was enough for me, I didn’t need to see it ever again.

So, last night as I walked home, I stopped short as something almost golden in appearance caught my eye. I looked at it and it looked at me and I thought to myself, Mr. Michie is never going to believe me so I better snap a picture and before I could get a good one it took off.

After a few deep breaths, all but running home and lots of research, we came to the conclusion that it was in fact not a snake, but a legless lizard. As their skin is smooth and very shiny. Still, it’s enough for me to warily stare down that footpath.

Here’s to the weekend, I hope yours is legless lizard free! In fact, I hope mine is too, because they look way too much like a snake to me.

{Quote found HERE}

Here Comes the Sun

It was cold and misty on my run this morning. But as I rounded a corner, all of a sudden the sun came out of nowhere. It came and went so quickly, like the flash of a camera going off. But, I did manage to capture the sun pouring through these blossoms before it disappeared again. It made me happy. Spring is definitely “springing”!

Powder Grey, All Day

For some reason, I couldn’t get Wichita Lineman by Glen Campbell out of my head this morning. Maybe it’s the weather? But I had to come home and listen to it after my run. The weather has changed again and my morning meander was pretty chilly. The geese have arrived and they were swimming around the pond this morning as I ran past. The fog muted the sounds of cars on the road, which made the woods extra peaceful.

The sky has remained a powder grey, all day. It is the perfect day to stay in, drink copious amounts of tea and a read a good book. I’m reading a particularly good book at the moment about a bakery and the lives of the family who run it. I’m dreaming of cakes and bread and sugar cookies and cinnamon buns…