Riding into 2019

I find myself feeling more than usually positive as I settle into the new year. I'm not sure why that is... I think it must just be me getting older and much more appreciative of the small things that make up daily life. I'm blessed, so far, with good health and reasonable fitness. Being retired is a joy, offering time to indulge in all the things I like best (amongst them: walking, exploring, photography, reading, spending time with friends and family). True that the current political situation in the UK and elsewhere concerns me, and it's hard to see where it's leading, but even with that, as I write, there is sufficient vagueness to hope that it might actually all turn out for the better eventually. The horse hasn't yet bolted and the stable door is not yet closed...

It took me long enough to discover that there is not much that a walk and tuning into nature cannot ameliorate to some extent. Also long enough to figure out what I need to eat and how I need to exercise to feel good (though I don't always do it!) But now I know myself much better than I ever did and I can take care of myself pretty well. I also know life is fragile and everything can change in a moment, so I never take things for granted - but the best antidote to worry is being present in the present.

I nearly always go for a walk on New Year's Day. (I don't drink, so I am always clear-headed.) Usually I just amble around locally but this year I decided I'd go to RHS Harlow Carr Gardens near Harrogate, in search of some colour and signs of new life. There was plenty and I'll share some photos when I've processed them. For today, this bicycle-riding hare seems the perfect illustration for my mood.