Resilient Emotions To Cope
Happy Solstice, Winter or Summer depending on Northern or Southern Hemisphere, change in seasonal gears again.
Last night and tonight we have had no evening sky now grand sunset being clouded over once again. Between 21st and 22nd December it is either the shortest or longest day of the year depending on which side of the equator you live, hope it's been a good day to remember.
No one needs to be told about our last two years of dramatic change, but how do we cope?
Perhaps an App or Pill could take away the inner turmoil, not yet, maybe in the future!
Reminiscing over year 2021 with all the up's and down's, times of being afraid, ready to run away, moments when you think 'stop the world I want to get off', yes I think we have all endured different types of mental strain, it's putting a lid on it and keeping the negative at bay.
Monthly Review here in South Africa
Steaming hot days peering down valley view during the day, late afternoon walks or early mornings when one captures moods of the day, these are the times I find rewarding, as always in the garden preferring not to venture out for fear of wearing a confounded mask.
January murky heat rising from the valley below, a river runs through here attracting bird life. During the hot days smaller birds are active in the trees well hidden from the scorching sunlight.
Late afternoons droves of small birds dash past ahead heading toward the river where large trees stand proud, I think many nest down there with all the movement in late afternoons, sadly the flight is fast one never able to capture small birds at that speed. Swallows circling above depending on conditions when a clear evening they fly higher collecting small midgets before they retire.
February we encountered some cooler days, out of the normal weather for this time of year and took opportunity to visit the beach..., where few roam with masks on.
Slightly hotter days the valley was steaming once more, here a heron perched on a light fitting surveying the valley from on high.
Month of March a park walk sharing the sports fields with local cattle grazing, a sight we are familiar with is cattle being herded across to the river on this side of town where they feed along the routes the herder takes them along.
Wind blown clouds starting to show change in season once again, times outdoors is where I find solace looking at the clouds, bird life or anything I can find, change is ever present in the garden.
April dazzled with stunning sunsets, beautiful clear blue skies with cooler weather approaching the Strelitzia reginae flowers in bloom enjoying an early showing, almost a reflection of the sunset later in orange sprayed across the sky.
Some ask how you keep your cool and cope? Life offers, nature gives...
Vervet monkeys go through the garden once or twice daily, always up to antics here is one giving me the look for interrupting play and eating, or is it the dog they stop to watch with such a cheeky face, yes they make us laugh, nice and naughty always up to tricks. Photo taken in May, however they are ever present daily!
Yellow wild blooms pop up over the wall to greet while swaying in a gentle breeze in the month of May, these are the months we cherish as far as the weather is concerned.
Blue skies, early cloud milling around this will disperse into a crisp clear June day, exercising the eyes from tip of horizon scanning around to see what may be going on in the valley.
Brown hooded kingfishers sit on 'their' branch, daily greetings are done now is time to survey below for food, another regular to visit almost daily lifting ones spirits in sheer joy of a chat for awhile before going about their business.
July - Much anticipated planned break to St Lucia in July, our President announced prohibition of alcohol once again, restrictions suddenly imposed a few days before departure.
Anxiously I phoned ahead to check with the holiday village whether family could all still arrive, requirements were in the form of clearance documentation being completed for each individual before arrival, medical information, identity numbers of all individuals which I scanned and emailed via PDF two days before departure, still uncertain as to what would be allowed.
Happy to be away from home for a week break! Tourism has taken a battering, the village was empty, no restaurants opened. With no liquor sales, curfews, we bought local fish from small store we had previously used to support, during these tough times.
We did the estuary cruise, again only running small craft due to low numbers arriving with provincial travel ban. Moment out is where one finds the will to carry one, recharging your batteries by plugging into nature whether at home or away.
Not only covid was evident in lack of people visiting, on entry to the iSimangaliso Wetlands Parks both Eastern and Western banks the vehicles were sprayed down for foot-and-mouth disease before entry.
Walking the dunes down to the estuary mouth where the sea should breach one day soon again, this area is in trouble as well!
Trouble was brewing with our ex-president having to present himself at jail, travel home it was evident with burning of fields, burning cars on the highway massive presence of police on the three hour journey home, trouble was on the way.
Numb, our week away in no time slipped into a vacuum where a day later safely home riots took over, now all residents were seeking out any form of weapons to help the local groups set up barricades to protect our shops, homes and people.
Groups opened app channels to know where trouble was on the rise, another channel seeking out baby supplies, medicine, food, we began swapping items between homes to keep each other going. With day/night barricades set up, hot drinks and food need to be supplied to the men standing guard in the coldest nights of the year that followed.
The cold of night a reflection in hearts cold with fear, not knowing who would be next in the raiding. Rampaging people coming over the hills, yet we did take time to remember it is not all, many over the hills as afraid as we were.
Eventually people united in a stand against this madness, slowly.... very slowly the army with government backing started to make a late appearance when the ill equipped small local police force had tried the utmost to work with residents with what little they had to secure home towns.
The month of July 2021 will not be forgotten in a hurry, this extreme ugliness of human behaviour is imprinted in memory forever! Currently many people wish to leave this beautiful country of ours and I cannot blame them!
Sharing only beauty in nature of time away since what followed is not something one wishes to dwell on, definitely not tell and show photography revealing raw wounds of a time we still coming to terms with.
August the Snake lily flowers popped up to announce a possible early entry of Spring, clouds danced above the valley with patches of blue we have had more than usual rains through the winter months.
September the Southern Tree Agama (our Blou Koppie lizard) started to display brilliant colours for attracting a female. Life carries on and so must we, dig deep find beauty in all to move forward coping day to day.
Once again we were able to walk on the beach to take in sights, smells and sounds alleviating tension from continued restrictions, coping with short excursions to lighten the load of life.
October a peek out the other side of the garden using the top of the concrete wall to frame the daily iris in bloom on the bank with bamboo palm I planted years ago to stabilize the soil. Establishing a garden is much like life, it requires assistance to balance then enhance, binding together in preference to wash away land.
Over the valley after good rains green everywhere, ending days with stunning sunsets.
Tapestry of life in nature ever changing like the people below coping one way or another with emotions, many being taken by either old age, broken hearts or the confounded/unfounded covid.
November my trusted feathered friend still arriving daily, displaying a tasty delight most probably one of the many dragonflies buzzing around.
Late afternoon quiet sunsets between rains now arriving with lightning in heavier storms. Storms a frequent reminder of the fear invoked, resilience reflected in the turmoil during the year.
December always arrives in flurry of excitement, with July long gone and hope on the horizon many have resolutely resolved to enjoy this Christmas season and festivities irrespective of what man or beast throws at us.
The humidity now marches through the early and late afternoons in the valley below, you can watch it soldiering on here....
Wishing each and every one a wonderful peaceful Christmas or Festive Season whichever you chose, it is a time of giving and receiving in love, family traditions and forgiveness.
May the North Star shine brightly down on You and Yours ringing in a new tomorrow, encouragement in facing whatever life brings along, let us enjoy this moment in time.
Never wish your life away it goes quick enough, learn to cope even when you think it is the end of the world the same sun shines for everyone, go out and enjoy my coping mechanism nature it is everywhere!
Photography Lovers End of Year Contest
How can one resist taking a walk through memory lane? This is exactly what drew me to the Photography Lovers End of Year Contest run by 
All photography is my own using Canon Powershot SX730 HS. Any queries or requests please drop a comment below or make contact with me, have a wonderful day! Photography without tripod, go with the flow wherever life takes you.
Thought for Today: “In the moment of crisis, the wise build bridges, and the foolish build dams." - African Proverb
