The stern voice was necessary.

“Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life. “

~ Rumi

Touches of tenderness.

My world is full of them.  From the stranger who hugged me this morning to the hugs of my friends and family .... my world is FULL of compassion and tenderness.

These moments, like the words of Rumi, make my world rock.

This morning’s ramble was less about the ramble and more about the talking.  I met SO many people and STOPPED to chat frequently.  The hound was a tad confused as, not only did I stop and chat to TOO many people, but our ramble OFF the beach was longer than our ramble ON the beach.  That was NO fault of mine though.

The hound and I are far more visible than what I often realise.  Proof of this was the lady I met on the way up to the view-site who loves spotting us on our rambles.  She looks for the camera and the hound and she knows it’s me.  You meet people at times with whom you have an instant connection ... she was one such person. We met as strangers today and left as friends.  That was my FIRST hug of the day.

My second hug came from the most unexpected source.  
The last person I expect to see on our early morning rambles is Suzanne and her ADD hound, Bella.  
Suzanne doesn’t DO early morning rambles!  

She has a new job though so is trying to fit in walking Bella before work.  Bella, with Suzanne in tow .... definitely NOT the other way round, was delighted to meet up with the hound. The two of them gambolled and cavorted like puppies as we continued up to the view site.  Bella would have joined us at the beach if she could have but Suzanne had to get home

Between Bandit and Sarah, Paddy, Amanda and her two rat-bags, Manuaka and Kea, Julia and Indy, Pete ... who seemed a little grumpity this morning, and Brian and Niko and Niko’s g/f, our ramble was more about talk than walk today!  We very quickly ran out of ramble time! 

Despite the lateness of the hour ... in terms of being ready for work on time .... a shot of caffeine was still a necessity!  No ramble is complete without the obligatory shot of caffeine.  The hound had other ideas.  She’d found the most humungous piece of driftwood and wanted to parade it up and down the beach for all to see.  The stern voice was necessary.

On a completely different tack, I have been spoken to sternly too ... by my middle lemming nogal!  I’ve discovered that I don’t self-heal quite as well as I thought I did.  That wound that the hound inflicted on my leg a week and a bit ago has gone frot.  A visit to A+E was necessary ... and another visit was necessary tonight .... and I have been instructed to visit them again tomorrow. 
 I think they like my company.

I have been sternly instructed to keep the leg dry.  Sternly instructing nurse added a waterproof dressing to it this evening as she realised I have NO intention of NOT going on the beach.  I have a hound.  She likes to get wet.  Beach rambling is necessary.

Fortunately sternly instructing nurse has a sense of humour and found it very difficult to keep  a straight face at my tale of woe and at my middle lemming’s righteous indignation.  Middle lemming was right from one perspective ... if it had been any of my lemming’s or my other half who’d been wounded, I would have insisted, nay DEMANDED, that they go to A+E.

I need to learn to walk my talk.

Ha .... and they say women are the WEAKER sex!

 Happiness CAN be synthesised!

Hercules, the rather large kitty that lives down the road
.... he comes out to say Hi to the hound and I every morning!

It’s not just the Heron that’s grumpy

... a certain lemming in our house was grumpy today too, but he didn’t know why.

The moon in my morning sky as I walked down to the beach today

He needed a hug ... and I’m good at hugs. 

I should know ... I’m always giving myself some.

Bumble bees on Sunflowers at the Botanic Gardens

I reminded him about a TED video that he posted the link to on his FB page the other day. It described HAPPINESS and our capacity to manufacture it, regardless of our circumstance. He told me to F*&k Off .... with an exclamation mark .... how rude!!

As I’m writing this I know both my male lemmings are smiling. They think it’s the most amusing thing in the world to pull the cushions out from under me when I’m sitting on the couch. As I’ve got my laptop on my lap, they didn’t do their usual “tip Mom in a heap on the floor”  thingy, but they did pull the cushions out so that I’m left at an awkward angle with my legs higher than my bum.

Just loving those clouds!

The oldest lemming did it first, then the youngest lemming appeared and offered to right the cushions for me ... and I let him, only to have them pulled out from under me again by him.

Still glistening with dew.

I’ve continued with my writing though

 ... just to irritate them and just because I can.

I’ve been reading some interesting articles about how we’re evolving as a species. One of them is titled  “The Male of the Species: Why is he needed?” and was written back in 1994 by Pullitzer prize winning science writer Natalie Angier. 

It’s here if you’re interested in reading it.

It’s a rather ‘tongue-in-cheek’ look at the mystery of why males arose on the evolutionary stage and why women have tolerated them. 

A lot of it makes an awful lot of sense.

Gorgeous reflections ...

She says and I quote “One of the most persistent and frustrating problems in evolutionary biology is the male. Specifically ... where did he come from and why doesn’t he just go away?”

.... and still more

For instance, scientists have finally found evidence that the greater majority of new mutations that are appearing in a population of animals, are caused by the male of the species.

It’s not because their genes are weaker but rather a simple matter of cell division. The male of any species, including humans, generates much more sperm than a female does eggs. His sex cells therefore are dividing faster and more frequently. It’s during cell growth when the chromosones are being copied that the greatest likelihood of mutation arises.

... and I even caught myself in the reflections too!

Amongst humans the rate of mutation in a man’s sperm cells is at least six times greater than in a woman’s eggs. That rate of mutation increases as a man ages.

It makes sense then to choose a “toy-boy” to father your children

 .... and men say women are the weaker sex ..... pffft!!

Having sparked a bit of controversy here I’ll go back to loading my photos of our gorgeous ramble at the Botanic Gardens this morning!

The moon was STILL visible well into the morning!

Promise .... I DIDN'T get wet! Really .... I didn't get wet!!
This was when the hound and I were on the beach this morning before Julia picked us up.
I was trying to keep her dry! She wanted to join the heron in the waves.

Magically marvellous mornings ....

Ladies Bay with my adopted city in the background ... oh yes ... and the Swedish tourists ....

“You won’t realise the distance you’ve walked until you take a look around and realise how far you’ve been” - author unknown


Magically marvellous mornings like this one are made for rambling ... they’re made for enjoying the beauty and vastness of Mother Nature in all her glory ... for feeling the wetness

of the waves and the sand beneath my toes ... days like today are just so awesome!


We spent some time in the waves with Julia and Indy this morning .... Julia hasn't been too well but the fresh air and sunshine helped blow her cobwebs away.  Indy, as is his norm, hoovered and hoovered and hoovered the beach some more ... he’s comical in his enthusiasm for his task ... his eyes and nose miss nothing!!  My hound is besotted with her ball and unless Indy pinches it, she pays him no attention at all.  Typical male .... he soon realised this and a great chase ensued ... Indy as pleased as punch with himself for having made her chase him! What is it about the male of any species always wanting to be chased??

Poor old Sebastian .... with an 'a' .... had hurt himself on the stairs this morning so we sat on the beach and waited with him whilst Carol fetched the car.  He is just loved so very much .... the stairs have become such an inconvenience for him so Carol’s looking to move home.  My hound ... completely unperturbed by me sitting on the bench with Sebastian .... stayed on the sand burying ... and unburying ... a log she’d found.  She was asked by a couple walking past why she had such a small log today ... they told me they’re used to seeing her carrying huge ones and always have a chuckle at how vocal she becomes when I walk on and won’t help her carry it.  I cringe sometimes when she gets vocal as she’s so loud ... every Tom, Dick and Harry in St. Heliers can probably hear her!

It was an incredibly social time on the beach as after our play-time with Julia and Indy ... and catching up with Carol and Sebastian .... T met me on the beach with “coffee-to-go”, a hug and a chat.  She’s busy with her dissertation for her Masters degree so I’m always touched when she takes time out to catch up with me.  Our children might not be dating anymore but the friendship we share is special and so much more than just because our kids are good friends .....

..... and then I caused a traffic-jam on the stairs down to Ladies Bay!!  Three tourists ... I think they were Swedish ... followed me down and onto the beach.  I always go slowly down the steeply sloping part of the path  ... I’ve slipped
several times in the past and landed on my bum .... it’s not easy trying to get to your feet again on a narrow path with an enthusiastic hound trying to wash your face!!  Fortunately I made it down with my dignity intact, no slipping today. We always stop on the beach so she can chase balls and swim but the tourists must have been continuing along to the yacht club as they disappeared off along the coastline.  It’s one of the most awesome walks ..... only possible when the tide’s out .... wild and incredibly picturesque ... over beaches and boulders .... through rocky outcrops and over felled trees ....

and the first exit point is at the Yacht Club several kilometres along the coast.  Several people were taking advantage of the low tide this morning ... in addition to the tourists there were 3 locals with their dogs, a young girl, a middle aged man ... and a nudist - don’t think he was rambling though ..... all taking advantage of the incredible weather!

I'm up at the view site now looking down on the coastal walk from
Ladies Bay

Last night it was the kite surfers taking advantage of the wind ... today it’s the nudists and ramblers taking advantage of the sunshine .... no matter the weather it always appeals to someone.

The weather changes though ... life changes ... my world changes ... I never know from one moment to the next what each day is going to bring BUT I do know that it never detracts from what I see.  It's all about attitude ... if I believe what I see is truly magnificent then it will just add to the beauty and perfection of everything around me .... even on the imperfect days!