I had a very nice morning this morning. Our sleeping patterns have been all over the place over the Christmas break, no Hector on 2fm to wake up to, late nights from visiting people etc. so our usual lovely early hour (7am) of peace and stillness and getting stuff done hasn’t been observed at all (we slept in until 11 one morning, 11!!). This morning I was determined that no matter how painful, I was getting up at 7 and I did.
I had my warm water with lemon, made a protein smoothie (hemp protein, chocolate Sun Warrior, banana, dates and icecubes) to bring with me for after as I didn’t want to eat before swimming and I knew I’d be ravenous after yesterday’s weights (rebuilding muscle makes ya hangry) and off I popped while it was still dark. Had the whole pool to myself and had a nice soak in the steam room too. When I got home I made my new granola recipe (the ayurvedic one best suited to my crappy guts, loadsa cinnamon, sweetened with apple juice concentrate, lovely!), and read a little of my new cookery books that I got for Christmas (this morning I was reading this and it’s just gorgeous! Her writing style is so lovely and friendly).
Anyway, it was a lovely morning because I got off my butt and got things done, and it felt like, wait for it, the very start of Spring. Now, I know, where you might be there isn’t even a hint of Spring…but here, the other day, for just a moment I got that little shiver of change, that stirring of memories, that little whiff on the air, the slant of the sun…I dunno, but I just felt freshness, newness, the smallest stirring of it. I had been shaking things out from the window upstairs (catty hairs had taken over the house during Christmas) and the air was so mild, the sun so warm (comparatively, after the ice and crazy [for us] -15′s and what have you of the past few weeks), something about the light and the atmosphere (and probably the fact that I was cleaning), made a flood of Spring memories wash over me. It was a pleasant reverie.
For me, as for many people I know, Spring is a time of fresh starts, reinvigorated fitness programs, cleaning, cooking (trying out new recipes, being creative myself etc. not just banging out the old faithfuls just to have something to eat), being organised and getting moving again in general. I just feel so driven! What a great feeling it is too, if only we could bottle it. Perhaps it’s a result of the homeopathic remedy, perhaps in part also my mindfulness work, or just supplementing properly with vitamin D this year, or having lost weight/being more active. It’s probably a mixture of a lot of things, but I just feel so able to tap into that feeling of hope and potential and joyful possibility within myself that can be so illusive during times of upset and depression. So I suppose that’s part of the reason I’m writing again as well. I had been keeping a journal for myself for a while in October/November, so maybe I stirred my subconscious. In a similar vein though, I have been thinking lately about taking back up creative things that make me happy, so writing is an obvious way to do that.
It’s so good to hear from you all again too, thanks for all the lovely comments these past few days, they’ve added to that spring in my step no end 
Hover over the pics for explanations…
Glad you’re back with us for a bit, Missus. Spring at least in your mind and bones. Look forward to your entries whenever it works for you.
Here in the eastern US we have a bossy bird, a Cardinal, all red and crested and territorial. Yesterday I heard the whistle he usually saves for breeding season, so maybe he got a bit of an extra kick as well.
Cheers!
Thanks Margery
I met a Cardinal for the first time this time last year in Kate and Jim’s house – I was transfixed, they’re so lovely, that red!
Amazing snow pics, btw.
Looking fab m’dear, good to see ya back. Can’t bring myself to do it yet, maybe some day…
thanks pet! It took me by surprise. I’ll look forward to when you start again, I always enjoy your blog
you might be surprised like me and just find that when you try it out stuff pops…maybe 
Well, let’s see…you have your Mam’s eyes but honestly, you look more like your Dad. Your mother is so pretty and it was wonderful to finally see her! I was hoping one day you’d post their photo. It was nice to put a face to the voice.
That road looks terrible, Lou. Needs a good plowing! ha.
I agree! People usually don’t see the similarity between me and my dad but I do. I have a lot of my mother’s face too, but there you go
She’ll be dead chuffed with your comment, lol. It sure did need a good plowing, those little lumpy-bumpy-glassy compacted ice ridges on it were crazy, back of the car juddering all over the place.
I think you could use that photograph in place of an Irish passport.
you think we’re all super Irish looking Jim? I guess my dad is Very Irish looking with the red hair alright!
Ah Lou, it’s good to see you writing again! Back you go onto my list of regular reads….
aww, thanks dear