It was Bank Holiday Monday. We were eating brunch (a meal that became a lot less fun when I discovered it supposed to be instead of breakfast and lunch, not as well as). I was just about to shovel in another mouthful of scrambled egg when I noticed something incredibly amazing and downed-tools to run to the window. The sun was out!
The sun only lasted about an hour but I rushed out, camera in hand, to the nearest place that was vaguely photogenic and snapped like crazy. It was somewhat surprising to see that nature was still on schedule even if the weather was lagging a couple of months behind.
All taken (very quickly) with my Canon 5D MkII and 135mm f/2.0 lens
Not only that but it was once of the warmest weeks we’ve ever had in March here in the UK. It was 23°C (that’s like 70-something in Fahrenheit). So glorious and pure chance!
We went to Cornwall – I love Cornwall so much. I love the ocean; proper blue waves and foamy white surf rather than the tameness of the English Channel which is what I am used to at home.
And the sand – the sand is amazing. It was so nice feeling it squishing through my toes on one of our many beach walks – I’m not one for sitting still when I go away – not like this chap. I don’t know who he is but I liked the headline he was reading (not sure if you can make it out or not, it says ‘A load of codswallop’ – I love that word)!
I will stop for ice cream though – I’m not crazy!
St Ives is an amazing spot to explore – I find something different every time I go. I love the name of this street – I want to live in Love Lane!
It’s the sea that I really love though.
The sea.
The sea.
The sea when it swallows up the blazing orange sun.
I’m sighing as I type this – but in a contented and flolloppy way. I miss being there already, but it’s good to be home too – I can crack on with my ‘bigplan‘ now!
Some news on my ‘big plan‘ – I now have an official notebook which I carry everywhere with me! I know, I know I have lots of notebooks already (you sound just like my husband) but a girl needs a new notebook for some things – important things.
For days the only writing in it was on page one (it said ‘the plan’) but I am pleased to report that I didn’t let the blank pages intimidate me for long and I now have quite a few words that feel ‘right’. I’m quite excited!
In the meantime, here are some photos of Camber Sands where, if it hadn’t been freeeeeeezing cold when I was there – I would have lingered longer. I love a sandy beach!
Photos taken with Canon 5D MkII and 135mm f/2 lens
I love this time of year – when you get to see little signs that winter might finally be thinking about finishing. Today, in amongst the wintry berries and christmassy robins I spotted catkins AND snowdrops. Yay!
All taken this afternoon with my Canon 5D MkII and 135mm f/2.0 lens
As you’ll be able to tell from the photos below, I went to the seaside today! Here’s a little vlog I made about it using my phone – looks like 2012 is going to be the year of the video pour moi!
Winter sunshine is beautiful, don’t you think?
There are probably scientific reasons why the quality of light is different at this time of year; to do with angles and unfathomable distances, no doubt – all I know is that it makes for lovely photographs.
This is Milford-on-Sea – we drove home through the New Forest as the sun was setting and it looked glorious…
We had huge storm today and it (along with being the first day back at work) has truly blown away any notion that the holidays are still with us.
Goodbye chocolates for breakfast, afternoon naps and turkey sandwiches. Hello to waking before the sun does, laying out your next days clothes the night before and a hustley-bustley office.
It’s all OK though. I’m excited – there’s a whole new year stretched out in front of me; all shiny and new and untrodden. I find Christmas a difficult time to engage my brain in anything more than studying TV listings and working out the best way to crack a brazil nut (not possible without power-tools), but now I have the rhythm of a working week back in my life I am finally ready to begin plotting and planning.
Now I am ready now to properly fill out Susannah’s FREE Unravelling workbook (go and have a look – it’s a fabulous resource for planning your year ahead from someone who really knows their stuff). I mentioned before that my word was STRIVE, but I need to start padding this out with specifics. I’ve sharpened all my pencils, I have cracked open a new notebook. Let’s do this!
Time management is one of the things I will be investigating as part of my plan – when you work full-time as well as inhabiting your own creative universe you have a number of time-related challenges to overcome. It can (and WILL) be done though. I’ll let you know if I discover any good tips as I know I’m not the only one in this boat (and do let me know in the comments if you have any advice to share).
All these photos – I took them yesterday. Before the storm. It was so calm and bright and… tranquil.
This is the beach near my house so I get to visit it a lot. I get to see how it changes through the year and right now I am loving the skeletons of the plantlife that inhabits the salty, shingley shore.
Whilst these dead weeds may be beautiful memories of the past, I think it’s the now and the future where the true beauty is.
It’s been such a lovely day today – my last day of freedom! A clear blue sky, even on a crisply cold winters day is a hugely uplifting thing, don’t you think?
And these red branches were glowing like fire - a real contrast with the blue (are they dogwood? I think that’s what they are). I don’t think it really matters that they were in a car-park, outside the public loos – in fact I think it makes them even more beautiful…
And underfoot, to dazzle along with the blue and the red is this beautiful emerald green velvet, used to pad out the paving slabs – how decadent!
Photos taken with my Canon 5D MkII, a 50mm f/1.4 lens & a 135mm f/2 lens
Autumn can be quite show-offy and brazenly colourful at times, don’t you think?
Often though it is quite muted and serene.
These are from a late afternoon stroll in the old cemetery over the weekend – it was dark by teatime and a brisk pace was required to get out of there before the veil of darkness (and spookiness) descended…
Meteorologists have been saying that when autumn finally gets started then the mild weather we’ve been having should mean it will be a very colourful one, leaf-wise.
Well, I think it’s finally got started and it is indeed looking spectacular – I went for a wander with the Mr, my brother and niece. Look at us all with our camera gear – watch out trees, you’re about to get ‘papped’!
It’s rather handy having a National Park full trees on your doorstep…
And not just any old trees, no, this here is the tallest tree in England – even taller than Big Ben apparently…
But it’s not just the trees though, there are also some amazing fungi…
And of course there’s the New Forest ponies, including this blonde beauty…
But mainly it is about the leaves. So many leaves and so much colour – I love it…
Photos taken with Canon 5D MkII and 135mm f/2 lens
