I'd check the weather forecast that promised nothing but misery, so I prepared mentally from the night before and gathered everything I needed to beat the grimness.
So, in my warm trekking shoes, I pottered through Milber Woods to the Market town, Newton Abbot.
I encountered a few dog walkers whose dogs seemed way happier than them, but it was understandable because it rained all day with heavy winds.
Still, I was determined to see the beauty in everything, and it was a casual observatory walk, while I skillfully snapped shots without ruining my mobile.
Here, for example, isn't the tree bark old, yet full of character, shapes and designs that were worth capturing?
The smell of rain and the wet wood gave me a certain kind of earthly feel, that kept telling me to go on.
Which I did, happily:)
The streets were chuck-a-block, and when I looked at the drivers, they didn't seem to be having that much fun with raindrops on their windscreens, as it was for me listening to the raindrops beating on my umbrella.
It was grey just as you see, so I take a hat off to runners who are enthusiastic about running in the cold rain.
It takes a special kind of determination, dedication, and desire to remain active regardless of the weather conditions.
I was inspired, even more by the positive affirmations of the street art through the under paths.
These tunnels have recently been coloured with love, by a project of local artists, and the local council called "Tunnel of Love".
There are never too much positive affirmations, especially if we believe them and put them into practice, don't you think?
... and I particularly liked the message of this sign on the bus stop, more than the products it's advertising though.
"Love what you love"
An overhead shot of the Aldi car park.
This is where I tend to shop because it's within walking distance, affordable and stocks everything that I need at a better price than the other supermarkets in town.
I felt as happy as these two little birds were, as I saw this classic Citroen approaching. I love vintage cars, so at this stage a dropped my umbrella and snapped these while the driver was laughing his head off in the traffic.
I don't know whether he found my excitement at seeing the car funny or if it was my hair curling up like a poodle as it got drenched in the rain, but he smiled and waved.
... Public toilets
I hate walking through a town where there's no public toilet or even a fast food outlet that I can pop into. I think that's poor planning.
The good thing about this one is that it's frequently cleaned and amenities are replenished throughout the day.
Whenever I see red mailboxes, I know where in the world I am:)
And I quickly crossed over to this nearby park.
The day was finally starting to brighten up as I got to this stretch of town, but only momentarily.
Many old churches throughout the town have been converted and used as offices or museums
I liked the look of this photo, where you can see the side streets, so I added it as well.
These are right along the main street, Queen's Road, where there are many small independently owned shops.
I'm never too comfortable walking under scaffolding, but today I made the exception to avoid crossing the street again, and as you've guessed, "I'm still standing."
Here's the exterior of the many Charity Shops in the town. These shops are like little boutique shops that are nicely decorated with items displayed tastefully.
Clothes are changed seasonally just like high street shops do, hence the bright floral patterns here.
Can you guess what this stunning building is?
That's the library above!
Newton Abbot is an old market town, so, of course, there's a market, and Wednesday is the weekly market day, however yesterday it was scanty with just a flower vendor outside
... and I circled the exterior of the market
Of all things, I fancied an ice cream, so I had one from this little coffee corner.
There's a cinema as well. I haven't been to the movie in ages, and have not been inside this one as yet.
I think this was the longest walk I've ever taken in the rain, but I was in the mood to be outdoors, which lifted my mood.
I wandered around to the clock tower, and then made my way back home, on the same route that I took walking in.
On these wet roads, I dreaded the uphill walk through the woods, but I made it home before dark and guzzled down a few litres of water before retreating to a lovely meal with a glass of wine.
I then lit this lime, basil, and mandarin candle which scented my room nicely, listened to some of my favourite music and reflected on just how uplifting it was being in nature despite the drab weather.
I then called it a night 💋
All images were taken by me on a rainy day Wednesday 2 August 2023, with my Motorola mobile.