Looking beyond the horizon

Looking beyond the horizon is often hard to do but it is essential at times to do just that. As I have got older and my physical abilities have started to fail I have had to look much further to see where I am going and how I am going to deal with this. As someone who really needs to live in the great outdoors, being stuck in a small bungalow is not ideal. So how do I cope? Well, I make sure I can see through the window, see the birds on the feeder and see trees not too far away. This gives me an image of the world of nature which is so dear to me. A bonus this week were the goldfinches. I was able to take a photo of them through the window.

But I decided that I had to look further ahead, over the horizon in fact, to look for ways of staying active mentally and still being creative, painting even though I struggle to hold a paintbrush and writing even though handwriting is hard (I prefer handwriting to typing) So now I am the proud owner of a tablet and some rather good painting software. Watch this space for some pictures later when I have learned how to use it all. How do you cope with things when you find yourself unable to do something that you have always been able to do in the past? If you have not yet reached this stage, how do you feel you would cope? What would you do?

Mother Earth

This has been a chaotic week with lots of upheaval all over the world. The eclipse and the potent planetary alignments have caused quite a lot of earth changes. There have been at least two major earthquakes in the world and several minor ones including two here centred a few miles away. Disasters have also occurred with a large loss of life.

We had a few weeks of mild weather and many butterflies have been seen as well as other insects. These are not normally around until later in the summer. Now we have cold winds and ground frost. Today we have heavy rain with strong gusts of wind. What will happen to these species now?

What is nature trying to tell us? Have we been listening to what she says? Have we stopped misusing our earth? I could ask many more questions but these three will do for now. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this weather pattern and how it affects the life around you.

Sunshine

It never ceases to amaze me just how much better I feel when the sun shines. The downside of this is that I always do too much and then suffer later.   I did just that this week. I had a lovely stroll with a friend around the country park, then came home and mowed the lawn. Then on Friday I had another short stroll down to the river with another friend and we potted some indoor plants (two of which the cat has eaten!) Consequently I am now finding it difficult to move but I know that very gentle movement will help to ease the pain. (I have to walk with someone to accompany me as my balance is not good and I can fall easily)

But it was so good to be outside and to look at how the leaves are starting to open and the cherry blossom is coming out. There were butterflies too. On Thursday evening I went to a talk/slide show given by a local photographer. His photos inspired me and I hope to do more with this kind of thing for my web site. I already have some slide shows on the site but will now look at better ways of showing my photos to those who find such things interesting. Taking photos means that I take a closer look at nature, at the different colours in each flower and leaf and the insects amongst them. There is so much that many people miss when out walking or even just being in the garden. Nature is amazing!

 

Finding the light at the end of the tunnel

I have spent this morning wondering what to write about this week. It has been a dark week, one of many in the last few months and I wonder when I will find the light at the end of the tunnel. I know it is there but…

I try to find something each day that will lighten my spirit and this week it was the shoots of the hosta plants coming through the soil in their pots. Each year they push through whatever the winter has been like. Maybe my dark days are a period of time when my spirit slows down to allow me to assimilate all the things I am still learning and gives me the time away from mundane things to deal with (although there are plenty of these during this time of potent alignments)

How do you help your self to find the light when you feel low and depressed? Does nature help you in any way?