Our Angels Excel

Last week I took a week's holiday to the beautiful island of Madeira. We wanted to chill and relax in some warm sunshine before the winter set in, but there was so much to do that we ended up doing more than we would if we had stayed at home!

One of our trips was a morning at sea on a catamaran to see if we could spot some whales or dolphins. It was a beautiful warm morning, the sun was shining a little and the boat wasn't over-crowded. As I sat soaking up the sunshine and enjoying being on the ocean, I asked the Angels to show me something beautiful - whales would be perfect.

Oh they did not let me down at all.

First came Pilot Whales - a pod of about 10-15. Portuguese law meant that we couldn't get too close and couldn't stay to long, which is how it should be. But we were close enough and could even hear them blowing! Magical as I had never seen whales in their own natural habitat before.

Then came the dolphins and another good sized pod, but they really didn't want to play and kept their distance. Nevertheless, an amazing encounter.

Making our way back to the marina flying fish made an appearance. Fantastic sight but far to quick for me to get a photo.

How blessed I felt that day - I asked the Angels for something beautiful and I got three amazing sightings.

Thank you Angels.

The Beauty Within

I saw this tree on a recent visit to a local arboretum.  It was the first tree I saw on the way in, and its impact has remained with me. 

I find it beautiful and I could gaze at it for hours.  It didn’t have the beautiful coloured leaves that the other trees had and I’m not sure it ever did.  But, to me, this tree is every inch as beautiful.

It reminds me that you don’t have to be either young or physically attractive to capture attention.  This tree looks very old, it has no outwardly attractive features, yet to me it speaks volumes.  It has lived and endured, it has seen much in its lifetime and bears the scars.  It has lost its youthful beauty but it has gained so much character.  It is solid, strong, dependable and has stood the test of time.  It's inner beauty and strength really struck a chord with me.

Whilst everyone else took photographs of the splendour and beauty of the other trees, I remained with this one.  I guess the saying is true – beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 

Can you identify with this tree?  I know I certainly can.

The Sky at Night

Just wanted to share this photo.  I took it last night from my back garden in South Oxfordshire, around 6pm (GMT).  No fancy camera, just my phone.  The colours were stunning and the energy was amazing.  It was over pretty quickly but I think it really highlights the beauty that surrounds us when we take the time to look.