Sunday ramblings and music

I was not sure what to write about this week so I will be rambling a bit. It has been a quiet week in many ways with the weather changing every day. I have been looking for more signs of spring and there are quite a few now. Yet some mornings everywhere is white with frost and it is very icy underfoot. When going out on my mobility scooter I have to take care not to skid and tip it over!

My joy this week has been the purchase of a digital piano. I have played the piano since I was seven years old and there has always been music in my life. But I moved a while back to somewhere with no space for a piano and it had to go. Now I am living somewhere different with a little bit more space so I can have another piano. Music soothes my soul and I find it hard to live without it. My fingers are a bit stiff but practice will help with that so some piano playing every day. I also feel it will help with depression too. I feel so different as well so it must be good for me.

Are you a music lover? Do you play an instrument? How does it make you feel?

Signs of Spring

I have spent a few days away this week in some lovely countryside. On the way down I saw so many hazel catkins by the roadside I was amazed. It is early for them but they were lovely to see.

The grounds of the hotel where I stayed, were beautiful even in winter weather. We had sun, rain, hail, strong winds and snow! There was a tree walk which was excellent. There was an old yew wood where the trees were nearly 400 years old. There was a yew hedge too which had been sculptured into different shapes. There were sequoias, cedars, limes and various oaks but the best tree for me this time was the monkey puzzle tree. I have never seen such a fine specimen before.

Nestling among the trees the snowdrops were showing their heads and I found one lonely little primrose. There were squirrels playing too. When the sun shone on the snowdrops I felt hope come into my heart. I felt uplifted. Nature, whatever we do, seems to act as normal at this time of the year as new life springs forth.

Have you noticed any signs of spring in your area yet?

I will add the primrose photo here but other photos can be found on my Facebook page.

Reflecting

Why is our world in such a state?

Too much war and too much hate;

How do we change to much more caring,

Respecting, loving and a lot of sharing?

Why do we fight and think we are right

While people starve and die?

And those who think of right and might

Hide away from the sight;

What does it take to make the change

To make things right and fair?

Let’s hope that it is not too late

To save our world from a violent fate.

Looking after our natural world

It is a foggy icy morning here today. The snow has gone but it is still very cold. The birds are busy eating food from the feeders. There are other small animals around too. Unfortunately one was caught by a local cat the other morning. It was a little shrew which had been hiding in the leaves under one of the bushes keeping warm from the snow. But that is nature I suppose, one animal is food for another one.

However it is up to us to look out for them in the cold weather and make sure there are places for them to hide and food for them to eat.

But the ice shows us the amazing nature of our natural world. The tiny crystals formed by the frost are simply wonderful. No two seem to be the same. I love to look at them all, even the ones on the wheelie bin and the bird feeders. Do you see these and notice how different they are? Do you feed the birds? Do you have ‘homes’ for other small animals and insects in your garden? Seeing our natural world in all its glory makes me feel so much better. Nature is stronger than we are!