Here's To 2011

At the time of writing, it's 23:57 on 30 December 2010. Tomorrow will be New Years' Eve...the world around will unite at 00:00 (subject to differing time zones, of course) in a mass celebration of the incoming 2011. The clocks will strike, the cheers and applause will echo throughout, the fireworks will light up the night sky, friends, families, couples and strangers alike will exchange New Years greetings and alcohol will, without a doubt, be consumed in great volumes (start the year as one intends to go on - apparently, blind drunk and throwing up everywhere!).

There's an unnecessary pressure to have great plans for your New Years' Eve celebrations. However, for me, as long as it is spent with loved ones (friends, family or both) and everybody is in good spirit, I'm not particularly concerned about the venue of the gathering.

This year, a small group of friends are travelling with me to Chop Gate, North Yorkshire where we will be staying with one of our best friends, Anita. Her family have recently taken over a lovely country pub (The Buck Inn) and we will spending it with them in the countryside, before the open fire...and propped up against the bar ;-).

So, I won't be blogging again before 2011. Thus, it is time to wish everybody a truly heartfelt Happy New Year! May 2011 be all you want it to be and more.

Take care and enjoy your New Years' Eve celebrations, whatever they may be. =)

RB x

In The Bleak Midwinter

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, Whom cherubim, worship night and day,
Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, Whom angels fall before,
The ox and ass and camel which adore.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

Walking In A Winter Wonderland

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

Hello again!

The festive week has begun and Christmas Day is no fewer than 4 days away! How exciting!

To kick-start a week of festive spirit and seasonal celebrations, I enjoyed a short weekend trip to the great city of London. I love London. It's such a vibrant city that is entirely drenched in history! Every time I visit I feel the buzz and fast pace of life.

My friend, Anita, and I enjoyed a walk around Camden Market, Camden Locks and Camden Christmas Markets. We ate some lovely food and drank hot chocolate to keep us warm in the sub-zero temperatures. The weekend also included a trip to a snowy Portobello Road for the famous Portobello Market, a fun visit to Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park (which included a mug of mulled wine) and a brisk walk from Trafalgar Square to Buckingham Palace.

We stepped things up for a final treat before our return home with a cocktail in the glamorous and trendy Mayfair Bar in the Mayfair Hotel.

The heavy snow caused much chaos with traffic and I spent 11 hours on a bus trying to get home!! I didn’t complain though, the view outside was stunning and the experience was quite an adventure.

The following day, after catching up on some sleep, I met two friends and enjoyed a walk through some snowy woods, ate carvery and drank mulled wine in a local country pub and took some beautiful photographs of the stunning winter scenery.

Below is a selection of photographs that I took over the weekend.

  

Photography Focus: New York City