Tuesday 5 January 2010

What a difference a day makes






These four photos really sum up the day I have had today.
I started off for work this morning feeling the same as millions of other people, dreading the journey to work. Not wanting to be late, I set off early. After passing abandoned cars a few yards from house, I should have seen the signs but it took half an hour before I had to turn around and come back home. I felt so stressed, it was horrible having to contact work and feel that I was letting people down.

However, after a while and several cups of tea, I spent some time with my hens, fed the garden birds and had a quick walk in the woods near by. I then returned to the comfort of my house, had more tea, blogged about my beautiful chickens, pitched an idea to an editor about a future article and did some work on my novel.

After the endless tea drinking, I ran out of milk so had to walk a mile and a half to the nearest shop on clee hill. It was a long walk but worth it as it gave me time to think about what had been had been bothering and what I could do about it. I realise sometimes you can't change anything, we certainly can't change the weather, but I can change how I deal with it. I think that applies to so many things that influence our lives and certainly our writing ( by this I mean the dreaded rejections)

It was a hard walk up the hill in the heavy snow, but I managed to reach the shop for my provisions before continuing on to some of the wilder parts of the clee hill where people where sledging down the steep slopes in the bleak weather. It was a lovely atmosphere filled with people laughing while the snow fell in silence.

On my return, I took the last photo of the stunning Shropshire hills in the snow. As I am no great photographer, I cheated with the star burst effect as I thought it would add an even more magical effect to a stunning landscape.

I really thought about how my day had panned out and how stressed I had got about it all. Time had changed that, as it does with everything we do and experience.

I realise tomorrow I may have a similar journey, but tomorrow I will sit back, relax and not panic about how much time I have to do something. I guess that applies to writing too. However much time you have, as long as you use it effectively, you will reap the rewards.

6 comments:

  1. Lovely photos Di.

    Glad you realised your safety came first. You can't help the weather but you made good use of your time.

    Best wishes

    Fee

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  2. I read a book recently and of all the phrases I noted down one sticks out in my mind. Basically it said 'he life was marked by the changing seasons.' You know mankind likes to think that we're in control but every now and again Mother Nature gives us a reminder that we're not and I think this cold spell is just one of those occasions and I think this is a time we need to stand/sit back and let her take control and not fight her.
    You and I are very lucky, we live in such a beautiful part of the country and although it's harder for us than those that live in towns aren't we so lucky for magical things we see.
    So enjoy, appreciate and if you can't get into work, don't worry - work understand and in the meantime - breathe deeply, smile, laugh and experience every snowflake, every icicle and every twinkling star. xx

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  3. Always best to be safe and not sorry, Di, so you did the right thing by turning back. It was perilous walking my daughter to school this morning. It was still snowing when we started out. There is a particularly short byr very steep hill we walk up to get the school and although the path was snowy and slippy we made it up quite well and stress free - not so for the cars. There was the sound of wheels spinning, trying to get a grip but failing - they were slipping and sliding everywhere! It's at times like these that I'm glad I no longer drive.

    Still, I'm glad you made good use of your 'day off' and did some writing. I hope your journey into work tomorrow is less stressful.

    Julie xx

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  4. You're a photographer, too!

    Not being able to get to work was a gift of time, and you used it well.

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  5. Relax and enjoy your break...hugs..
    Carole.

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  6. Where were the faeries when it began to snow?

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