Finding Happy

At the beginning of the year I decided to participate in an 366 photo year challenge. Any long term readers of my blog will know that I find it really difficult to stick to projects. I was determined to go ahead and give it my best shot. To make things a little easier I chose to do all the photos with my phone and I decided on a theme of 'Things That Make Me Smile'. Back then I was optimistic. I was having some down days but I thought that if I focused on the good it would help my moods. Of course that was pre-Covid 19 days. I've kept on with the project. It's been a struggle sometimes but I'm glad I've kept on going.

So for another of my things that make me happy I thought I'd share my collages for the month of July. There are lots of pictures of my walks - I've already said how much joy those walks bring me, but there are other little day-to-day things.

Days 1 - 11

Days 12- 22

Days 23 - 31

Thinking of this project and this week of looking for happy it has made me realise that sometimes it's just the little things that make us happy, make us smile. It can be something as simple as beautiful skies in the morning, passing a lovely flower, doing something that brings you joy or perhaps just a simple kind word from someone.

Happy Walking...Walking...Happy Walk

I feel I got a little bit more accomplished today. I did my regular jobs and did some more sorting. I actually got a few things listed on Ebay too. I am really ready (I think) to get rid of some of this stuff. It's not going to be easy to sort through things I especially like, but I feel the need to lighten myself of some of the things. I would really like to get the house decluttered and feel as though I have some space. At some point (I never thought I'd say this) but I would really like to move. If anything this six months spending more time at home has proved it is that this is not where I would like to end up living. Perhaps it's just a dream, but if it helps in getting things sorted through that's a good thing and, if this is where we end up, it will be with a cleaner and more breathable living space.

Okay - on to day two and the title of this post. What do I enjoy doing? I enjoy walking. It is something that has kept me sane the last six months. Just being able to get out in nature and look around, see the different animals, birds and the changing of the fields as I've walked through them has given me something to look forward to each day. It was a little dicey there for a while. The place I really enjoy walking and is closest to where I live was, for a while, one of a very few spaces open for walking in our city as all the rest were closed. It got very crowded, more trash was left and more dogs off leashes, but things have settled down a little now. During this time I did enjoy seeing people walking with their children who were enjoying nature and looking for frogs, ducks and such. 

My walking boots see a lot of action. They also keep my feet nice and dry!

Some of the lovely wildflowers I see on my walk. Things seem to change so much from week to week. There are flowers that die off and new ones that always seem to be popping up. The change of colours is amazing to watch. I love walking through the field and feeling as though I'm a million miles away from the city when I am in fact in the city. 

How about you? What is it that you enjoy doing? What has helped keep you sane in the last few months? 

A Week of Things That Make Me Happy

I've decided to take a week to look for/share things that make me happy. I'm trying to look on the bright side and cheer myself up a little. I'll try to share each day but we know how good I am at that lol.

I've done a couple things that I've been meaning to do. I ordered Magnesium and will start taking tomorrow to see if it helps with the leg cramps. Getting good sleep certainly would help my mood a bit I think. I have also ordered some dress tape - you know, the stuff that holds down fabric so you don't flash anything. No. I've not ordered a fancy dress to go somewhere lovely. I read on one of my photography groups that one of the ladies uses this tape to tape down her mask to her nose so that her glasses don't fog up when she's taking photos. I'm hoping this will help with the panicking of wearing the mask which leads to fogged up glasses, which then starts this whole heavy breathing and panicking thing.

The first thing on my list and was really easy to choose is books. They make me happy. I love to read. I always have. I can't remember a time when I didn't love to read. Books have been my companions through tough times, happy times and sad times. Reading a book takes you to places and times that you can only dream of.  A good story can make you happy, sad, can make you laugh and cry. I've been reading a lot recently. I'm certainly making a dent in the numerous books I have in the house.

I don't like shopping much but give me a good bookshop and I can spend ages in there. There used to be a lovely used bookshop in town. It wasn't very big but you could get lost in the bookshelves and all the books piled from ceiling to floor (and on the floor!). I was quite sad when it closed down. I remember the one in Ipswich when I was growing up. It was a shop that sold new books but there was so many. It was housed in a place called The Ancient House which, as it sounds is a very old building (laughs). It was built in the 15th century. When I was a child it was a bookshop with lots of little rooms with glorious windows and beamed ceilings and doorways. I found a photo (not mine) and have posted below.

Sadly it's no longer a bookshop but is a Lakeland shop that sells (apparently) kitchenware. I can't bring myself to go inside though I probably should on one visit.

Anyway, you can see why it would be a lovely place to spend a bit of time with a book. I remember sitting on the floor in the small room that housed the young adult fiction. It wasn't a very big room as I think it was still a new genre.

So books - yes, they make me happy. Even writing this brings a smile to my face. What makes you happy? I know we can all use a reminder of looking for good things even when we're feeling down.