A place that had once been busy and vital but now mostly forgotten by those that have moved on and a generation that knows no different.
All in Travel
That Magic Idyllic Button Was Pressed Again
It's happened again. Out in the countryside, taking in the beautiful wild flowers in Sussex at the weekend, I heard those words.
The Beauty Of Scotland In The Sunshine Is Way Beyond Subjective
However, there are some things that are beyond subjective when it comes to beauty. In fact, they are so far beyond that to even ask the question is likely to appear patronising or insulting.
Musing On The White Edge
Young yet confident, I had the feeling that she was part of a world I would never experience.
Somehow Pleasing To The Eye
And you see sheep dotted across the hillside, in fact, now you notice them, you see them everywhere. Even at the top of the steepest slopes, way above you on the other side of the valley.
Brown-Signing Is Very Much A Thing
I like those the best. Where we just do something on the spur of the moment and live with the consequences, whatever they may be.
The Glorious Sound Of A Stress-Free Sunday
For me, today, it was when I heard the sound of birdsong through the open window and the first drops of rain on the roof.
Grease To The Wheels Of Exploratory Thinking
Inspiration often appears, or so they say, quite unexpectedly. A look, a word or simply a thought and there it is. From nothing to something. Direction and purpose.
Positively Dripping With Nostalgia And Overloaded With Cliches
But if I close my eyes, I don't need words to remind me. I can still feel the warmth of the mid-May sunshine on my face and hear the polite applause as yet another stylish stroke guides the ball over the ropes for four more runs.
Irrational Yet Unshakable
There is an agenda, of course. There is always a reason, even if I don't yet know what it might be, don't yet understand. I suspect, and that is enough.
But Whatever You Can Find, Take It
And at times like this, I am grateful. Grateful that my place of work is located out in the countryside. And blessed that I am able to find birdsong, beauty and solitude on a deserted riverbank or a silent churchyard within minutes.
Permission To Relax And Breathe Again
There is something about being around water that is clearly beneficial to so many of us. It is almost as if we sub-consciously give ourselves permission to relax and breathe again when we find ourselves beside a sandy beach, lake or river.
In Our Heads We Are Timeless
I walked this morning. For miles and hours. Along lanes, tracks and footpaths. Across fields and through woods. I saw the sun rise and gazed as the blue sky appeared over hedgerows and stone walls. I startled horses from their solitary feeding in fields of dew-wet grass and caused cows to stop and stare mid-chew as I watched them over the gate.
Well Intentioned Passion Is A Joy To See
And to witness so many students out on the streets of London and across the UK last week in protest at climate change and the way in which generations before them have effectively destroyed their future was, well, a joy.
Beauty From The Number 88A Bus
We moved from social club to cafe to our final destination on the number 88A bus and met a raft of kindness and smiling faces.
Monochrome Days, Black And White Weather
Six miles of watching the skies, admiring houses we will never be able to afford and noticing people we don’t really want to meet. Time wasting yet strangely uplifting.
Three Counties Road, A Vicar Without Dog Collar And A Damp Disappointment
The vicar without dog collar was not the only local who took some time out of their day to make us feel very welcome and we both reacted positively. A great reference for a small town surviving, one feels, on a steady stream of visitors looking to take in a little history with their tea and cake.
Modern And On Trend
It suddenly feels very modern and on trend to pass judgement and declare our moral outrage
New Art. New Artists. Same Old Glorious London
But today it was rather different. The crowds of tourists were missing and, rather bizarrely, it became more a case of parakeet watching than anything else.
Life In A Southern Town
Winter in a southern English town. Centuries old houses with wood-smoking chimneys and visible breath on their doorsteps.