Sunsets and New Year

As I sat outside yesterday afternoon, soaking in the beautiful sunset that signalled the end of another hectic but satisfying day, I reflected on the year gone by and the new beginnings brought by the upcoming year.

As every other person, I know that there was opportunities missed, goals unreached and adventures overlooked and many tears shed during a year of hard work, financial worries, and time management problems.
I also look at the great things that came about this year. Every proud moment with my children, my personal emotional barriers that I overcame, and the best friends lost and gained. Again, I hope for a better year next year, and this time I had to stop myself from making new year's resolutions.
We cannot plan for the ups and downs that the new year might bring. Natural disasters, crime, financial markets slumping, diseases and all the other potential upsets that might destroy all our neatly laid out plans for next year.

My plan is not to plan next year, I will take every day as it comes, treating as it should be treated: as a day full of potential.

Perhaps then I will look back at the end of the year and not see the disappointments at all, but only see the accomplishments and joy that I experienced on a daily basis.

So to the whole world I say: Merry Xmas, and Happy New Year.

So, the first day of spring came and went. Blossoms everywhere, the excitement of waiting for the Mulberries to ripen. New birth everywhere. And of course great photographic opportunities.

 The flowers, the bees, the baby birds.....and what is spring without that  floral scent in the air. With my excitement came the added opportunity to hand raise a tiny miniature pincher. Angel or like my husband likes to call her, Small Dog, had some really bad moments, and then the joy of her actually making it to the six week mark.

So now, I have this urge to just take photos. Of everything and anything. Not to make money, or promote my photographic business, although I might have given up on that idea for a while.
I just want to capture magic, share it with as many people I can. And who knows, maybe I can inspire others to live out their hobbies with abandon and total expression.





And now, summer is burning in it's full South African glory. The heat, the prayers for rain, the wishes for winter's cosy cuddles. Swimming on lazy Sunday afternoons in the kids blow up pool.

So go ahead, get the photos of the sky, the sunlight glittering off every possible surface...and create memories for yourself.