Shkoder Snow

"Cabin fever ".... a phrase that has struck a chord with me today...

I have been in Shkoder now for a week and hardly left the house ... 

The snow comes thick and fast and when it is not snowing it is raining hard or thunder and lightening can be heard all around in the mountains nearby.

But I am grateful for the details;   Electricity ..... friendships ..... my sewing projects .... and the book I am reading - which is an account of a Romany childhood ; lovely x

There are some bright spots though and eager to get out we walked into the Centre.

This is the city all white and beautiful and magical , hope you enjoy this picturesque promenade.

The call to prayer resounded around the park , it was an eery yet  beautiful acoustic

Noah knew it was more than his life's worth to throw a snowball in my direction

"lets go back home for some hot choc..."

Exploring the meaning of life !!!!

A few weeks ago I posted on Facebook that I had just read the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible . I mentioned that it was very timely (to me) - to make sense of how a Human should be living in regard to wisdom / finance / relationships etc ....
This was because the climate we are living in puts immense importance on
1) appearance /  image
2)  personal achievement / or broadly speaking -the Protestant work ethic ... the things you 'do' to feel fulfilled ....
3) financial gain

In the first chapter ... and subsequent ones !!!! it exposes all these categories as 'Vanity - all is vanity'
If this is the case / truth ... how do we respond ?

The three concepts I have whittled life down to, do have some importance ; but how much store should we put by them-  that is without being slave to the monster , how do we live a 'successful life' and what is success ????

I am wriitng this blog in the wake of the debate over what should young people be guided into vis a vie
 their vocation? /  what should they study? / do for a living ?

What is the most important  / Sciences / Humanities / The Arts .....?

It seemed to me that as usual the loudest voice was only concerned with Value for money -  getting a 'Proper job' and one that 'paid good'

Question ? ..are we going to learn any lessons here .....


February will probably be littered with these thoughts - after all it is the month of 'Love'  and I want to learn to love someone / anyone whose life choices I need to understand more.

 

 The season is Winter  ... the day is Sunday ... and I want to live the simple life ; passing the heritage onto my grandchildren....

 Pleasure for me is easy , walking by the sea , beach combing is joy enough ... and capturing moments of fun!!!!

majestic Mount Olympus in the background

 the beauty of a deserted beach ... but why does no-one else seize the moment ???

 beaching combing me ! , against an amazing sky

 treasure in abundance

 silver sea

 small human!

great company ...these little ones know how to use their imagination ; oh the games they play...

Visual insight

We are well into January ; can't believe it , but I suppose none of us can believe how time flies , so had better make the most of it !!!!!
Thought I would give you a visual insight into me and the things that I love and are inspiring - better than boring you with words / words words - please enjoy and give any feedback if so desired x

 This is a beautiful scene , having amazing depth and mystery ... it is somewhere in the Lebanon which happens to be one of the destinations in this journey of mine , not sure when it will happen but I am waiting patiently with great anticipation nevertheless.

I thought you might find this amusing !!!

 my alterego or heroine before I married was to be Tess of the D'Ubervilles..... phew! glad I got that out my system..... Thankfully anything Edwardian has never left me and I would ADORE to wear this and mince around like her !

 I love this dessert .... <3

 This gives an insight into our home in the mountains -yeaaahhhhh

 My three maidens - not quite the same personalities but same dreamy / and beautiful styles ....

 I took this ; .....I still love taking pics of odd scenarios and this one exists up the valley in the part of Albania I am increasingly finding my life 

The vision of my courtyard , nicely being realised....

 SOON I will see the Northern lights - it has ALWAYS been a dream of mine 

A project that is next on my timetable / agenda to complete , I have some embroidery , done years ago that will look like this when finished . Well worth the wait !!!!!

check out my Pinterest for all the sources and websites.

A new year

I suspect that some of you out there ; are like me, loving the build up to Christmas and yet looking forward even more to the new year .... new year =  fresh start .
I love getting a new diary and with a beautiful pen on a clean blank page - thinking and writing about new ideas/ dreams and motivations for the immediate future .

  Blogging!   another 'new' thing - hope it will continue and flow freely in this coming year .

We had a joyful Christmas , probably the last in a season when we were all together ,
We spent the holiday up a mountain in our place which is increasingly becoming 'home',

Then after a few days we all piled into 2 cars and drove to Istanbul !!! yeah ;  Istanbul in the winter and new year fireworks over the Bosphorus  - magical ....

I don't take this life for granted , I am very privileged ...
Now we say goodbye to our middle daughter , embarking on a new phase in her life moving with her family to England .
Our eldest daughter is continuing her 'mobile' adventure and our youngest is settled more and more in Manchester .

...So the River floweth .....