Who will you snuggle up with?

   

    For many, today is scheduled to be the first day back at work after the Christmas break. However, in lots of areas on both sides of the Atlantic the weather is causing havoc and travelling anywhere, even a short distance is not advisable. So in these locations unless you have a snow plough or a canoe, you should plan to have a duvet day.

    At this time of year the kids want to be outside on their new bicycles, scooters and roller blades that Santa delivered. Unfortunately the experience of zigzagging down the pavements, frantically trying to stay upright, clad in the must have accessories of crash helmet and knee pads may also have to wait for another time.

    If you're  bored with the board games and jig-saw puzzles that have became a permanent fixture on the dining table for the last couple of weeks, this is the perfect day to read the best-seller that Auntie Jane gave you. Maybe even use the Amazon gift voucher from your best friend Sara, to purchase an eBook to download onto your tablet. You know, that tablet that sneaked its way into your Christmas stocking.

    It's also a time to teach the kids that their new iPad mini isn't just for playing games, or listening to music. They too can access a whole new world, reading books.   Hopefully whatever horrible conditions are outside, you're all able to stay safe and snuggled up in front of the fire in your own home. If you're snuggling up with a good book today, who's it going to be?

   

   

   

   

Somewhere Only We Know!

     

Callendar Park, Falkirk

 

    When the elasticated waist trousers feel as though they're ready to ping under the strain, I know it's time to get motivated. After a week of over indulging, with not much exercise fitted in, my bathroom scales are edging towards a place no woman wants to go. Not if she wants to be able to come back easily.

Woodland Paths

    So my partner and I put on our wellies (wellington boots) and warm clothing yesterday and set out for a walk in a nearby park. Because in Scotland, the second of January is still a public holiday we were anticipating that we would be the only two people there.

Callendar House, Falkirk

 



    Whether others needed to burn off calories, or just wanted to take advantage of a day which had started without rain and high winds, I don't know. But it was a little naive to think that a beautiful place such as Callendar Park, in Falkirk was somewhere only we know.

    However we didn't really mind sharing, because the winding paths through the woodland and the magnificent chateau style house overlooking the lake are something that should be shared and enjoyed by all.

   

Ring out the Old, Bring in the New

 

 

  

As we approach the end of another year

And anticipate the new

We think of those we hold dear

Although the hours we have spent with them, seem so few

We should not place so much importance on the time we have spent apart

But the fact that we have a place in each other's heart

So wherever we are when the the midnight bells start to ring

We know whatever words we say, they will mean the same thing,

Happy New Year

Sounds Familiar

   

 

    The presents were exchanged,  the turkey was eaten, and the crackers pulled. The table was now deserted of diners, but was strewn with empty, plates, glasses, crumbs and spills.

    The family that had gathered earlier in the day were now playing parlour games in an attempt to keep themselves from falling asleep, after consuming too much food.

    It's a story that resounds all over the world, the day that many of us join together to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

    A day to touch the lives of others, in return they touch ours; a day for peace and goodwill to all. I hope you had a great day because I most certainly did.

Hope I'm not on Santa's Naughty List

   It's the time of year that we all want to have a bit of fun. So I decided today, to put together a montage of photographs loosely based on the English Christmas song, The Twelve Days of Christmas. The song first published in the book, Mirth without Mischief, in 1780 describes the gifts given to someone by their true-love.

    The twelve days commence Christmas day and end on the Feast of the Epiphany (January the 6th). 
   

Partridge looking for his Pear Tree

Lone Turtle Dove

Water Hen. Yes should be a French hen 

 

Calling bird or blackbird was a little camera shy

 

 



 Golden Rings
 

 

 Geese swimming rather than laying

 

 Swans a Swimming!
 

 

 A Guy a Milking, rather than a Maid (Equal Opportunities)
 

 

Ladies and Men Dancing

 

 Gnomes a Leaping (No Lords applied for position)
 

 

   

Piper Piping and a Drummer Drumming

 

     Hope this doesn't mean I'm on Santa's naughty list. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Express Myself

   

   Before I started clicking the keys on my keyboard yesterday, to write the draft of this blog, I dithered about for ages. My pen hovered constantly over some of my ideas I have jotted down in a notebook, and I doodled alongside my favourites whilst I continued to ponder.

    But that little voice inside just kept on dithering and asking, "Should I write about this? Should I write about that? The same little voice that can take on any character role I have the mind-set to do.

    Suddenly the voice asked, "What if you weren't allowed to choose what you wanted to write about? Whether in blog form, or book. What if you couldn't freely express yourself?

    No matter how many times I tried to come up with an informed answer, I couldn't. Why? Because I can write responsibly about anything I want and any restrictions therefore are fully self imposed.

    However there are many writers in the world who do not have this right and that's why I count myself lucky.

   

   

    

Picture Postcard From.......

Montana Rojo, El Medano, Tenerife

    Before I set off on my recent vacation one of my friends said, "Remember send me a postcard."  She was only joking but whilst I was away I found myself looking for shops that sold picture postcards.

    Because it suddenly struck me that sending picture postcards to friends and relatives from your travels had died along with letter writing. We have substituted this form of communication with Instagram, Flikr, Facebook, Twitter, email and the rest.

Harbour, Las Galletas, Tenerife

    The plus side to this is that our loved ones can instantly share our vacation experience with us.  No waiting for the postman to drop the card through the letter box. That's if it arrived, as many that I sent in the past, never did. There were occasions I felt that some kind of mail monster had eaten all my carefully chosen and sometimes overpriced cards up.

    However, there is a big downside and that's in my opinion that we are slowly strangling the art of the written word.