Friday 23 November 2018

A Winter's Day

This early morning on the reserve was simply a repeat of yesterday - low cloud, gloomy, slightly misty and  drizzly damp. In summary, everything I hate about this time of year and a good reason why I become easily depressed in the winter.
I guess that there are people that like short hours of daylight, damp, cold and dreary days, but I'm not one of them. How that they can like such days is beyond me, what can be better than getting up in daylight at 5.00 in the morning to be greeted by a warm sunrise and to know that that would continue through a warm and sunny day until gone 9.30 at night. No thick and heavy winter clothes, no head and neck recoiled down into your coat to keep out the cold, no every hardship going in order to battle the elements of winter. I took this photo this morning in black and white because by doing so it emphasised the bleak greyness that met me there when I arrived.



Yesterday however, in my local supermarket, I bumped into a special friend who I hadn't seen for a couple of years. She has an unpleasant illness that results in too many bad days and nights, but yesterday was one of her "good" days. We chatted at length about various things but in the main, about her illness and she so inspired me with how she faces it, how she stays remarkably cheerful about it and above all, how she has retained her sense of humour.  It kind of put my depression at having arthritic bones and a dislike of grey winter's days into perspective.
Lastly, I have to apologise for resorting to "Wind in the Willows" again and the following, an extract from the Toad's imprisonment in gaol and the kindness of the gaoler's daughter. 

"When the girl returned, some hours later, she carried a tray, with a cup of fragrant tea steaming on it; and a plate piled up with very hot buttered toast, cut thick, very brown on both sides, with the butter running through the holes in it in great golden drops, like honey from the honeycomb. The smell of that buttered toast simply talked to Toad and with no uncertain voice; talked of warm kitchens, of breakfasts on bright frosty mornings, of cosy parlour firesides on winter evenings, of the purring of contended cats and the twitter of sleeping canaries.

I guess most of us can identify with such moments.

18 comments:

  1. We had a few hours of sun this morning and now it is cloudy again. No rain yet, which is fortunate because we had 7.5 inches in 36 hours yesterday and the day before. We hope to get a little more charging on our batteries before the day is done, otherwise we can't turn on the electric water heater. Oh look - a glimmer of sun! There is hope for a warm shower tonight before bed. Stay warm and dry, Derek. BTW - I enjoy the excerpts from Wind in Willows. No apologies needed.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Wilma, can always rely on you to comment, hopefully your little piece of heaven will turn sunny again.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It has also been damp and murky up here in Yorkshire. I hate it when I can't get out for a country walk with my camera in good light. For the last couple of days I have mostly been stuck indoors.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've still got out every morning YP but it hasn't been pleasant.

      Delete
  4. I can identify with it only too well Derek having just eaten hot buttered toast here.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Delivered on cue then Pat and no doubt delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Damp and murky here too, but I have enjoyed the day reading the Anne Chisholm book you pointed out to me. It is so satisfying to have the background for the Diaries so a very big Thank you for your help.
    EH

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So glad that you enjoyed the book EH, they were a very interesting group of people.

      Delete
  7. Mmmm, that "toasty" bit made my mouth water! What a wonderful excerpt from the book, thank you for sharing it.
    There is nothing like spring and summer, when you don't have to think much about what to wear, simply slip something on and go out, no thought wasted about umbrellas or cardigans or warm socks and scarves... On the other hand, I am worried about the continuous draught here and how it will affect fauna and flora if winter won't bring the much needed water in the shape of rain and snow.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PS: Forgot to say that I think the photo is great, very atmospheric; it works very well in black and white.

      Delete
    2. Your drought problem seems to be a replica of our situation here the last two years, thought we were heading for a third on the trot but it's getting wetter by the week now.

      Delete
  8. My feelings completely about this time of year, Derek, since it is difficult to enjoy cycling and an effort to get dressed up to take it out.

    I liked your quote - here is one in exchange, by Thomas Hood:
    No sun - no moon!
    No morn - no noon -
    No dawn - no dusk - no proper time of day.

    No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,
    No comfortable feel in any member -
    No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,
    No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds! -
    November!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love that quote Avus, one I would of used if I'd of known of it.

      Delete
  9. Now look what you've done, I want some toast, lol
    I guess we have to come to terms with things or we go under, its surprising how we can cope once we get over the initial diagnosis.
    Briony
    x

    ReplyDelete
  10. Go and have some then Briony. Yes, my friend shows amazing strength to live with her problems.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Now I don't feel so bad - we had some sun today!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Today it snowed. But it was day for jobs. Changing to winter tyres was one. At last I'm in a cosy pub where the serve chili con carne!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Fortunately we don't normally winter tyres but if it carries on raining for many more days we might need floats.

    ReplyDelete