Time out

A precious morning alone was intensely needed. Two weeks of family holiday can be hard work with two young children. The squabbling, the shouting, the endless cleaning, entertaining, later bedtimes and very early mornings. We even felt this year we had very little by way of evenings as by the time they were sleeping we were shattered too. But, they are amazing wee people, as complex and trying as both their parents. And no one really ever says how hard but rewarding family holidays can be, do they? I remember my parents frustration as well, I'm sure we all can. 

So for an hour, thanks to D amusing the kiddos, I stayed in Reading Lasses, I caught up on emails, I browsed the shelves, sipped coffee and contemplated the next few days before we returned to 'real life'. Reading Lasses is a women's book shop in Wigtown, Scotland's book town. 

I have written about our love of Wigtown before. Taking time out in Galloway is a little like money in the bank for D and I. Just today in my minds eye I could see myself on the road to Cruggleton Church, the kids singing in the back of the car, green hedgerows and that expansive Galloway sky above, feeling belonging and a relationship to the landscape we have never felt so strongly anywhere else. Until the next time......

Fragments

When I started this blog, it was to get what's in my head all the time, that voice down in print. To see what it all looked like. The photography element of it started off simply as images to illustrate what I wanted to say. Right from the start I didn't want to think about either element too much. There is so much amazing writing and photography out there that I didn't want to over analyse what I was doing. 

Photography for me is approached in much the same way as my writing. Like there's a voice in my head, there is an image or a set of circumstances that need to be captured. We have been away and I have captured a few scraps of inspiration. Like all attempts at art for me it's like chasing a fragment of light or a shadow out of the corner of my eye. With practice I will catch/capture more I'm sure.

Walking in clover

She walked over that carpet of wild clover 'just because it feels so lovely, Mummy'.  Her little light step left no indentation on that springy green carpet.

The yellow Irises were so spectacular, and sometimes I feel so overwhelmed by the beauty in nature I can't believe its all just there to take in. There is so much we can miss if we don't take time to look.

The country park we visit several times a month is glorious just now.  We want to be there as much as we can, they never seem to get bored by the woods, the wild adventure park, the river, or the formal walled gardens.

The sun lights their red hair making it look like fire, dancing around their faces.

I hope your summer has begun in earnest, Jo xx