Hope. is. everywhere.

 “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny ...” 

~ C.S. Lewis

Takapuna Beach on a glorious Friday morning.

At times I’m discouraged by the negativity that seems to dominate my world at the moment. There are times when it brings me down. 

All I see around me is despair, a lack of confidence  and sadness.  

We see SO many different breeds of dogs there ... from this little Dachshund

It makes me lose hope for the people in my life.

... to this rather nervous German Shepherd.

Then I’m reminded of this quotation from Jack Sparrow

“The problem is not the problem. 

The problem is your attitude about the problem.  

Do you understand?”

This was the rather vocal German Shepherd's buddy.

I understand COMPLETELY.

 Attitude is everything.

Sam found a friend the same age to play with .... Richie after Richie McCaw

I have to CHOOSE to focus on the little victories.

On the magic of the moment as it happens.

On the sunshine and the blue skies.

Even on the ‘words falling out of my mouth’ thingy.

A rather grumpity looking Boxer.

Be grateful for what IS in your life because

HOPE. is. EVERYWHERE.

Had to get Carol to wait whilst I captured the reflection in her glasses ... it was sublime!

I might not be in control of the situation, 

but I am in control of my thoughts.

A Hinds Variety that we've met before ... he loves his tennis ball as much as ours love their rugby balls.

THINK good ones and REMEMBER the magical ones.

A trio of chocolate mousse .... white, milk and dark.

This moment with Sam on Friday WAS a magical one.

Another Border Collie cross

Often, when the hounds get up close and personal, it’s impossible to zoom out and refocus quickly enough to capture the feel of the moment. 

Not so in this case.

The sister of the Shetland Sheepdog duo

Sam’s face says it all.

Oh yes .... he's realised just how clever that was.

He knocked my coffee over.  

Spillages are lickable.  

Yummily so!

Yep .... that was YUMMY!

The first time was an accident.

The second DEFINITELY wasn’t.

The Sparrow that distracted me.

I was distracted by the Sparrows.  

He was distracted by my coffee ... deviously so!

It was a smile inducing moment.  

Humour by the bucketful.

A necessary accessory in this crazy world I’m living in.

The brother of the Shetland Sheepdog duo

“If you only walk on sunny days, you’ll never reach your destination.”

~ Paulo Coelho

Outside the Takapuna Cafe where we indulge our caffiene addiction after our ramble

I need practice!!

Words.  My words.

My bay at sunrise when the tide's out

“I had the right to remain silent, but I didn’t have the ability.” 

~ Ron White

Neither do I.

Would that I could adequately describe an image with words.

In this case, with THIS image, words are superfluous.

The image says it all.

That magical moment that defies description

THAT morning was magical.

It took all the words, the angst, the confusion and blew it into the stratosphere.

Life is about living, NOT just existing and I need to remember that.

I asked the significant other to HOLD the camera whilst I replied to Em's text .... NOT to use it!

The hound has it sussed.

So does Sam.

They have no need of words.

They express themselves in a thousand ways WITHOUT uttering a sound.

Zak, Chocolat and Sam ... a Labrador Puddle

The Shag that Em's and I were stalking

Not so me.

I use a thousand words and more to express myself

and STILL don’t always get my meaning across.

It’s that ‘words falling out of my mouth’ thingy.

TOO many words.  

They tumble out, tripping over one another in their haste to be heard.   It’s not a pleasant sight.

Wine time at "The Spa @ 52"

I need PRACTICE!! 

Loads of it!

A fiery sunset at rugby on Saturday night

I should take a leaf out of Sam’s book.

He’s practised so much at being a feet-seeking missile that he can SMELL us on the beach BEFORE he sees us.

  His race along the beach is fast and furious and only ends when he flings ... yes FLINGS ... his body at my feet and turns upside down for the mandatory tummy rub.

Zak and his reflection

NO words are necessary to express his delight at seeing us. 

It’s BIZARRE but this is Sam.

Words ARE necessary when the time comes to LEAVE the beach though.

Both hounds would stay all day if they could.  

So would I.

I’m convinced they were both BEACH BUMS in a previous life.

That’s why they’re so practised at sand surfing and wave wallowing.

The sand and the waves are where they’re happiest.

I can understand why. 

It’s my happy place too.

Life. is. beautiful.

“Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful.” 

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Sky Tower all lit up on Saturday night

"Global Warming" rocks

 
“You have witchcraft in your lips”

~ William Shakespeare

Takapuna Beach in the glorious sunshine this morning.

Another GLORIOUS Friday!

It might be the start of Spring in the Northern hemisphere 

but that there sun hasn’t discarded us yet  in the Southern hemisphere.

Days like today are BLISSFUL!

The person who penned this next line has it in one. 

“I have a therapist, her name is NATURE” 

In my case, nature is aided and abetted by the hound.

The hound and Sam that is.

Wading knee deep in the waves with your shoes and socks on ISN’T everyone’s idea of therapy but it sure is MINE.  

Some swear by retail therapy, others chocolate therapy, 

still others adopt alcohol as their crutch of choice and 

some just bury their heads in the sand.  

My mate Carol chooses exercise

.. EXTREME exercise ... as her drug of choice.  

Yes, she’s whacky but it’s her only vice.

AmAZing  reflections!

My crutch of choice is simple ... HOUND therapy. 

Add sunshine and blue skies to the mix and I’m invincible.

For this moment in time, life is just DELICIOUS!

"Global Warming"

Adding to the deliciousness of my day has been my “Global Warming”  photo  (so named by Paul Averes)

being chosen as the cover photo for Forest and Bird’s Facebook Page. 

They’re running a competition which closes on 24th March. 

I’ve entered 3 photos in it and, of the 250 photos submitted to date, 

they selected my crazy Pukekos to grace their page.

We even got to see Panda and his mom on the beach this morning!

It’s a Happiness meter overload moment.

My world rocks in so many ways.

No matter the difficulties to be faced,

no matter the enormous chasms still to cross,

there is magic to be found in the littlest of things.

“Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers, the believers and thinkers, but most of all, surround yourself with those who see the greatness within you,
 even when you don’t see it yourself.”

~ Edmund Lee

Panda pinched the ball and Lorraine had to persuade him to give it back.
Just look at those reflections though!!