I have questions...

I love being outdoors and every day I try to get out for a walk. Usually that means in my local area and I will walk between 3 to 5 miles. I maintain a brisk pace and if I am on my own I will have my headphones on and listen to music. The scenery doesn't change too much but the weather does and with the changing tides the walk along the sea front the view is always good. I see lots of people along the way, some other regular walkers; old retirees like me, couples, dog walkers, young mums with kids on scooters, bikes or in prams. Many will return my smiles and say hello while others head down are less keen to engage.

Today was no different however as I was walking along I startled by some joggers who approaching from behind ran so close to me that they almost hit my elbow as if oblivious to my presence. This annoyed me the first time it  happened and even more the second time, Why did they lack basic spatial awareness? Am I invisible? and then as I walked on I started to wonder about other things; Why when I offer a cheery "good morning" do some people just look away? Why when I catch someone looking directly at me and I smile do they scowl and pretend they haven't been caught out? why do some people walk along with their phones on speaker and have conversations that everyone else can hear? As I walked on I noticed that I was starting to feel grumpy and I shouldn't let things like this bother me, I will continue to smile and say hello, and I will try to notice things that will lift and inspire me. What I did notice this morning was a beautiful male pied wagtail in breeding plumage strutting "proudly" and "hopefully" in front of a potential mate, and I also spotted the first pair of Swallows that I have seen this season, swooping low over the beach catching flies and I look forward to seeing more as they arrive over the coming weeks.

I also tried to think about what pictures I would share in my blog post today. I wanted something that would promote calm so I decided on the following images of a stone stack I built on the banks of the river Coe in Scotland last weekend. I had been for a really good walk in the morning and before heading off to explore more of the area in the afternoon I spent a few quiet moments on the riverside next to the campsite. My aim when I build these things (as I do occasionally) is not to build really high or elaborate stacks but to create an object that fits within the landscape so I try to use the light and the backgrounds to create a finished image and then when I am done I return the stones to where they came from (if they don't fall down first). I think that with the stack in these pictures, taken from different angles I met my objective. Have a look and let me know what you think...