beauty

Photowalk- Glenmore Forest

| Sheree

It’s been a while since I’ve taken you on a photowalk. With the nights getting lighter, and being away in Kiwi, I felt the urge to watch the sun go down over Loch Morlich.

When Kiwi and I were coming back from Glencoe in the New Year, we planned to stop off at Loch Morlich on route but it had snowed and more forecast. I’d never been to the loch before so I erred on the side of caution promising myself that we would return some other time.

That’s a practice of mine. To not run around like a blue arsed fly trying to fit everything in/ see/do everything but to leave something to come back for. A reason to return.

We were due to return to Loch Morlich in January but after my fall, I postponed it till this week.

So here we are parked up at Glenmore Campsite nestled in Glenmore Forest and kissing Loch Morlich.

Of course I’ve already been in the loch and it was fucking cold. I was tingling with renewed life afterwards though.

Enough energy therefore to take you on a photowalk as the evening draws in.

Enjoy because I know I did!

Loch Morlich
Loch Morlich
Glenmore Forest
Glenmore Forest
Abhainn Ruigh-Eurachan
Abhainn Ruigh-Eurachan flowing into Loch Morlich
Loch Morlich
Loch Morlich

EMbracing the Gothic

| Sheree
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
St. Patrick’s Cathedral

A few days in the Emerald Isle, staying in Dublin. Walking my little legs off and soaking up the culture and Guinness ( with a dash of blackcurrant).

Here is St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Probably the first building to get my heart a pumping. And I’m thinking gothic. I’m going back to my GCSE studies and Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. And it just really thrilled me. It touched my romantic horror capabilities. The terrible beauty of this world.

It’s a striking Cathedral, made from limestone and is constructed in a gothic style. I recognised its mystery and gloom and yet a feeling of light too. An 800 year old building probably constructed in an ancient well used by St. Patrick himself.

It’s such a beautiful construction as well as having a moody kind of vibe of pointy arches and buttresses and heavy weathered stone. I was just as in my element as I walked the streets of Dublin. And just as the limestone, is greying and dark, but still a hint of lightness, so was the city itself: full of heart with an underbelly of poverty and suffering. A terrible beauty.

Studies in Brown continued

| Sheree

This is what I’m noticing when I move my body outside. Sharing the beauty in decay, something I used to shield myself from out of fear. But now I appreciate the natural cycle of things. From death there comes rebirth. A renaissance.

A Small Stone

| Sheree

A small stone is a few words or lines that tried to describe a moment observed; a fragment that tried to capture a moment.

A small stone creates an intimacy with whatever is being observed. It creates a close relationship with whatever is true in the world rather than being distant and disconnected.

A small stone forces us to slow down and connect with the world around us. I used to have this as a daily practice as I tried to tune into my experiences within the world. As I tried to become aware of the beauty within each moment.

As I dive deeper into hibernation mode this winter, I’m resurrecting the practice of a small stone a day because I’ve been feeling out of sorts. I’ve been feeling disconnected from my surroundings, from nature, from this beautiful world around me.

I want to pay attention more, I want to be once more aware. More awake. A small stone a day is a practice that will support my journey of being on this world and wanting to be more sympathetic to others, be less judgemental and more open.

So I’m giving myself December to get back into the practice is a small stone a day. You are more than welcome to join me.

Paying Attention

| Sheree

What’s the trait you value most about yourself?

Things have been busy over here. At some point, probably at hibernation time, I’ll be at rest to share the developments. But for now …

My trait that I value, particularly at this time of year and in this time of busy, is my ability to pay attention.

To take a moment to breathe, look around and savour the beauty. Some beauty at each moment.

Satda Mornings

| Sheree

You’ve got to love Saturday mornings. The promise of the weekend ahead. The mix between wanting to lie in and getting out there and {BEING}.

I’m loudly advocating for what I want this morning and that is time to write and muse and drink coffee after coffee.

So I’ve been over on the Earth Sea Love Substack page sharing about a recent literary project I’ve been involved with. I wrote about creativity, motherhood, blackness and publishing on the Substack.

And being a Black mother in the publication.

Entwined: an Anthology of Creativity & Motherhood

A collaborative anthology and art journal to kindle creativity in motherhood. Edited by Sarah Shott.

My writing is included in this anthology of creativity and motherhood and I thought you might want to check it out!

The Dregs of Summer

| Sheree

This summer has been the summer of hydrangeas. Everywhere I’ve been this summer, on my travels and just walking the neighbourhood, I’ve been met by these blooming bountiful heads of colour. Big bushes bursting with these delicate four petal bunched-headed flowers. And every time my heart has sung at the sight of them

And as the summer comes to a close, with the changes in temperature and of light, these flowers will start to turn brown and in this flitting beauty of autumn, they will still make my heart sing as in their beautiful fragile death there will be rebirth.