A Winter Walk

After what seems to be an eternity of torrential rain, the heavy grey rain clouds dispersed temporarily - enticing us to leave the warmth of indoors and venture outside to the cooler fresh air and down to the coast;

to a place where once upon a time, on a gloriously hot summers day, I walked amongst the wildflowers that danced in the meadows sweeping down to the sand dunes.

The wildflowers that had floated gracefully in the light summer breeze had long gone

 - leaving behind only dried stems and skeletal seed heads.

Clouds hung ominously overhead - casting a grey light upon the sea.

 The birds soared and swooped through the air with loud joyful cries, gliding on the gusts of wind that swept them along.

On a lichen covered rocky outcrop a line of sea-birds 

watched the darker oncoming clouds that were brewing up upon the horizon. 

The wind whistled across the sandy bay

and whipped at the long grasses bordering the dunes,

For a brief few minutes, a glimmer of watery sunlight shone through a break in the clouds

casting silvery rays over the white sands,

 and white froth of the sea lapping gently into the little bay.

As the darkening clouds gathered, we turned and made our way back before the rain began once more, our thoughts turning to home, hot soup and the warmth of the wood-burning stove.

Before we left the beach this pink heart shaped stone caught my eye 

as it lay gleaming amongst the grey pebbles and seaweed washed up along the shore.

Happy New Year Everyone

xxx