Turning, I look back from where I am walking to and watch the sun, its last rays about to be consumed by the swaying arms of tall pine trees.
Tilting my head upwards towards the twilight sky I watch Cormorants silently swooping in mesmerising formations. A lone bird squawks piercingly until it reaches friends. The sky is a patchwork of greyish blues and lemon slivers that spread out above us like a fan. I don’t think it could ever have been more perfect.
“This is achingly beautiful, isn’t it?” I say.
He laughs at my crazy ways, but agrees wholeheartedly.
“Enchanting” I whisper silently as we walk onwards hand in hand.
We are walking towards the blue, piercing blue, even at this time of day, at this time of year, and the anticipation is building as we begin to near a gap in the dunes. I’m not sure what I am expecting, I hadn’t set out to expect anything, but then she begins to run, he begins to run; we all run. Laughing and whooping, hoping and believing in something magical, our feet pushing with force up and over the heavy bank of thick soft sand.
And then, there it is:
They run on, but I stand still. I want to absorb this: this beauty, this moment, this peace.
My heart is tingling, my body alive, my mind alert. This kind of euphoric feeling is as close as you can get to drugs, I swear. I think this is the most beautiful beach I have ever seen and I want to stay here forever, sleeping under the stars, resting silently with the birds.
But we should have been in Portugal. We should have been on that plane. We should have been in a cabin at the edge of the mountains. But one of our family members was sick, really sick, and we couldn’t leave her. So a last minute escape to the beach was hurriedly planned to aid her recovery and, rather surprisingly, it proved the perfect place to remind us that if you search for it, there is an abundance of beauty right on your doorstep and somehow, fate seems to know how to get us there.
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| and I'm pleased to say that our beloved Milla is finally on the mend after a really nasty incident. Thanks for all your good wishes :-) |
6 comments:
Well lots of well wishes to your family member. I am sure you might be down from not being in Portugal, but that place will be there still in the future to go.
Beautiful pictures. And you are right, if we just look around there is so much beauty in front of us. In fact, this morning I hit the local mountains alone to go play in the snow and take pictures (that I will share with everyone soon). It was so quiet and peaceful. Glad I took the time to explore.
Happy Holidays to you and your family, Alice.
Gorgeous pictures, I especially love the one in shadow. You make me want to go to Norfolk! And I don't even like Norfolk :P
Loving your latest posts Alice, and the way you are 'living in the moment' right now and appreciating the little things. It's inspiring :-)
I thought it looked like Norfolk...@OlivHeal will love this tale especially :) x
...had to be Holkham. gorgeous! breathtaking stepping from the pines to the sea sand expanse.
Hi Christine, you are right... Portugal will still be there :-) and it is definitely worth taking the time to explore what beauty is right on our doorstep :-)
Thanks Alicey! Go to Norfolk!!!!!!!!! xx
Thank you Peg - I am trying. Trying to not constantly be thinking about the next journey ;-) x
Thanks Ali! and thanks Olivia! Norfolk has definitely stolen a little piece of my heart!!!! Am following your blogs now :-)
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