The stories of my life on a little island in the middle of the Mediterranean sea ... and my occasional adventures beyond these shores.

Tuesday 6 October 2015

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn

I seem to have lost myself over the summer. Words slipped through my fingers like sand and they were gone before I could capture them. I blame the heat. But maybe there is more to it than that. Maybe I’ve become jaded with this whole blogging thing. Maybe I have nothing left to say. I am fearful of making connections and losing them; of the transient nature of it all. I compare myself to this one or to that other and wonder whether the bar has been raised too high making me afraid that I will never reach it. My self-confidence is low. I confess that I have struggled with that all my life. Which is perhaps why I have never shared my blog with any of my close friends. I tend to find it easier to step out into the unknown and share my thoughts and words with people that I have never met. Strangely enough, I feel safer. Safe in the knowledge that I am not laying myself too bare to those that know me best. Which is, perhaps, another reason why I am not fond of summer. Bear with me, I will eventually get to the point.
Wied iz-Zurrieq (1)
I have called myself a bundle of contradictions on many occasions. And I will do so again today. I am a very private person. I do not naturally share my strengths, sorrows, successes or failures with the world. And yet, I have a blog. Now if that isn’t a contradiction, I don’t know what is. But there are millions of blogs out there, and since mine has never drawn thousands of followers, it is safe to say that I am more or less anonymous except to the few who stop by and read. Which is why summers are a bit of an ordeal for me.
Wied iz-Zurrieq (2)
Living through a Mediterranean summer is like constantly being on a stage. Everybody is out and about, windows and doors are thrown wide open, peace and serenity take a vacation and there is a cacophony in my head that just doesn’t let me think. So I become moody. I day-dream and my productivity falls to zero. Like a snail I tend to hide away in summer and wait for the first rain and cool breezes to nudge me out of my stupor. So with that confession done and dusted, it is time to make amends as I bid summer farewell and look to autumn for  new adventures.
Wied iz-Zurrieq (15)
So what shall I do now that the days are relatively cooler and I have recovered my sanity? Well, I definitely plan on reading more books. The last book I read was while we were on vacation in the US. I think that joining a library would be a good option. Another resolution on my list is to write/ journal/ blog more often. Once I settle into a schedule, that should be a no-brainer. With that comes the overwhelming desire to take better photos. I am working hard on that one but it’s not easy to find interesting subjects indoors. So that brings me to the next ‘resolution’, which is hiking. We have a very bad habit of sticking to our own neck of the woods, even though no place on this island is more than an hour away (and that’s stretching it quite a bit). We have also developed a very sedentary lifestyle which is good for nobody. So we plan on putting our hiking boots back on (they haven’t had a work out in years) and exploring other areas. Hopefully these hikes and walks will give me the subject matter on which I can practise my photography - call it killing two birds with one stone. And since hiking is more fun with a treat or two in the back-pack, I think it’s time to put to good use the hundreds of recipes I have pinned on Pinterest by baking more goodies.
Wied iz-Zurrieq (16)
It sounds like a plan to me. I will do my best to act on it but it’s all looking good and, hopefully, this autumn I will catch all those errant words that have slipped through my grasp and write a tale or two to share with you.
Wied iz-Zurrieq (17)
Beneath the cliffs at Wied iz-Zurrieq, August 2015

10 comments:

  1. I've been away from blogging myself so I completely get it. Wonderful photos.

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  2. Autum/Fall is always a great time for resolutions. Reading and hiking....exercise for the mind and body.

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  3. Autum/Fall is always a great time for resolutions. Reading and hiking....exercise for the mind and body.

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  4. Blogging is a therapy for lots of us. We can write and are even read. We can stay distant or spread out our whole life. I decided that my blog should be a kind of diary and also allow my grandson to really know his grandmother and not only through my son's eyes ! He is too young for me, I will never see him when he is adult. And then I write for myself. For the moment I am reading my blog from the very beginning and how much my English has improved and also I remember things now I had long forgotten. I noticed that I am always complaining about the weather ! Blogging has also allowed me to meet people I would never have met. I won't meet everybody, I have to be sure that we also would fit in real life. So far I have never been disappointed. I think to write is good for you and blogging allows you to have a window to the world !

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  5. great post! Your words are spot on beautiful. I agree and understand from my own experiences.
    There's a thing about blogging that does feel safer out there/here than close at home. That's all good. To the point, I think when I get a sense somebody I know in person reads my blog without saying so, it feels strange, and a bit creepy.
    Enjoy your hiking. I look forward to reading about your adventures.

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  6. THAT my dear sounds like a PLAN!I look forward to your ADVENTURES.........and your photos are GORGEOUS ALREADY!XX

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  7. I totally get it. I am one of those people who because I am "outgoing" people think I'm an extrovert ... I hide behind personality and humor ... and often don't share the really emotional stuff on my blog. (Like the fact that I'm dealing with a painful breakup and broken heart. Hard to share stuff that is intense. I do once in a while but ... not often.) It's probably not as hot in LA as there but it's still going to be in the 90s this weekend which puts my apartment at over 100 in the afternoon. (I have a window AC in the bedroom so I hibernate in there a lot) This weekend I will be up at my parents' ... hot up there but they have central air! Anyway ... fall is resolution time and feels like "school is starting" so, like you, I am hoping to get on track and exercise and start new things as soon as it's a bit cooler!

    Anyway, I hope you are doing well, and wish you joy and beautiful new adventures with your hikes and your camera!!

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  8. Yes, you do have a plan there and I look forward to its coming to fruition. I have always enjoyed your blog and have recently missed you so I am looking forward to hearing about the books you read, the walks/hikes you take, and the recipes you try. Your photos are always wonderful...no practice is necessary!! And your island provides all the scenes you need. Carry on.........
    Farm Gal in VA, USA

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  9. I've noticed a lot of bloggers are trying to get back into it again. Instagram makes it so easy but it also isn't a good forum if you have more than one photo or something more wordy to post. I've always enjoyed your blog posts (and your sweet spirit) so I'm glad you still blog, even if it is sporadic. I've considered giving up my own blog, but it's nice to know it's there when the words come back, you know?

    I ALSO need to get back to walking. My dog always made me walk - the cat is a different kettle of fish, in so many ways...

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  10. Dear Loree - I understand about the blogging thing. Living where I do the internet has connected me to a whole new world and a wonderful set of friends (naturally you are one of them). It is so much easier to share my thoughts and art out here than to do it with those who I have known all my life. The old saying a prophet is not accepted in his own hometown has a certain ring of truth. It is always such a pleasure to see your photography (you take wonderful pictures) and read your words. You have such a way of touching the heart of a matter. Hiking sounds wonderful...I am always up to that plan. Looks like you have some beautiful places to explore too. Take care and enjoy your autumn. Hugs!

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Thanks for stopping by. I read and appreciate every one of your comments. I will do my best to reply whenever I can.

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