Where is your Place?

I know that everyone has a 'place'. A place they can go to escape the worries, drama's and fears of daily living. Weather it be a forest, deep within the tree's, a calm lake, the bedroom or even a five minute escape in the toilet!

I am lucky enough to live on the coast and I have beautiful Beach's that are never far away. I find if I am stressed, worried, deliberating over a difficult decision or just wanting to relax. The beach is my 'place' to go.

I'm not talking about the beach in tourist season with the blistering heat blaring down, sunbathing with ice creams. No. I have always found the beach far more beautiful when no one is around on a cold frost morning. Watching a storm brew in the sky above the waves, watching the moonlight flicker in the ripples of water in the dead at night. This is where it's beauty is hidden!

I find the rolling of the waves crashing the shore somehow therapeutic and to see so clearly so far ahead. Makes me feel, when I am stuck, there is just so much more! Open possibilities, an open space for my thoughts to unfold.

Here is a picture I took yesterday morning;




So where is your 'place'?

You want to get a good gift?

With only 100 days until christmas. Thoughs of christmas presants soon start invading the mind. The worry of what to get people. What do you get the person who has everything?? another pair of novelty socks to put in the drawer. Don't waste your money - put it to good use.

Well if they have everything, why don't you give to someone else who is in desperate need of help. Help someone to help themselevs. What better gift to give at christmas then the sence of positive gratitude.

Go to www.goodgifts.org to view the brouchure.

What is the price of happiness??

Is it all about money? Is that the key to achieve happiness?

It may not be a straight forward as you'd imagine. A snap response would be 'yes.' I mean who wouldn't want to win the lottery? We are all led to believe that money will be the answer to all our problems. If I get rich I could do all the things that I want to do. I could live in my dream house, go on holiday, buy a new car;

But is that all there is? material things. If you delve a little deeper is it really what you would imagine? have you ever herd the term the grass is greener on the other side - sometimes our fantasies are only Paradise if they are left as fantasies.

I'm not convinced money can make your dreams come true or make life any happier. I believe contentment is something you find within, doing things you love surrounded by the people that you love. This is something that money can't buy. Pulling together as families and communities gives a sense of purpose and fulfillment no amount of shopping can fill.

One man wanted to check this out. 31 year old Mark Boyle spent 18 months living without any money and says that he has never been happier. He eats from the earth and is true to himself. He has written a book called The moneyless man with all profits going to his charitable trust freeconomy community. Check out his blog at www.justfortheloveofit.org

The joy of imagination.

Last week I was on holiday in the East country county of Northfolk. Whilst I was there I went to visit two beautiful castles. Now, I don't know what it is, but there is just something about castles that pulls me in and I can't help but imagine! Dream of reasons why they were built. For a love? To defend the land in battle? Who would have lived in the castle? What they would have worn? What kind of feasts and festivities they had?
I even imagine what kind of life the servants would have had. What kind of daily duties they had. The tragic tales or woe and the loss of loved ones!

I can't help but get carried away and dream of all the stories that may have happened or things that really did happen. I enjoyed walking around learning about a totally different way of life. I was taken in all the wonders of the castle. I even wonder about the hard sweaty labour of how they built such a large, heavy building without all the modern technology that we have today such as cranes?

I just want to take a moment to reflect on how great our imaginations are. How great it is to just float away into fantasy worlds that we create and characters they we control - moulding a destiny for each and everyone of them. Hours can pass without me even knowing sometimes................. It's when I open my eyes and face the real world that the problems start.

Back to School!

Well I have done it! I have registered with the open university and am officialy a student (I have a NUS card and everything) I am very excited and very nervous at the same time. I got my 'goodie' box last week with all my brand new and shinny course material. See image to the side. I know what your thinking, as that is what I thought. Oh My ........... Looks like a lot of books, DVD's, CD - Roms! (thats where the slightly nervous part came from!) I'm not quite sure what I have let myself in for really. But I have been busy latley preparing myself the the cousre 'The arts past and present.' I have been reading the course compamion guide, full of study tips and have made an area to study in.
I am hopeing after a hard slog that I will achieve a degree in English Literature. I hope that this course my give me confidence i my writing skills and new skills to develop my writing.
I just hope that I am going to be able to keep up with this Higher education and that i am not going to fall behind or find it too differcult. The only way to find out though is to try! Wish me luck guys I think I am going to need it!

Blog Awards!!

What a real treat to turn on my computer to find out that I have recieved two blog awards from one of my favorite fellow bloggers, madameduck. After much neglect on my blog site I feel unworthy of this award, although it has given me the much needed boost to get back on it! Thank you.

The Rules for The Versatile Blogger Award:

1. Thank and link back to the person that gave you the award.
2. Share seven things about yourself.
3. Pass the award to fifteen bloggers that you think deserve it.
4. Lastly, contact all of the bloggers that you’ve picked for the award.

One Lovely Blog Award Rules:

1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.
2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered.
3. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Here are 7 things about myself:

1. I live on the south coast of England - Right on the sea.
2. My favorite animal is a giraffe.
3. I got married this year to the most wonderful man.
4. I am studying with the open university to get a degree in English Literature.
5. I love to bake cakes and cookies.
6. I also love to eat cakes and cookies!
7. My favorite colour is green.

And Now the bloggers I am chooseing to award are: - I won't leave comments for them all as you can click to see for yourselves; But all recomendable.

1. http://madameduck.blogspot.com/ - Not only a thank you for the award, but I always look forward to a new post from Madameduck, very addictive reading - a recomended blog.
2. http://abzincandsuchlike.blogspot.com/ - A great friend and love the comments she always leaves me. Love Abz blogs about random matters and motherhood.
3. http://ramblingsofarustywriter.blogspot.com/ - Great for short stories to read.
4. http://fecklessgoblin.blogspot.com - A fellow blogger found on twitter - who I just love to read.
5. http://sarahduncansblog.blogspot.com/ - very good for writing tips.
6. http://mushroomsanddaisys.blogspot.com/ - Great ramblings and poetry.
7. http://thegartnergazette.blogspot.com/ - A young but talented writer.
8. http://thewhimsicalquill.blogspot.com/ - Also has beautiful poetry.
9. http://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/
10. http://stroppyauthor.blogspot.com/
11. http://awfullybigblogadventure.blogspot.com/
12. http://crysse.blogspot.com/
13. http://theelephantinthewritingroom.blogspot.com/
14. http://rachelspillowbook.blogspot.com/
15. http://djkirkby.blogspot.com/

Enjoy blogging everyone!

Ellie.