Monday 25 February 2013

A pebble skips

The Human League, Mirror Man, why not indeed? 

A beautiful image, the pebble skipping across the water, sinking and the thrower walking away.  As you do.  No dramatic change, a non event in the history of time and the movement of a life.  It kind of reminds me of the mindful approach to watching your emotions drift past you like leaves floating down the river.  Detached and not taking on enlarged importance.  Not even so much as ripples. Yesterday we walked the Glyders, and there could be no pebble skimming (thus meaning I do not have to reveal I cannot skim a stone) because the lakes were largely frozen.  Some fabulous icy water patterns though ...




It was what we'd like to think a classic wintery day in the hills would always be like.  Crispy fresh, wind only lifting us off our feet on the very top of the hill.  A day where footing needed careful thought.  So many changes in the underfoot ground.  Balls of solid frozen ice, soft fluffy snow so white you can't believe it can really happen in nature, snow looking soft but properly solid.  Stones glued together by various forms of frosty water, scree hidden or consolidated by snow and ice.  Axes, crampons, maps and compasses, and none of the solitude you might seek out on the hill.  Lots of folk enjoying what felt in the unpredictable weather conditions of the UK almost like a once in a lifetime chance.  And I was glad to be there.

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