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Winter Daze

I wanted to do a winter series last year. But beautiful snowy winter failed to manifest itself in my corner of the world and I didn’t have a chance to travel somewhere I could enjoy it in all its glory. So that was that.

However, the first day of this winter brought us the first snow. But I could only enjoy it from my window, experiencing a bitter-sweet feeling, as we were in lockdown for the entire month of December. The thought of yet another snowless winter wasn’t exactly a tragedy, but the thought of taunting snow outside my window while I couldn’t really experience it was somewhat annoying. So when I woke up to big fluffy flakes covering my town last week, I couldn’t wait to get out there and enjoy winter’s wonderful gift.

It was uplifting to see children building snowmen with their parents or starting snow fights, dogs and birds frolicking in the snow, memories being made all around, even with masks on. I took it all in, just like everybody else, revelling in the moment. On top of everything, now I’m glad I have some wintery photos to share with you in a series I hope you enjoy.

Stay safe, everyone!

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2020 Moments

Happy New Year, everyone! But is it, though? Has anything really changed overnight? For the better, I mean…

Much as I try, I cannot shake the feeling that we’re trying too hard to put 2020 behind us. I can certainly understand the need for a fresh start and the hope for a better future. I share them. What vexes me is the senseless desire to “forget”, as well as the strange belief that everything will not only change, but go back to the way it used to be “before”.

Forgetting means repeating the same mistakes over and over again. And… maybe I got something wrong… but wasn’t what we’d been doing “before” exactly what brought us where we are now, to this place we dread and desperately try to escape? I’m sorry, but I don’t think we learned our 2020 lessons… not all of them and not all of us, at least.

Right… deep breath… it’s neither the time nor the place for yet another rant, much as I feel like one. Instead, I’d rather thank our lovely Lens Artists hosts for keeping us together and helping us in our efforts to stay sane and creative in 2020 (Tina is hosting this week’s challenge – Favourite Images of 2020). Continue reading “2020 Moments”

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Holiday Season… Up and Down Memory Lane

Christmas Eve used to be for decorating the Christmas tree. Now my artificial tree sits in its corner, nicely trimmed, for over two weeks. Different place, different times, different traditions. But back then, I couldn’t wait for my mother to arrive, usually on December 23rd; and in my very young mind, the fact that we had to decorate the tree together on the 24th was somehow a promise that she would always be there for Christmas.

Continue reading “Holiday Season… Up and Down Memory Lane”

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A Walk in the Neighbourhood

Well, here we are again… and I can’t say I’m surprised.

No, I’m not talking about finally returning to the lovely Lens Artists community and our inspiring hosts (I’m more than fashionably late for Ann-Christine’s challenge, Found in the Neighbourhood, and I haven’t participated in a few months, but these ladies have been very understanding in the past, so I hope they won’t mind this time either).

Sadly, I’m referring to my town going back in a sort of lockdown and to the fact that the only surprising aspect about it is that our authorities are finally doing (or creating the appearance of doing) something to control the situation. Right… deep breath… I did promise myself not to get political about the whole mess… and truth is, they’re not the only culprits. On top of a tourist filled summer, too many of us, locals, have systematically disregarded common sense safety measures and have refused to believe the threat is real.

Continue reading “A Walk in the Neighbourhood”