8 am on Sunday, J and I wrapped up in multiple woolly layers and ventured out into the freezing cold clarity of the early morning. It was quiet, still, bright, icy cold. Actually, I remember now, it wasn't quiet at all as the geese were honking up a storm and filling the stillness with their boisterous noise. But yes, there was stillness, and only a few other souls walking dogs as the sun spread gently over the landscape.
It was very, very unusual for us to be walking as Two. No Little People adding their noise and energy to the landscape. They had spent the night with Grandparents, allowing J and I a rare Saturday night out (a 40th birthday bash in a posh French restaurant with a lovely gathering of reassuringly un-posh folks) and then a rare morning of togetherness. We had planned to lie around in bed, drinking huge mugs of tea, chatting and reading, but the glimpse of crystal clear sky and frosty hills changed our minds.
It was such a fabulous decision, to seize the moment, defrost the car and head out for a short stroll around the half-frozen reservoir. This familiar walk of ours was incredibly beautiful on Sunday, the colours of the frosty midwinter landscape bathed in golden sunlight really made my heart squeeze. Hooray for nature and well behaved seasonal weather and precious snippets of child free time!
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ps aww thanks for all the unexpected Birthday wishes for both myself and J, but the birthday bash wasn't for either of us....it was a friend of ours who turned 40, and just for the record I'm 46 and celebrate my Birthday in October!!! x
It's easy to assume this time of year's grey and gloomy but the colour in your photos is beautiful.
We too head out when the sun shines. It's good to make the most of the daylight and I find it really lifts my mood.
S x
Posted by: Sarah | February 11, 2015 at 09:36 PM
Fabulous photos...such a joy to see sunlight after all the grey skies of late.
Posted by: fiona | February 11, 2015 at 08:46 PM
Happy birthday to you! Thanks for being so generous to us with your inspiring craftiness! Enjoy your forties!xx
Posted by: Lulu | February 11, 2015 at 08:41 PM
Happy Birthday, dear Lucy. May all your dreams come true!
Posted by: Susan | February 11, 2015 at 08:00 PM
You take superb pics
Posted by: Sajida | February 11, 2015 at 07:33 PM
So good to be child free on your birthday. Best time of life is when your children leave home and you are free once more
Posted by: June | February 11, 2015 at 07:32 PM
Wow, beautiful.
Posted by: Bingo Pyjama | February 11, 2015 at 07:30 PM
Lucy, I just want you to know I love your blog. Your photos are always gorgeous and I find so much inspiration in your crafty projects. I recently did a blog post thanking you for that inspiration and a pattern. See it here: http://pursuitsofmycreativeside.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2015-01-24T04:15:00-08:00&max-results=1&start=11&by-date=false
Thanks for all you do.
Posted by: Ann | February 11, 2015 at 07:27 PM
I am so envious of your frost. I do remember what a good frost looks like as I grew up in the Cotswolds but since the last 20 years have been spent with Portland Harbour at the bottom of my garden, frost is a rare event. My dahlias and cannas stay in the ground and I have a french marigold and ostospernum in flower. Love the photos and all my friends love your coast blanket.
Posted by: Helen Toft | February 11, 2015 at 06:26 PM
Absolutely gorgeous photos, Lucy! We're here in California, and while there's a chill in the air in the morning, it's a bit bright, warm and dry for my idea of midwinter, and your photos are very reassuring! Thank you.
Posted by: tess | February 11, 2015 at 05:22 PM
Lovely photo's and 'Happy Birthday', glad you had some special time to relax and enjoy xx
Posted by: Cherie Chudyk | February 11, 2015 at 04:52 PM
Happy Birthday from the foothills of Mt Rainier in Washington State! Love your photos and inspiration....I now am a Grt grandma, but I do remember back at having "Special times" without the 3 kids. It is important, to the relationship and the soul. I am still sharing those times after 50+ yrs together!! Keep up the awesome work, love your Blog!
Posted by: Laurel Pries | February 11, 2015 at 04:26 PM
Hi Lucy, wasn't the light wonderful on Sunday. It really made me feel like our part of the planet is sideways on to the sun, instead of leaning away from it. Spring is coming, but winter days like that are just as wonderful.
Your pictures are stunning.
Stay cosy.
Love Jacquie xxx
Posted by: Jacquie | February 11, 2015 at 04:15 PM
many happy returns of the day.
Posted by: jeannette | February 11, 2015 at 04:12 PM
Happy Birthday. It was nice that you were able to have some slow time away from the little people.
Posted by: maryanne | February 11, 2015 at 04:00 PM
Dear Lucy, Happy Birthday from Russia! I've been reading your blog for a while and I like it a lot. Thank you for your sincerity and the inspiration that I get from reading your posts.
My name is Natasha, I also have 3 kids, 2 boys (14and 12)and a girl (6).
Posted by: Natasha Brylina | February 11, 2015 at 03:30 PM
Gorgeous pictures! Thank you very much for sharing. :)
Posted by: Marie | February 11, 2015 at 03:26 PM
So glad you're feeling more like yourself. Amazing how much better we feel when the sun shines, even if it's still cold. I too love to hear the geese at this time of year. I always think they're flying back because warmer weather is on its way!
The photos are stunning, you see colour where some of us, ie me, just see grey. Thanks for opening my eyes!
Posted by: Kath | February 11, 2015 at 03:14 PM
Wonderful pictures Lucy and it sounds like a lovely evening/morning too. Child free time, it's been a long time.... sigh....
S x
Posted by: Sandra (Cherry Heart) | February 11, 2015 at 02:42 PM
Such lovely pictures, it looked very calmxx
Posted by: Michelle | February 11, 2015 at 02:36 PM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR
LUCY..
XOXO
Posted by: patricia farghaly | February 11, 2015 at 02:01 PM
Stunning photographs - funny, I usually think of winter as being rather colourless but your pictures show it as anything but! Thank you for a new perspective. Nicky S.
Posted by: Nicky | February 11, 2015 at 01:55 PM
That first picture...I absolutely love the view
Posted by: A. Cooper | February 11, 2015 at 01:32 PM
What a magnificently beutiful morning. Happy Birthday!
Posted by: Jennifer | February 11, 2015 at 01:17 PM
you go girl-what a beautiful walk
bet you have some color ideas swimming around in your head
oxoxoxox crafty mema
Posted by: crafty mena | February 11, 2015 at 12:30 PM