I've got a gig - the first in 5 years and as a solo artiste!!

Feathery families

On my bike ride to work today I came across a group of Canada Geese goslings swimming along in a line, lead by one parent and ushered from behind by the other, forming a lovely line of a feathery family.  On my bike ride home from work, I saw the the same family of geese going home the other way, in exactly the same formation!  I wonder how they spent their day...  I wonder if they noticed me and thought "wow, look at that human propelling herself so deftly on that magic balancing machine".

Midsummer bliss

This is one of my favourite parts of the year - it's light all day long - in the morning when I wake up and at night when I go to bed.  Fills me right up.  I've been cycling 3 miles along the canal to work and back again and have seen the emergence of spring through the trees, plants and wildlife.

One of my most treasured moments over the past few weeks has been when, on more than one occasion,  a heron or two take flight along the course of the water beside me.  They fly up behind me, and, as they fly along, for a time, it feels like I'm flying with them, gliding along beside them on my bike along the towpath.  Truly amazing.

Today I noticed some rather promisingly bountious blackberry bushes along my route to work.  Roll on late summer - lunch/commuter-time berry harvesting here I come.

Spring has sprung - it's official

March 21st welcomes in spring officially as it's the spring equinox - when the days start getting longer that the nights.  Hu-bloody-rah!  And it's sunny in Nottingham - bonus

Spring has sprung (ish)

On Thursday I walked the 3 miles/1 hour to walk along the Nottingham Canal.  It was the first day of sunshine in a long time, and it was also warm.  Oh my days!!  It felt so good!  I felt the warmth of the sun on my face and sooth my soul, which tends to struggle in the dark days of winter.  I saw ducks chasing each other for a bit of spring-time love.  One particularly amazing thing was as a gaggle of geese took flight along the line of the canal.  I looked back as I heard them coming, and as they were at my head height, for an instant as they swooped past me I felt like I took a little part of the flight with them!!!  I also saw a few purple and yellow crocuses poking out of the brown deadness of the woodland floor.  My day started as a black dog day, but by the time I'd marched to work I was high as a kite, having a sun-kissed white stallion kind of a day!!!!  The power of nature and the human body working together!!

Music in me

After meeting up with an old old friend, with whom I shared some very formative years and experiences, I went through a turmolt of feelings.  This was good really.  I had a few things to get out of my system, which I did by talking to my old friend, by having a good cry - letting go of feelings I've been holding on to for years, and by spewing my feelings into some song lyrics.  

I've not written any lyrics for years, which has been weird for me, so it felt like I was finding a part of me again.  I also played my guitar and sang my heart out, which also made me feel better.  Music is a huge part of who I am, but in recent years I've not expressed it, so recently I've been rediscovering my musical spirit and soothing it by playing, singing and writing.  I'm always surprised at how much it boosts me.  And I'm starting to remember more often now.  It's the thing that makes me feel the best, heals me the most, but the thing I do the least.  It's like it's a bit too much of a luxury, too indulgent, and I should be doing more practical things first.  But it's probably the most effective and cheapest form of therapy open to me!

I'm aware how cheesy it must sound to say the healing power of music, but for me it's what keeps me sane.  

Job satisfaction!!

I've got a new job!