Simply a Moment - December

A moment in the Glen

Sunday - December 29th - 12.07pm

A shaft of bright sunlight through the window tempts me outside - a walk in the Glen calls methinks, - warmly clad I set off, with just my phone for company.

The leaves swish underfoot as I walk and I kick them around with the same pleasure a 6 year old might have and walk on, twigs snapping underfoot as I stride out - the high winds have wreaked havoc and everywhere I look there are lichen covered broken twigs, and signs of the forresters having been around with a chain saw to deal with fallen branches - a flash of wings and the blackbird is just where I was standing, beak busily searching out any grubs I might have brought to the surface - I smile to myself - he must have been watching me!
 I look over towards the beach - in the distance I see a couple of small groups on the shore line - tiny black figures silhouetted against the brightness.
This golden sunshine has turned the bay into a land of shining water - shafts of light make the sea shimmer and sparkle - diamond bright, flashing light back at the sky. I walk along briskly feeling my cheeks begin to tingle and my toes to get warm - it is much colder than I expected so I am aware that I need to keep moving. I turn the corner on the path and reach the headland - - the wind is rising, more storms are forecast for us later today, and it is quite chilly on the promontory here so I don't linger. In front on the path I catch sight of Robin Redbreast - and he too brings a smile to my face - I would like to stand and watch him but the chill in the wind keeps me moving, and although it it is still low tide, already the waves have white tops and are dashing against the rocks below the path. Time to head home, noticing for the first time a tree with many holes in its trunk - woodpeckers I wonder? - no matter how often I take this walk I always find something I haven't noticed before - - but then isn't that just Mother Nature all over?

This post is brought to you courtesy of Alexa's Simply a Moment meme - and she will have more "moments" linked up there - do pop over to read them.

Thanks for dropping in  -  as always you are most welcome.

'til later

Bannaghtyn, J x

I wish you all - -

- - the compliments of the season.

I am sorry not to have been around for a while - a combination of busy weeks because of visitors, some struggling to hold myself together, travel and this Season - -  so that the "online world" was the last thing on my mind, though I have been reading Shimelle's "Journal Your Christmas" prompts .

I am trying to "catch up" with all your news and so sad to have missed the last Storytelling Sunday - I so enjoyed the glimpses into your lives and the lovely stories - so a huge thank you to Sian.

I hope all is well with you all - and that those of you in the UK haven't been hit too hard by the appalling storms we have faced this last few weeks. My own Island home is very weather battered - extremely high winds have led to many ferry and flight cancellations - which of course impacts on our supplies, but we did mange to get our eldest girl safely over to spend this holiday with us.

I also have a new "addition" to my household - - in the form of one very small blue bird - - -

This is Joey - and we are very pleased to have him come to live with us - -

My very best wishes to all my readers - thank you all so very much for your friendship.

'til later

Bannaghtyn, J x

Long Time - - - No Blog - - -

- - - as life has really thrown me some curve balls this year, and finding time for ANYTHING other tha daily living has proved well nigh impossible for me. I signed up for two classes with Shimelle - and never got to even go to the forum - for one off them I haven't even found time to read the emails! As I am a longtime fan of Shimelle's classes and find them totally inspirational I feel very down about it. However - I do know that every class is still available to me to go back to so hope that is what I will be able to do.Onwards & Upwards!!
It seems it is my time to have a myriad number of problems - which alone are easy to cope with - but when they come all at once seem insurmountable - -  none of them unusual - the kind of thing we all face at different times - elderly parents, health issues for children and partners, boilers breaking down , unexpected flash floods - -  just all at once and all costly in financial terms - - LOL - but I am getting there - That's life I guess.

I am going to an all day Craft event on Sunday - so that is my glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. The thought is keeping me going and having had stuff to prepare for it has been the saviour of my sanity. Anyway - here is a photo of what we hope to achieve. Thanks for stopping by.

I do hope life has been kinder to you -
Bannaghtyn

J xc

On the 3rd day - -

- - of December - - I am getting so excited - only 2 days to go before I visit the beautiful City of Bruges. I am going on a day trip to the Christmas Markets there - on a direct flight from the island - along with a group of friends from work!
You have no idea how excited we are - - we are worse than the teenagers in school!! It is our main topic of conversation each time we have break or lunch - - goodness knows what we will be like next week when it is all over! It doesn't even matter that we have to be at the airport at some ungodly hour on Saturday morning!
I have printed out maps from Google, been on Trip Advisor to find any reviews and on Flickr looking at photos!! Last year one of the highlights of my Christmas was our short break in Munich with my friends from work to go to the Christmas Markets. We can't afford to do it every year {sadly :(} - and now we are saving up for a trip to Sorrento - - but have managed to scrape enough together for this one day excursion, and I think we are all really looking forward to it!

Thanks for stopping by

Gura mie ayd J x

"I Declare - - -

- - that I am going to make a Christmas Journal - to capture  my December 2009 for eternity - to look back on and remember and to reclaim the magic that this season of the year is to me. I will GIVE myself a few minutes each day to make an entry in my Journal without stressing and purely for the delight and pleasure it brings me, so that at the end  of the month I will have a record of this Christmas. Along the way I will post entries here, try to share my creations with other Christmas lovers around the world and make a little time to admire and be inspired by THEIR creations too - - but most of all I declare my intention to re-claim my enjoyment of the season."

Today is the start od Shimelle's JYC class for 2009 - I am an alumni of a few years now being on. I think,  on my 4th or 5th journal so - really I think I ought to know what I should be doing. The class is such fun to be a part of - -  even if I fall by the wayside as the month gets busier! I do have all my stuff collected together and all my blank pages cut ready to go - so if I print out my manifesto - - as above - - I'm good to go!!

I have managed to make a couple of ATCS for Craft Club swap tonight  as well -  so I good start so far - long may it last!
Do feel free to leave a little comment if you stop by,
Gura mie ayd! J x