Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty!

Brrrrr the weather is so cold at the moment, going out for a walk needs full preparation with hat, scarf, gloves & warm socks for the human beans and thick cozy coat for little Tink. That done Andy & I set off with Tink for a stroll to the castle. How beautiful everything was, the sky was fantastic silvery blues with scudding mackerel clouds and the sun was sparkling on the water, the river was high from the run off from the heavy rain earlier and the ground was looking green. 

The trees are still bare, but spring leaves are coming through and soon the heads of crocus and daffodils will be nodding in the breeze over by the castle. They have appeared over the years in the strangest of places around the area, I think it is lovely that someone has committed this act of senseless beauty. When the kids were little we often had quirky sayings up on the wall and one of them was ;

Practice random kindness 

and 

senseless acts of beauty

It always appealed to me..random kindness seemed a wonderful idea and when I thought about it I realised it was something that actually happens more than we think....giving someone the odd 1p at the petrol station, stopping to help when someone is broken down, taking a stranger home who needs a lift. Not big things necessarily but things that make a difference to others never the less. Senseless acts of beauty are committed all the time...the planting of bulbs in public places (not by the council!), laying stones into a circle maze, the placing of a bench to sit on, making a mosaic sign. Little things and bigger things that put a smile on people's faces. I think I'll put the saying up on the wall again as I like it so much.

We strolled on to the castle and saw the next generation of golfers out on the golf course, complete with all the gear! I'm glad I didn't have to shop for their Xmas lists.

I have had a bit of a thing about taking photo's through things...it all started with the archway of the old slipbridge in town and now I'm obsessed!

Have a look at these 'through the aperture' shots from around my own backyard.....

We met our neighbour Boris as we arrived at the castle, his head popping up from the steep bank he had just climbed with the very excitable Mungo...Sian's naughty younger doggy.

Before Christmas Mungo had on a regular basis wreaked havoc and destruction in Sian's chalet The Mayhouse and pictures of his absurd eating habits were posted on Facebook, they included things like CD's with or without the cases! Rugs, cushions and anything else Sian may have left in reach! I think he's improved a bit since then and I often bump into him wearing his fluorescent green collar romping around the lane. He knows I have treats in my pocket and makes a bee line for it, nuzzling his nose in until I give him one..or three!! Tink loves the big black dog but he does get a bit heavy handed..mmm...should that be pawed, with her when he gets excited, she is faster on the turns than him and weaves a quick retreat back to the safety of my legs if this happens.

We headed for home after I explored the castle a bit more with Tink and Andy strolled on ahead.

We headed towards home and I turned back to look at the majesty of the ruined castle and although I have seen it more than a thousand times I always see something new when I really look.

We headed on back and paused for a moment by the signpost, known by Candy as 'The P***ing Post' because of course ALL the dogs stop for a wee there! I think it's just the dogs anyway! It's developed a bit of a starboard list lately and doesn't really point where it should anymore but I love its quirky old fashioned look..... 

We got home and cooked a lovely roast dinner and then settled down for the evening, cuddled on the sofa with a little ball of fluff cwtched in as well.....
Pure bliss.