Rambling with the hound is something I CHOOSE to do every day ....

What makes you happy?   I know what makes me happy .... endless hours spent rambling with my hound in the waves and on the sand ..... sunrises and sunsets ..... raindrops on my face ..... the scent of roses ....  rainbows ...... music ...... words ...... laughter ...... friends ..... the list is endless!

Mondo and Chocolat

I love taking photographs - that makes me immensely happy .... not that you’d ever have guessed .... and I love putting pen to paper ..... I have oceans of words to use and writing something that reads well and is inspiring makes me happy too!

All 4 of them ... Chocolat at the back, Indy in front of her and Bella

New experiences make me happy .... they allow me to train my brain ... how else would I learn if I didn’t have new experiences to learn from.  It makes so much sense ... without exploring new avenues or new ideas .... whether they be forced or chosen ... I can learn nothing.  Too often in the past, I’ve been frightened of stepping out of my comfort zone .... but now I look forward to it ... it excites me ....  only by stepping out of the warm and familiar can I discover the new and exciting. There is a whole world out there to explore ... I have only touched a small part of it and there’s so much more I want to know and learn about.

Bella, Indy and Chocolat

I guess in some way, my morning rambles are a form of learning and meditation for me .... they allow me the opportunity to explore the thoughts in my head without consciously being aware of it.  The thoughts take shape and substance and ....without truly being driven in any way ..... they fire up images that I can create and work with.  I am inspired at the moment .... I see so much in the world around me that I want to capture .... to keep inside ..... to remember.

Images of hounds often come to mind  ... brown ones ..... chocolate brown ones .... today it was a trio of chocolate brown ones .... milk chocolate ....  in various shades .... heights .... and sizes. They had the beach pretty much to themselves .... a 5 month old Ridgeback, Mondo, joined in their fun .... he’s not a water dog but it didn’t deter him from running in the waves with them.

Chocolat and Bella

Our hounds are each so different ... each with their own personality and traits .... Bouncy Bella is the hyped up hound of note .... never still ..... ever ready ..... on the edge of her toes ... always eager to chase.  Indy .... explorer of note .... tall .... elegant ... social ..... unsure of his sexual preferences ... kisses Gav and licks my boobs ... hmmmmm.  My hound .... loves the waves .... obsessed with rugby balls and logs - not pretzels .... affable ..... confident ..... supremely happy.

They fill my quota of happiness ... they provide me with ample photo opportunities ... their antics provoke much laughter ..... without them I wouldn’t spend as much time in the waves or with the sand between my toes ..... I wouldn’t be walking in the rain .... I wouldn’t “see” and truly appreciate the magnificent rainbows and sunsets and the glorious beauty of the spot I live in. Rambling with the hound is something I CHOOSE to do every day .... the benefits far exceed just the physical!

I need no-one’s permission to succeed in life ... I need no-ones permission to be happy .... it’s all within my ambit .... it’s all my CHOICE.

“Empower yourself and realise the importance of contributing to the world by living your talent. Work on what you love.”