Walking

I absolutely l:o:v:e to look up at the sky as I walk about. It's not a sensible thing to do mind you, quite hazardous in fact, but oh it does make me really giddy and happy to do it, and therefore I do it often. I was walking home from school this morning and I walked much of the way with my face turned skywards towards the sun. I even walked some of the way with my eyes closed (I was pushing the pushchair remember, so had something to steady myself with). I love the colour you can see when you look towards the sun with your eyes closed, that sort of pinky-orange glowy colour, do you know what I mean? Makes me feel all warm and content to do that.

After I wrote my calendar post yesterday, it got me thinking about the weather over recent weeks. Its true that most of our February days were very, very grey and gloomy, but there was the odd day here and there that was quite exceptional. Just goes to show how vague the memory can be (well mine at any rate) as I'd forgotten about these sorts of cold, bright, sunfilled days that popped up here and there last month. That is until I looked through my photographs and saw these ones I took on the ninth of February.

I took these photos as I was walking to school in the late afternoon, just before three-pee-em. As that afternoon was beautifully bright and sunny, and as Little B was suddenly very tired and needed to sleep iMMedIaTelY, I decided to head out the house slightly earlier than usual and walk a longer route to school through our local park.

I remember I did the looking-skywards thing a lot during this walk :: the sky was soooooo blue and such a  welcome relief from all the grey/white that we'd become accustomed to.

The shadows across the grass were beautifully long, and the hills in the distance seemed to glow in the late afternoon sun.

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this extra ten minutes of school-run. Enjoyed the physical exertion of walking (a steepish hill was involved and I was walking quite fast at times), and I thought how long it seems since I walked anywhere just for the sheer pleasure of walking. You know, a leisurely, scenic walk that doesn't involve getting from A to B. Probably the last time I did this sort of walking was on Boxing Day when I was still very pregnant and we walked (well plodded/shuffled in my case) at Bolton Abbey in the snow.

I miss that sort of walking, and hope to make it happen again soon :: need to purchase a sling type baby carrier type thingymajig in order to take Little B with us. Yes I'm really looking forward to doing that sort of walking again.

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Comments

[folksmith]

love the photo of the canal. reminds of when my 5 year old and 7 month old daughters use to walk by the canal in cambridge. we lived there for a month, while my husband took the train to london to do library work. what a wonderful memory.

[Karen]

I really enjoy following your blog. You manage to bring such a lot of joy in all you see and do. Love the boats in your picture, where exactly is that stretch of canal? We have just bought a narrow boat and will be spending our first weekend on it from tomorrow. Hoping for some more sunshiny days.

[Charlotte]

We had one of those days earlier this week:

http://housewife-chic.blogspot.com/2010/03/happy-march.html

I forgot how blue the sky could be after so many months of snow!

Charlotte xx

[Mihaela]

Oh, Lucy, looking at your photos I feel like in a Jane Austin's novel....

[Rebecca]

Hi Lucy!

I jumped in my hot tub last night and it was snowing. I woke up this morning with it... Snowing!!! It is now past noon here in Nevada and yes... It is still snowing. Sigh...

Your post couldn't have come on a more perfect day. You give me hope that the sun will be back and I can close my eyes and see the warm pinky color through my eyelids and smell that first scent of warm spring earth. I can't wait for my first spring walk instead of a winter trudge. I love to walk, it is my main form of exersize.

Winter, winter go away... Bring me Lucy's sunny day!

You always add sunshine to my day!

[Debra]

Thank you for the lovely walking tour of your beautiful countryside. It is such a pleasure to visit with you. I have recently gone back and read I think your entire blog... not stalking- just admiring and getting inspired!

[emily curnow]

you should try an ellaroo wrap for colour and comfort. i use mine on a daily basis and rupert is now 17lbs. he feels weightless when i wear him and he loves his walks from his high up view

[Emma - Dotty Mays]

Great to hear from you again .... 2 days running aswell!
Re baby sling .... if you have a TKMaxx nearby you can sometimes pick up good ones there. We have a NCT (National Childbirth Trust) nearly new sale at the end of March and they tend to follow similar dates around the country (their website has venues & dates)... baby stuff is incredibly well priced at these sales and 1/2 the money goes to the NCT charity (the other to the seller)
Enjoy your walks ;-)

Emma

[~buzzybee~]

I love English parks - there is just something magnificent about them! Thanks for sharing!

[Sarah west midlands]

Dear Lucy enjoyed my walk this morning
to work but a bit different to yours as mine takes me through an old part of the city centre past a lot of pubs!! A reminder of the 19th and early 20th century when there
were lots of factories. A fortnight ago I saw the most amazing sunrise over the city and I only wished that I had had my camera with me. You post has reminded me to pop it in my bag for tomorrow.
Love Sarah west mids.

[Libby]

I LOVE your blog!! Yours is the first ever that I have followed (yes, really!) for some weeks now as I have begun to crochet again after a long hiatus. I, too, love color, color, color and have just completed a Paperweight Afghan (loverly hexagonal Grannies). We live in the Northwest corner of the U.S. which pretty much mirrors your grey weather in the Winter(Spring, Fall, and occasionally Summer). You and your beautiful photography have brightened my days considerably.

[Dominique from France]

Your green grass is beautiful. I like the british green grass and I imagine your walk in the countryside ...
See you soon.

[Val]

It's so good to be out and about Lucy - what a lovely Spring you will have pushing your pram back and forth to school for the little people.! :0)
Val xx

[Karren Morton]

You have such a wonderful out-look,,, I love your blog,,you are such an inspiration to us "ordinary" prople!! :)

[Robbie]

ALL sounds very peaceful and nurturing for the soul. We all need more of that, we just have to realize it!!! Have a great weekend. Off to disney with the grandchildren for a WEEK! Looking forward to catching up with you when we get back. Robbie

[CatieP]

What a beautiful place you live in - and so green in February! Here in Calgary, even if we have a blue sky, we have brown or white on the ground during winter.

[GardenofDaisies]

You have such beautiful countryside to walk in!

[Ramona]

Hey Lucy, I made 12 slings for myself when I had #2, because a)I love them that much, and b) I wanted lots of different colors...
check out my blog if you want one, (free, obvi, as a thank you for all the awesomeness you do here)
http://burkeshires.blogspot.com/2010/03/hey-lucy.html and then email me....

[Karen]

Enjoy the walking, something we do often here too! My little girl lived in her "sling type thing" for the first few months, she just loved it. Hope you have a peaceful night!Thanks for all the wonderful photos.

[Linda Gilbert]

So glad its upwards and onwards. Enjoy your speciall days

[iva from zagreb]

The colour you can see when you look towards the sun with your eyes closed is apsolutely gorgeous, I agree :)
And the environment is really great, so peaceful...

[Dorit]

I can't believe how green it is. So beautiful!

[COZY KITCHEN BY THE SEA]

oooooooo I LOVE YOUR POST !
How funny....I had a 'walk' post too !!

[Karin]

You live in a beautiful environment. You are a lucky girl.
We had the blue sky too. Did a gorgeous walk with the doggies this afternoon.
Tomorrow we will have rain and snow again :(

[Jennifer]

Such beautiful views on your walk, unfortunately there isn't anything like that here where I live, and not too many places to just walk. We're trying to find some walks though as the weather is going to warm up soon. You should definitely get a sling, it is an absolute lifesaver with carrying the little ones. I love mine and we have put it to good use, plus most babies love being strapped to your chest/back and just being close to mom or dad.