Happy New Year 2010

Happy New Year to all my friends and Blog followers. Any New Year's Resolutions?  I'm not sure I am ready to share mine as yet, but suffice to say I took to the local footpaths early this morning, with my camera to the ready, and clocked 6000 steps. What a beautiful start to the year - a gentle white coating of frost over everything and a few mini snowflakes blowing in the breeze. An official White New Year as well as Christmas.  That must break some record somewhere! A little nippy around the ears though.  Lots of people out and about with their 4-legged friends wrapped in their cozy Christmas canine coats.  I feel like a voyeur at a party and somehow feel if I also had a dog to walk, I would become an instant member of this friendly and chatty gang.

Here is a picture of  a tree I adopted this morning. As I looked at it across the field I felt a strong affinity to it.  I decided we were going to go on a journey together during this year.  No, I haven't been on the booze again!  Nor have I slipped on the ice and banged my head - though not without some very close calls!  I looked at ....., well I don't have a name for him yet, and it instantly occurred to me that we had something in common.  Here he is .... standing tall and naked and looking incredibly vulnerable for whatever nature may throw at him.  But he has survived for many many years, bounces back each spring and overcomes obstacles thrown in his path - snow, unusually low temperatures, an excess of rain and the cold raw Yorkshire wind.  I try to stand tall and strong, and feel somewhat naked as a result of my soul being laid bare for all to see, during these last harrowing months. I also feel incredibly vulnerable and insecure.  However, with the support of my tree I intend to bounce back and overcome many more obstacles which I am sure will land at my feet during this recovery period ..... and if I am not ready to blossom this spring ..... well, hold on to your hats for spring 2011.
 
My phone this morning was surprisingly quiet, apart from a rather elderly lady looking for Alice.  Not sure she could quite make me out with my rambling New Year greetings! However I caught up with Sara and Megan in Pembroke (Cymru am Byth), but missed Linda's call from Edmonton. Darn!! Here I am Linda - back blogging!  Special message for Linda - I played yesterday AND practised bass and alto today for more than an hour.

Quite a snowfall this evening ..... in about 30 minutes.  What's happened to the UK weather .... I thought I had left this behind in Canada.  Here is my back garden.  The bushes on the left represent a smorgasbord for birds, variety being the spice of life. The fat suet balls are a BIG favourite.  So far I have had visits from sparrows, blue tits, robin, wren, blackbirds and a thrush.  Oh, and Ginger from next door, who has decided that I have a warm cuddly friendly place to hang out in when his people are away.  I don't mind him coming in, I would just like him to leave with out all the hystrionics of growling and hissing with the odd nip!  He is so affectionate when he is getting his own way, but hen he is a cat after all.  Poor Moose and Midge - if only they knew!

Tomorrow is Sales Day - I am off to town to try and secure a sofa bargain.  My elbows are sharpened ready for the action.  By the way if anyone wishes to suggest a name for my tree, please feel free to make suggestions.