Snuff Mills

It has been raining relentlessly here for days. The grey, grey sky that shows no sign of shifting its clouds to make way for a bit of light adds a certain heaviness to the day. I love spending time at home, but I tend to get cabin fever fairly quickly if I don't get out for some fresh air most days. Ruby is just the same, and we really see a difference in her when she hasn't had a chance to run and explore outdoors each day. So, when the sun broke through the clouds at 3.45pm on Sunday afternoon, we jumped at the opportunity to go for a walk. Within five minutes, we had donned our wellies, grabbed our coats and were out the door, on our way to Snuff Mills to make the most of the last forty five minutes of daylight.

I took my camera with me and just snapped away, soaking in the hints of beauty that can be found in the dead Winter months. 'I need this....I need to keep doing this, taking photos, trying to capture life and beauty and growth', I kept thinking to myself as I watched Ruby run up and down slopes, jumping in every puddle she could find, and admired the confused daffodils that are blooming far too early this year.

That walk confirmed my decision to carry on with The 52 Project after all. Taking photos helps me to find perspective in a lot of things, not least of all, in parenting. It's in taking the time to photograph those small, everyday moments that I get to see how much changes over a week, a month, a year. Often, it requires discipline to keep up with a creative habit, but the end result is so worth it.