2018 ~ The best is yet to come

It’s a new year – wishing all of my blog followers and anyone happening to drop by and read this – a very Happy 2018! I was full of ideas and resolutions for the coming year, so much so that it was overwhelming trying to focus on what to do first. I thought of the places I could go today – the sea, Stonehenge, a local walk – and then the decision was made and the choice obvious. We headed to the Meadow, where else would we go to blow away the cobwebs?

The dogs had great fun and the last time they were all together on the meadow was in November, so it was lovely to see them running around and enjoying the mud. It was also one of the few rare times in the past twelve months that I got the camera out ‘just because.’

In 2017 we had great fun capturing Weddings, anniversary parties and even recreated a wedding shoot for a lovely new bride and groom. But we lost our creative selves. With moving house and fighting ill health, writing essays and juggling commitments, photography got lost along the way. It was a shame because no matter what had been going on in my life in the past, when times were tough, photography was an outlet. There wasn’t space and room enough for that in the past year. So that’s a good place to start with regards to resolutions.

1.) Make more time so that other resolutions can be achieved

2.) If one works out the rest shall follow – more time on the meadow, more time with the camera, more time relaxing…more time.

It won’t be entirely easy – I think most of us wish for more time and secretly hope there will be a box of it wrapped neatly under the Christmas tree. In a few weeks time the second module of my second year into a Social Work degree begins. With it comes a placement at work for around four to five months, which in itself is nerve wracking but even more so since I start a new role with a new team tomorrow. June will bring a family wedding (positive) and my law exam (not so!) and the chance to see if my brain will retain enough information to scrape a pass. It will have been four years that month since I last sat an exam – it feels like decades ago.

One of my goals last year was to read sixty books (this didn’t include by university books!) I got in at the end of the year with a few last minute reads and managed a grand total of 79 books. This was with great thanks to NetGalley and in particular the publisher Canelo, who have given me free reign over their upcoming releases. Can’t wait to review a few more in 2018!




This is also the year for friends to have babies! There will be lots of bundles of joy and happiness born throughout the year and it will be amazing to see new chapters in friends lives open up. I’m excited to see what this year will bring, certainties and uncertainties.

P.S…This isn’t the start of a ‘photo-a-day’ challenge…at least, I don’t think so! But let’s try the 52 week Photography challenge this year…

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Once you have slept on an island…

“The island is ours. Here, in some way, we are young forever.”
― E. Lockhart

We recently ventured over to the Isle of Wight, something we try and do at least once a year, and a had a week of sunshine and breathtaking views. We chose a coach house in the grounds of a larger property and we weren’t sure until we arrived whether the views would be any good for Photography… Well they were absolutely amazing. On a good day there was a great view of The Needles and each sunset was incredible. The property itself was gorgeous with lots of traditional farmhouse charm.

We had no specific agenda, we knew the views that we wanted to revisit and we had a few ideas of new places that we wanted to explore. With my health not being in top form this year, we couldn’t plan to walk too far and yet we ended up covering miles in the end. Totally unplanned which I think made it easier to achieve!

The Isle of Wight has traditional views such as Freshwater Bay, Ventnor, Brading Downs, The Needles and of course all of the stunning seascapes you can capture from the end of the Military Road. But this time we wanted to capture the harder places, and there are definitely some gems hidden away. We had kept an eye on local Photographers works leading up to the trip and our first stop was to try and get to St Catherine’s Lighthouse without walking too far…

Once we found it though, with the sun briskly setting behind us, we decided that the only thing to do to explore the views further was to climb. And so we did. We climbed the hill overlooking the Lighthouse (later in the holiday finding a car park at the top but nevermind!) and we were not disappointed.

St Catherine’s Lighthouse is not accessible by road. It’s one of the oldest Lighthouses in the UK… constructed in 1838. (Some sites state that it was 1323, actually that seems to be when a Lighthouse further away on St Catherine’s Down was built, this is now just a ‘shell’ of stone and is known locally as ‘The Pepperpot’).

Another view that we wanted to capture was Steephill Cove. This is again on the sunny side of the Island and is located in Ventnor, home to the Botanical Gardens (which were INCREDIBLE!) We walked through the gardens to the coastal path and then on down to Steephill Cove as again, this is a cove that is untouched by motor vehicles and is only accessible by a steep climb down…and back up again.

Time stood still in this beautiful place  which was just a glorious suntrap. A little hut selling cold drinks meant that we could walk along the beach sipping ginger beer (or cream soda in my case!) and then induling in a New Forest Ice Cream further along. The fact that you couldn’t just turn up in your car made this even more special.

The Isle of Wight is greatly underestimated in terms of a holiday destination… and even a place to live. Although the crossing on the Ferry is quite expensive I think that’s what protects this Island from being overrun. We went via Wightlink Ferries, known affectionately by many as Shitelink..and yet they had just upgraded and the ferry had cosy sofa’s, coffee bars and excellent seating. ll very surreal compared to the old days of plastic chairs, smelly corridors and sticky floors…

It has taken me absolutely ages to finish this blog, with one thing or another creeping up on me and essays that needed to be written. The actual holiday was about a month ago! There are lots of fabulous meadow photos and memories to blog next from Father’s Day…

I also started a book review blog. Tea Leaves and reads! Head over and check it out on Facebook or on WordPress.

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