A common man marvels at uncommon things. A wise man marvels at the commonplace. CONFUCIUS

Friday 27 February 2009

Things Change, Things Stay The Same


Although it may look fanciful, this is a real garden (probably with real toads in it). It's the garden at Blickling Hall, a Jacobean house in North Norfolk open to the public.


Near Blickling Hall lies Pensthorpe Nature Reserve and Gardens, where this picture of avocets was taken. Although they may look wild, these particular birds were fairly tame and mildly captive.

Sometimes things look imaginary that are real; sometimes things look real that are fake.
Sometimes you have to get out of the garden; sometimes you have to get out of the birdhouse.

As I predicted in December at the end of my last Camino walk, changes are on the way this year. But that's fine. I try to welcome change. I think change is something to be embraced not feared, if possible. I'm starting a new job very soon - and this job will take me away from the house more, and will involve long, sometimes bizarre hours (no, I'm not going to be a cat burglar).

But I intend to carry on blogging, and enjoying my favourite blogs, and to keep on walking and reading and thinking and doing all the things I love doing. It's just that my posts, and my comments on others' posts, may be a little more sporadic. But please do continue to visit. I will blog when I can, and when I feel I have something to say.

(Both photos were taken by myself on a trip to North Norfolk last year. A trip I didn't blog about at the time. But we don't blog about every single thing that happens us. Or do we?)

9 comments:

Grizz………… said...

Best of luck in the new job.

Change is great, wonderful, refreshing, part of the human experience and positive growth…or so I've heard. I'd try it myself if I didn't have to change.

Blog/comment/visit when you can. But please don't be overly concerned about needing to have something to say. If it's any recommendation, I often prattle at will, though I prefer to call it "stream of consciousness" blogging.

Dominic Rivron said...

Saw a toad here yesterday, sitting in the lane.

An interesting challenge, to blog about everything that happens to us. Trouble is, whenever I contemplate doing so, I realise how tedious day to day life can be. Then, for a few days at a time, all sorts of ideas crop up.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Good luck with the new job Robert - do keep blogging otherwise I shall miss you.

Timecheck said...

Well, now I'm intrigued. Bizarre hours? In my ancient history with large computers, I can remember multiday sagas in the computer center, saving the public from some impending banking disaster. Now staying up till midnight is fairly bizarre for me. How about a clue?

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Best wishes for your new job, SW.

Bizarre hours? Much more interesting than 9 to 5 ...

Anonymous said...

Agree with Grizzled (again).
I know change is wonderful - I have written quotes at the front of my 2009 diary:

* "Change begets change, Nothing propagates so fast"- Charles Dickens

*Change - the prelude to growth

*"Things do not change, we do" -Thoreau

* Progress requires change, the power of change is in the now

Well, I'm obviously contemplating it and subconsciously consumed by it but like Grizzled, would try it if I didn't have to change.

Anonymous said...

Forgot to add in my last comment, in essence, some of us admire and praise change but just struggle with actually doing it. Congratulations on your new job and change!! Please keep blogging -randomness or sporadic is not a problem, neither are "stream of consciousness" or thought-tangent blogging.

The Solitary Walker said...

Thanks everyone for these comments.

I think your prose is a little more polished than pure 'stream of consciousness', Grizzled - but I know what you mean.

I've just amplified on 'change' in the post above.

Re the job, change can be forced on to one through circumstances, of course.

Timecheck, I have a mental image of you in black and white being dwarfed by a huge, 1960s mainframe computer wearing a lab coat and those black square-framed glasses boffins and literary types used to have back then (which are now making a comeback!) Pity you're not there now - the US banking meltdown may have been averted ;)

Back to the job... Not very exciting I'm afraid - driving, and most importantly stress-free (had too much stress in past existences which nearly did me in). Saving some dough for future expeditions...

Anonymous said...

The very best of all things to you. I enjoy your words...please keep them coming.
Fenlander