Five on Friday

I’m on a roll this week, so I thought I’d join in with Amy’s Friday post.  It’s back to normal service after today as it’s half term next week and I have a job coming in (great timing).

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1. Yesterday, as I was pottering in the kitchen in the late afternoon, the light changed. I glanced up and noticed that the sea was glowing. And I mean really glowing. This photo doesn’t do it justice. It was breathtaking.

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2. There are occasional cliff falls around these parts. Another chunk fell off recently (the nearest pile of white chalk at the cliff base in the top photo). The boulders of chalk are actually enormous when you see them on the beach. I didn’t go much closer to investigate! David was sitting in bed when the latest fall happened and said he felt it shake. Luckily, the cliff falls tend to happen at night, so it’s unlikely there would be anyone on the beach or wandering on the clifftop but it is a worry. I’m always slightly spooked and keep well away from the edge for several weeks afterwards.

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3. I walked down to the beach this morning with a friend and our dogs. She has three dogs who love to swim but the tide was too far out for them today with too many slippery rocks to negotiate. When Cassie came to live with us she was terrified of the beach and refused to even walk down the steps – David ended up carrying her down the first time. The poor thing shivered and shook all over until she realised it wasn’t that scary after all. Now she loves running about on the beach but still avoids the water’s edge. She is definitely not a water-dog.

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4. The snowdrops are still popping up in the lawn. There’s a lovely drift under the cherry tree. I was worried that David had chopped the tops off them too early last spring (he’s a keen lawn-mower) but they don’t seem to have suffered at all.

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5. A lovely friend gave me a gift voucher for a spa facial for my birthday back in August and I finally got round to it this morning. It was an absolute treat and I came out feeling all floaty and totally relaxed. I did a little shopping afterwards and found this perfect birthday card for my sister-in-law. Giddy. Such a brilliant word and quite a nice feeling!

Wishing you a lovely weekend.

 

 

Winter light

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I have been completely distracted by the light all week. It has had me rushing to find my phone to capture it before the sun shifts and the perfect moment is gone. The skies at the beginning and end of each day have been particularly magnificent and the early morning sun has bathed the house in a glorious pinky-golden light.

This morning, after I dropped the children at the station, I stood at the top gate, took deep breaths of chilled air, listened to the birdsong all around and wallowed in the wonder of it all. This winter light fills me with optimism and gladdens my heart.