Day 304: Evening reflections

"Laughter is day, and sobriety is night; a smile is the twilight that hovers gently between both, more bewitching than either." - Henry Ward Beecher

Project 365: #304

An exciting thing about this time of the year, is that daylight saving gives us an extra hour of daylight in our day...making long evening walks at twilight possible again! Having a dog in the house also helps, as he LOVES to go on walks, so it is a good excuse to get out. And of course, there are the added advantages of beautiful scenery to absorb, such as the reflections in the stream below our house. We are certainly privileged to live in this beautiful part of the world.

Day 303: Gates to ...?

“I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” - Albert Einstein

Project 364: #303

I know I have said it before, but I love exploring the area, and can't help imagine all sorts of different histories that have taken place...especially when I come across these once magnificent pillars and gates to a home in the countryside. They must have originally been hand-crafted by a talented iron-monger, and were the pride of the family at the entrance to their home. Now they are falling off the pillars, and are entangled in weeds and vines. I would love a glimpse of them in their prime, and the life of the family whose home they heralded, and the lives of those who crafted them. I can only imagine...

Day 302: Spring...and it's snowing

“Whenever she turned her steep focus to me, I felt the warmth that flowers must feel when they bloom through the snow, under the first concentrated rays of the sun.” - Janet Fitch, White Oleander

Project 365: #302

Spring was welcomed in by Winter with a last dusting of snow overnight....just to remind us she can be willful when she wants!! The exciting thing is that the sky is blue, and the snow was all melted by midday. I felt the warmth of the sun, it has changed from being merely light in winter to being warm and welcoming! Yay! Spring is here!!! No, we have not had our traditional "First-of-Spring-Swimming-Pool-Plunge"...just because it is Spring, doesn't mean the water won't be freezing! We will have to come up with a northern hemisphere tradition...maybe "Hot-Chocolate-Around-The-Fire" until Summer eventually arrives!

Day 301: Lunch is served!

"My daughter is the biggest gift; I've said it so many times and it sounds like a cliche, but the thing about being a parent is when you think you've cracked it, and you're on top of your game, they change again and you have to catch up and adjust. I feel such a responsibility to instill good values in her, to be polite, to have discipline." - Geri Halliwell

My daughter is the biggest gift; I've said it so many times and it sounds like a cliche, but the thing about being a parent is when you think you've cracked it, and you're on top of your game, they change again and you have to catch up and adjust. I feel such a responsibility to instill good values in her, to be polite, to have discipline. Geri Halliwell
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/g/gerihalliw544998.html?src=t_daughter

My daughter is the biggest gift; I've said it so many times and it sounds like a cliche, but the thing about being a parent is when you think you've cracked it, and you're on top of your game, they change again and you have to catch up and adjust. I feel such a responsibility to instill good values in her, to be polite, to have discipline. Geri Halliwell
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/g/gerihalliw544998.html?src=t_daughter

Project 365: #301

How exciting to come home to a cleaned house and lunch served, all by the gorgeous girls! Woohoo! There really is hope! We are blessed by not only have one daughter but two, who are so completely different that the complement each other perfectly. Today was my lucky day....it is in these little moments that you can see that all the nagging, moaning, complaining (all while trying not to) do actually pay off, and the dividends can be see replicated 100-fold. At the end of the day, you have hopefully done your job if your daughters have good values, are polite, and disciplined. You mostly see this in public, but when displayed at home, you know in your heart that your responsibilities in raising them are being met!

Day 300: Almost spring!!!

“She turned to the sunlight
    And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
    "Winter is dead.”

 - A.A. Milne, When We Were Very Young

Project 365: #300

Despite the snowfall predictions for the first day of spring tomorrow, the odds are trying to overcome winter with all that they have! On my meander this morning, these beautiful daffodils were flowering in a wild copse. Someone had planted them seasons ago, probably in the hope that they would bring joy. And they certainly did! They lifted my mood, and reminded me that winter is really dead, lying almost buried among the brown decaying leaves and branches....and we may grieve a little for the season lost, but lift our spirits to the new life ahead!

Day 299: Flowing river bends

"The river is constantly turning and bending and you never know where it's going to go and where you'll wind up. Following the bend in the river and staying on your own path means that you are on the right track. Don't let anyone deter you from that." - Eartha Kitt

Project 365: #299

As with seasons,  rivers are forever changing, ebbing and flowing, and no two days are exactly the same. They are alive, and evolving, slowly cutting into the rockbed, forging new paths. With torrential rainfall they turn into a powerful force, difficult to control, with potential energy to harvest. Then, within days they can meander to a trickle, providing a soothing gurgle as the water tumbles over rocks and debris. As we are in the footfills of the Appalachians, the headwaters of three major rivers are in the vicinity - so there is water everywhere, and several little streams that seem to pop out of nowhere. It makes for a beautiful landscape. It does remind you to keep on your intended path, no matter what - following the bend in the river, and having faith that you will end up where you are meant to be!

Day 298: St Patrick's Day in the neighborhood

"For the whole world is Irish on the Seventeenth o' March!" — Thomas Augustine Daly

 Project 365: #298

Today is a day that is greatly celebrated here, any excuse really! We had a fun ladies games night as an early celebration, and have been enjoying all the parades and Irish dancing. It does seem as though the whole world is Irish today - and what a heritage to celebrate. This is a glimpse of the neighborhood - complete with a leprechaun sitting on the garden bench! Even the dentist had a celebratory plant! I have been wondering as I go along how the differences between the continents all evolved...as often when you are introduced here, the person will let you know their heritage, e.g., "I am Italian, or Scottish, or Irish...etc" even if they are the fourth, fifth, or sixth generation living here, with no real ties back to their homeland. However, from SA, even though some of us have similar ties, we just introduce ourselves as "South African", despite similar cultural heritage. I have been trying to understand it, and sometimes, I think it was almost embarrassing to admit that we are descendants from a long line of colonists in Africa, so it is better to forget your heritage and embrace the multicultural society. Anyhow, as my mother was a McNamara, I will celebrate my heritage....after all, we need to know where we have come from to know where we are going!

 

Day 297: Turkey vultures soaking up some rays

"Don't play dead with a vulture. That's exactly what they want" - Kevin Nealon

Project 365: #297

I witnessed an amazing sight this morning that I could not accurately capture, the roof of a neighbourhood house was lined with about ten turkey vultures basking in the early morning sunlight. It reminded me of the comical vultures in the jungle book, and also that life is a continuous circle... try not to end up on the vulture's menu. Don't play dead, keep moving, and keep living! The most amazing thing is that God has carefully thought out every creation in minute detail...even down to the cleaners, ensuring there is no waste! We should really take more lessons!

Day 296: Spring cleaning in the garden

Everything has seasons, and we have to be able to recognize when something's time has passed and be able to move into the next season. Everything that is alive requires pruning as well, which is a great metaphor for endings. Henry Cloud
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/henrycloud633473.html?src=t_pruning

Everything has seasons, and we have to be able to recognize when something's time has passed and be able to move into the next season. Everything that is alive requires pruning as well, which is a great metaphor for endings. Henry Cloud
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/henrycloud633473.html?src=t_pruning

"Everything has seasons, and we have to be able to recognize when something's time has passed and be able to move into the next season. Everything that is alive requires pruning as well, which is a great metaphor for endings." - Henry Cloud

 

Project 365: #296

Cutting, raking, pruning, mulching...spring cleaning in the garden. I don't think this has happened for a while in this garden, as I am discovering all sorts of gems as I dig down. It has had a few seasons of running wild, and with some care and attention, will hopefully bounce back with renewed energy. The last few years with us feel as though we have been well-pruned, and now we can move forward with abundant energy - facing the challenges ahead with gusto and the potential for new growth.

Day 295: Cats and dogs

"I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

Project 365: #295 

Woohoo! At last things are looking up! Riley and Mouse on the bed at the same time for early-morning cuddles;  Mouse was actually purring, and Riley was not chasing her to play! There was absolutely no spitting, hissing, or barking involved - very encouraging. So, there is hope that despite all our differences, we can find some common ground and seek peace and harmony, armed with truth and unconditional love!

Day 294: First snowdrops

"The snowdrop and primrose our woodlands adorn, and violets bathe in the wet o' the morn." - Robert Burns

Project 365: # 294

I was SO excited to see the first snowdrops and of the season peeping through the undergrowth on the side of the road, along with a few violets. The dull brown is beginning to transform to green, with everything waking from deep chill hibernation! I am still fascinated by the cycle that continues, no matter what...with everything in nature signalling a new day, a new season, reminding us that each day we can start fresh, and no matter what, tomorrow something new and exciting could always happen.

Day 293: Borough vs township

"She is stunned that in this town there are no sidewalks to speak of, no streetlights, no public transportation, no stores for miles at at a time." - Jhumpa Lahiri

Project 365: #293

This is a regular running route that I take, that is a nice 7 mile circuit. It is all good until you transition between the borough and the township, and the sidewalk (pavement) suddenly runs out, and you have to run on the road (pavement)!  It is not always such fun to run in the road, as it is fairly narrow, and although the speed limit is only 25 miles per hour...it seems as though cars are moving a little faster, and there is literally no where to go as there is a ditch on the side of the road! This is quite literally the difference between the township and the borough, which is why we out-of-towners opted to live in the borough until we know the system a little better. In the boro there are sidewalks, streetlights, tapped water, and a sewerage system....in the township there are no streetlights (very spooky in the forest, especially if you have watched American Horror Story), you have a well in your garden for water, and a septic tank for sewerage. That would have all been too much for us to master in one go...so perhaps one day we will transition to the township...but for now, the boro is good!

Day 292: Urban sunset

"Everyone can identify with a fragrant garden, with beauty of sunset, with the quiet of nature, with a warm and cozy cottage" - Thomas Kincade

Project 365: #292

There is something that inexplicably stirs you when looking at the sunset, something that we can all innately identify with, the raw quiet beauty of nature, even in an urban setting. The most exciting part of the sunset is that it is at 6.15 pm, and with daylight saving kicking in at the weekend, will be at 7.15! Woohoo! The tangible feeling of summer on the way! The nice thing about pre-spring, is that we can still witness the sunset from our garden. As soon as the leaves come out, we won't see it any more. There are hidden surprises each day, and each season.

Day 291: Flying formations

One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of March thaw, is the Spring. Aldo Leopold
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/aldoleopol390270.html?src=t_geese

One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of March thaw, is the Spring. Aldo Leopold
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/aldoleopol390270.html?src=t_geese

"One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of March thaw, is the Spring." - Aldo Leopold

Project 365: # 291

When on my run this morning, I heard the squawk of geese, and looked up to see this almost perfect formation through the trees! What an awesome way to herald the end of winter, a skein of geese flying due North for the summer! Yippee! Just when you think enough is enough of cold and dull days, you are reminded by nature that spring and summer are around the corner! Yay! It is very necessary to experience bad weather to appreciate good weather!

 

Day 290: Early morning runs are fun again

“I love running. I’m not into marathons, but I am into avoiding problems at an accelerated rate.” - Jarod Kintz

Project 365: #290

It is unbelievable how the mood has lifted with the warming temperatures. I can tangibly smell and feel the change of season. Woohoo!!! There could be a whole lot of worse places to run! How amazing is it that this route is at the bottom of our garden! Running for me definitely eases problems, and puts everything in perspective, and in beautiful places, allows for reflection on the beauty of creation. I am grateful that it is safe enough for me to explore areas on my own, and that our decision of leaving all we know behind has been affirmed. Things are beginning to feel more balanced again, with a sense of normality returning.

 

 

Day 289: Pre-spring?

The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also. Harriet Ann Jacobs
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"The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also" - Harriet Ann Jacobs

Project 365: #289

We seem to have got away with a sort of mild winter for these parts, except for the Blizzard of 2016! The snow has mostly melted...and today, it felt as though Spring was truly in the air - the birds were singing, the sun was out, and was warm, the sky was blue, and the animals were all enjoying a stretch of their legs and the fresh air. (The cats were enjoying a little more exercise than anticipated, as Riley's favourite game is chasing them around the garden in a most undignified fashion!) I switched off the heating system and opened all the windows, flushing away all the stale winter air. It was positively summery at 14 degrees C, and I even enjoyed a late afternoon cup of coffee on the deck, soaking up the last few rays with Riley! I am feeling more and more alive by the day, my soul is waking after a long hibernation!

Day 288: The joy of sunshine

"Never give up. Today is hard, tomorrow will be worse, but the day after will be sunshine" - Jack Ma

 

Project 365: #288

Well...not really day 288, but who's counting. It may as well be, as the days are blending into one another at a rate that I can't keep up with, obviously! It seems as though we have experienced a roller-coaster ride with all the ups and downs....and just as you think you are reaching the summit, you plunge into the depths again. BUT....I am catching glimpses of the sunshine, and the smell and taste of spring is in the air. I am so excited I can hardly control myself...and neither can Riley! He has discovered the joy of sunshine, and drags his bed to the sun near the front door in the day! What a clever puppy!!