An Unusual Sight

Driving along the road, a bird approximately the size of a magpie swooped out in front of me & I paced myself after it, as it flew along the side of the road at eye level. I puzzled as to what it was - its white rump & black tail instantly made me believe yes - a magpie.

However as the road widened upon the approach to a lay by, the bird veered in to the road side & flew away from me to the left. Only then did I glimpse its full body & brown fawn plumage, instantly revealing its self to be none other than an elusive Jay.

Strangely enough, reading the literature, it is a common enough bird, but shy and perhaps hence the reason why it is so rarely seen.
It was a delight to see this bird & marvel at its colours - to think that it is of the Crow family. Yes it is a type of crow.
Its plumage is beautiful & colourful, yet when you look at this side profile, one can imagine it being a crow given its shape despite its colours.

As I grabbed my camera bag & shuffled for my lens, I spied the Jay take something from the undergrowth under a tree on the hillside.  It moved further up the hill to an embankment, which you can see in the picture.  It blended in so well, I momentarily lost its location.  The camouflage certainly was working.  Then I picked it out again & aimed my camera in its direction.  I managed to capture this image which has been cropped to attain this view.

Sparkling Bridge

Within the grips of Winter, we look around and as the evening draws to a close, those landmarks which seem invisible in daylight take on a new dimension as night draws in.

This new dimension creates an opportunity for a new way of seeing & viewing Life.

A bridge across a river, with it's lights, illuminating the darkness, can be a beauty all of itself.

Enjoy these evenings of dark, light & the half-light.

Galway Buskers

Galway Buskers

Recently I travelled to Galway and as I walked down Shop Street I turned into a cafe where I joined a queue. Outside, playing in the cold afternoon light were these 2 gentlemen. Together they performed a rendition of "I met my Love". Not a favourite song of mine, however in the brief few moments for which they played, my heart stirred causing me to reconsider my feelings for this song. For they in their performance roused so many around me, time momentarily froze & a moment of unequalled beauty arose in the warm confines of that small cafe.

I noticed around me the other customers quietly singing along with these young men. In Harmony! With the smells of coffee, chocolate, and the warmth of the shop confines, and the musical lyrics drifting in & those around me singing along - led to a moment of sensory delight which has made me re-evaluate this song. But it was these men and their performance that created that moment.

Stop, consider those moments, surreal as they are when you have found yourself immersed in the moment - relishing all that there is - Life in & of itself - is often more than we grasp in our rushing around. And it is in these rare mindful moments that time comes to us & reminds us of the beauty around - all we must do is stop & Savour it, relish it, almost swill it around like a mouthful of delicious red wine or your favourite beverage.

It is these moments which drive us forward, longing for that enriched moment - when Life stands Still & it is all we could possibly need & more.

So Now I will raise my hot chocolate to my lips & relish this beautiful moment once more & Long for the next one.