getting up

I woke up this morning out of unpleasant dreams with a headache. The house was chilly as the heating had only kicked on. I didn’t feel well, and the bed was warm. I lingered a little longer than usual under the cosy covers until Minnie the dog starting shuffling about nosily in her “where’s my walk?” routine.

Eventually, I got myself up and out to the woods. My mood was sliding toward glum, partly because of how I was feeling, the overcast sky and damp, cold air. The light was not great for photographs, especially compared to yesterday.

Then, I looked up at the clouds and noticed it wasn’t uniform. There were tears in the cover where blue sky could be glimpsed. Once I was walking for a bit it didn’t seem so miserable. At least it wasn’t raining, which often makes photography impossible.

I started playing a game I made up for days like this: “Find one item/scene worth photographing.” It forces me to cast about, to try and see things in a different way. I focus on seeing the beauty, rather than dwelling on what I don’t like.

During the walk there wasn’t any sudden changes in weather, but I did capture the above image. It would have looked better in nicer light, but I worked with what I got. I like that Minnie is snuffling about in the grass in the background.

Getting up is often the hardest part of the day. After that a little momentum and a change in perspective can keep you on track.