Sweetbriar Dreams

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Saturday 25 January 2014

When the Ordinary Becomes Extraordinary

The rain taps on my window, such a soothing sound, just like a crackling fire on a cold winter's night with a clock softly ticking in the background.  Comforting, familiar music to my ears that fill me with warmth and coziness.  A couple of weeks ago I received some comments that were kindly left to say that my 'ordinary' was 'extraordinary'.  This made me take a step back and realise that I needed to take stock of what is in front of me day to day.  Yes, I go to work every week day with the same old roads, the same old landmarks, the same old views across the fens.  But then, I enter a world that is so steeped in tradition, history and beauty and ashamedly after a while, I don't really see it anymore.  I walk around with things occupying my mind and not noticing what is in front of my eyes.  

Looking out from my bedroom window, the rain came down, not gentle warm rain, but cold, icy stair rods! This was followed by thunder and lightening.  The 'ordinary' had become 'extraordinary'.  Thunder in January?  I've never known it.  It became a moment in time to slow down, enjoy the clean and tidy house that I had worked on all day and just follow the rain drops as they took it in turns to race down the window pane.
Simple little things that beg to be noticed and all they get is a fleeting glance.  The peace and tranquility that can be right in front of you, something that we long for on hectic busy days.  Sometimes it is there, staring you in the face, but we don't notice it.  As I make my way to work each morning and close my car door, the trees are silhouetted against the unique sun rises that are a gift each day to those who are awake early enough to catch their beauty and colour.
Looking at things differently can just be the wonder of just looking up.  How often do you do that?  I personally love doing this and then watching how many people will do the same.  'What is it?' they are thinking, 'oh look at that!' and then they reach for cameras or phones to capture something that they would have normally just walked past.
The 'ordinary' views of Peterborough Cathedral suddenly become 'extraordinary'.  The ornate carvings, the workmanship of people long departed and the magnificence of the architecture so beautifully set before us.  As I took this shot with my camera pointing upwards and taking my time, a man came up to see what I had seen, he was curious and a bit hesitant to be interrupting my moment.  I heard him draw breath when he realised there were vaulted ceilings and hidden windows.  I smiled, he smiled, we both acknowledged the splendor and then I left him taking shot after shot, just looking up and smiling.  
I have been enjoying this week looking at things differently.  I'm now giving my blog an early spring clean by de-cluttering and tidying up.  Sweeping away the cobwebs and bringing some spring freshness onto my screen.  I feel a little cluttered, like a bunch of elastic bands that can ping in all different directions.  A tidy blog is a tidy mind and I feel more comfortable being organised!
So, I leave with you with a view of the Fens before the rain descended.  I do feel as though I enter two different worlds each day.  Both ever changing, and both constant and reassuring.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend and week.  Don't forget to look up, see the 'extraordinary' in the 'ordinary'.



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27 comments:

  1. This is lovely, Chel. It's such a beautiful world we live in xx

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  2. A lovely post, and a beautiful Cathedral. I always like to see your fantastic photos of it. Lucky you, working so close by. Enjoy the rest of the weekend Chel, CJ xx

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  3. Beautiful post as always, Chel. Very inspiring. :o)

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  4. Hi Chel - beautiful post! - it is good to remind ourselves to appreciate the ordinary and extraordinary in our lives The cathedral really looks amazing and I can feel also feel a bit of spring cleaning coming on too! :-)x

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  5. Lovely captures. It is so refreshing to look at the ordinary differently.

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  6. What a beautiful post and something we all need to be reminded of. I'm a dreamer and I'm always looking up and around. Last night when we were getting into our car, we looked up and saw an eagle. It was one of those rare moments that you cherish. Love your photos my friend and do you have a new profile pic? I like it! Hugs!

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  7. SO true friend! It is very important to view things in a new light everyday. I have lived here my whole life and it wasn't until about a year ago that I started stepping back to view the old roads and barns in a new way...like the places I admired in movies and magazines...yet they were right here! You are very wise and your post is such a beautiful reminder to us all! Nicole

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  8. Chel, I enjoyed this post so much - the photos and your thoughts. I also tend to look up a lot. We've had some really cold nights (and days) here this month and a couple of nights as we arrived home in the dark instead of running quickly into the house from the cold I looked up at the night sky and the beautiful stars twinkling overhead. It was amazing. If I'd been more intent on getting into the house I'd have missed it. So, Here's to looking up! Have a wonderful week ahead. Pamela

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  9. Hi Chel, it was a beautiful post as usual! I love the photo of the raindrops on the window and the Cathedral photos are amazing. Yes I do need to slow down and look up once in a while with my hectic pace each day! Your blog always looks nice no matter what you do to it! Enjoy Sunday and next week.
    Julie

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  10. Such truth in your words. Life itself is extraordinary, if we would only take the moments to appreciate it instead of rushing headlong through it. A beautiful post. Love the perspective in your cathedral photos.

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  11. I've been having the same thoughts recently. Just yesterday, I remembered how I needed to come up with a theme or description for some painting project years ago, and everything I was working on boiled down to "beauty in ordinary things". This mind set has stayed with me, and when I am able to stop the head crazies and just be where I am, doing what I'm doing, there is so so much beauty -- sights, sounds, smells, textures. The ordinary truly is full of wonder.

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  12. A lovely post. I live in the same area as I grew up, it is when I take the time to look I realise how little it has changed.

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  13. So true we need to take time in our days.

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  14. What a beautiful post, really made me think.

    Helenxx

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  15. Yep, there's no law against taking your time and enjoying the view; though when you step back and look at the world you'd think there must be such a law. Good for all those who try to buck the trend!

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  16. So true, your world is amazing , especially because you have not only the beauty of the towns & countryside you live in and around, but so much history too. I loved this post.

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  17. Well said Chel! I'm sitting here now and the weather outside is absolutely filthy - grey skies and lashing rain - nothing better to make you feel snug and cosy inside! Keep looking up x Jane

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  18. I've been hearing a lot about "mindfulness" recently, and how it can help us to moments of calm in otherwise busy days. I think your post has described it precisely. Thank you.

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  19. Hi Chel! What lovely photographs you post! I can tell you really see with those eyes of yours.

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  20. I remember, years ago, being in Bruges and commenting on an old trunk and other interesting things while being led up to my attic room. "For those who have eyes to see," said my host. Surely, those words apply to the daily, ordinary bits of beauty around us.

    I enjoyed this post very much, Chel.

    -Karen

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  21. Your ordinary is extraordinary, but I understand because when you are surrounded by something every day it is easy to forget that is not what is "normal" for other people, and you also forget to actually look at your surroundings. Your pictures looking up at the cathedral are beautiful and it is a lovely reminder to look around us. I remember reading a book years ago about a teacher and she was telling someone that when she had trained they were urged to tell the children to "look at the ever changing panorama of the heavens" I often think of that when I am looking at the clouds. Hope that you have an extraordinary ordinary week. xx

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  22. A wonderful reminder, Chel, to really take a good look around at the beauty that is hidden and in plain sight all around us if we just take the moment to stop and really look. Sometimes it is just looking at things with a new perspective as you have so beautifully shown with your 'looking up' photograph. The sunrise is gorgeous behind the great old trees. I love a tidy house on a rainy day. Pure contentment. Hugs xo Karen

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  23. Such beautiful thoughts, Chel! And such wonderful reminders to stop and really see and look and take in the everyday beauty that is all around us. I love that you made that man stop and look up! What a sweet accomplishment! Love, Cheryl

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  24. I loved that post. Today I was driving back from school and it was raining... again! It has been raining a lot lately and it was really not putting me in a good mood... As I drove towards the coast and my cottage, the sun appeared with the most stunning rainbow! Extraordinary met my ordinary day!

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  25. This is a wonderful post. Often familiarity breeds indifference, if not contempt, but I find that having my camera with me helps me see the beauty in the ordinary. And it's always interesting to see photos which visitors have taken of places we know and take for granted.

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  26. Just wonderful - and so inspiring!

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