Sea Side Winter-time Week in Co. Waterford

The changing of the clocks to Winter-time fills me with absolute dread every year as all I can see lying ahead is dull, dank, dark, dismality.  This year was no exception and I basically bid a fond farewell to all colour last Saturday afternoon with the clocks set to fall back at 2am on Sunday morning.

The week that has unfolded has shocked me with the colour that has danced on the beaches in and around me here in Tramore.

It all started at sunrise on Sunday morning when I went down to the beach in a state of total confusion about what time it really was:

Tramore Beach, Co. Waterford

Each day has brought moments of pure sensual bliss,

Garrarus Beach at Noon

clarity,

Kilfarrassy Beach, Co. Waterford

shimmering

Kilfarrassy Beach, Co. Waterford

lipsticked skies

Garrarus Beach at Sunset

and absolute hope:

Stan

I hope your week has given you good reason to look forward and to see every colour, including black, as having a beauty all of its own.

5 Ways to Cope with Winter Time ~ Gatherings from Ireland # 286

The fact that Ireland is moving into Winter time in a few hours doesn’t exactly fill me with glee but I’ve been preparing for this transition for a few weeks now and this evening I went for a swim at sunset to give thanks for what has been one of the most wonderful Irish Summer times of my adult life. 

Garrarus Beach, Co. Waterford

For me, the whole key to coping with Winter time  is ensuring that life is filled with colour,  so here are my 5 main coping strategies:

1. Plant lots of Spring bulbs whose fresh green shoots will give an early signal that long, bright days are just around the corner.

2. Gather lots of sticks in the woods to light warm, golden fires to cosy up dark Winter evenings. 

3. Swim in the sea at sunrise or sunset right through the Winter and bask in the burnished gold of the sun-kissed ocean.

4. Be as creative as possible, with paints, beads, photographs, poetry, prose, food, drinks …..

5. Embrace Winter with a gleaming smile and look her straight in the eye because she needs and wants to be loved just as much as we do.

I’d love to hear how you feel when you hear ‘Change your timepieces back one hour at 2am tomorrow morning,’ and how you embrace Winter?