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.

   

   

      

Stealing the Limelight

Yellowhammer and Chaffinch being neighbourly

   
    I love wild life especially birds and I could spend hours watching them in my garden. However at this time of year many of our garden birds in the UK pack there bags and head south for the winter in search for sunnier climes.


Blue-tits enjoying a peanut feast

      Something that you will know I am inclined to do my self  on a  regular basis.


Sparrows

     But there are some of my feathered friends that thankfully stick around and I wanted to share a couple of photographs with you.



Robin makes sure I capture his best camera angle, his buddy the blackbird looking on

    You will see that the little guy with the red breast loves competing for favourite all time Christmas character. He sometimes finds that auditioning can sap his strength, so he makes sure he grabs a bite when he can at his local take-away.

                                                                       

Grabbing a bite between auditions

       I can't resist him stealing the limelight, because he's gorgeous. Although he does find that the costume department fails him constantly.

 Don't you have the shoes in a smaller size ?

Words of Wisdom

   

    The world is in mourning this week for an inspirational and brave man, Nelson Mandela. He once said, "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."
   
    As well we know life isn't always plain sailing and for Mr  Mandela it certainly was not. But when he fell he definitely didn't give up.

    This statement is relevant to us all and I for one plan to recall them on the occasions I feel I have failed. Because they are words of encouragement and strength; helping us all follow his lead with grit and determination.

    R.I.P Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela 18 July 1918- 5 December 2013.

Normal Service Resumes

    

Mount Teide  before the storm

    The last two weeks I've been having some chill out time in Tenerife, the Canary Islands, but as from today normal service will resume on this blog. That means if you're a new follower, posts will be updated Mondays and Fridays. If you're a regular reader, thanks for hanging around.

    The weather on my trip was a pretty mixed bag, as was my Internet access. If it hadn't been for obliging friends I wouldn't have been able to publish my last post. Gracia amigos.

Mount Teide after the storm

 

    The storms I experienced on vacation decided to catch the five hour flight home with me and is battering most of the UK progressively today. With winds recorded in excess of 100 miles an hour in my area and 146 miles an hour in others, things were a little scary around here last night and this morning.

    The rail network in Scotland completed grounded to a halt today, flights have been diverted, roads and bridges such as the Forth Road Bridge have been closed to traffic. Unfortunately lives have also been lost, so I need to count my blessings that I only had a few large puddles inside my home to mop up.  The important thing is that my family and I are unharmed. 

    Catch up with me on Twitter @RowellChristina  and make sure you drop by Monday.

   

   
   

 

   

Shopping Around

   

    With not so many shopping days left until Christmas, it's time to hit the shops.  I do prefer to shop online and do regularly, when buying clothes, or luxury goods for myself.

    The thing is I'm much more decisive when purchasing something for myself than I am for others. I am apt to change my mind, which isn't so handy when you're shopping online for a large family. It can mean days on end, waiting on the delivery courier and endless trips to the Post Office with the returns.

    I try to avoid the weekends when visiting the bigger stores, but that isn't always possible. Therefore I'm just going to have to grin and bear the fact that I will have to endure the crowds at one point. Already I'm anticipating the jostling, noise and tired feet.

    However when the gift package is opened and a smile of appreciation is flashed my way on Christmas Day, the little hassles that have been endured will be forgotten.

Racing Hearts

   

    A recent study has found that the heart rate of children in the UK is on he rise. Since the 1980's the resting heart rate of  a group of 9-11 years old was found to have risen by up to 2 beats a minute. Meaning that the next generation of children are at greater risk of suffering from diabetes, and heart disease.

    The professionals say that spending too much time watching TV, using PCs, and smartphones, to text and tweet is at the root of the problem.

    Another study done in the US, also found that this technology which fills our homes and lives can  cause our kids stress, fuelled by lack of sleep and online bullying. Not ignoring, the obesity that sneaks in when we sit around for too many hours.

    Therefore it doesn't matter what side of the pond we live on, it's agreed that the technological gadgets that are the must haves for kids, should carry a health warning.

    For one set of parents in Nottinghamshire in England, they decided to do something about their two daughters sedentary lifestyle and banned them from watching TV for 12 months. The girls aged 8 and 10 years old, were given 100 outdoor challenges to replace screen time.

    The pursuits included, climbing, sailing, kayaking, skiing and according to newspaper reports they loved every minute. So much so, that even although some screen time has been reinstated into their lives, they've now set themselves another set of outdoor challenges for the next year to come.

    Tips from the experts for children keeping a healthy heart and body include, limiting screen time, keeping the family active and establish an exercise regime. This family definitely showed us all how to do that.