Not Prepared To Fail

Introduction

There are many ways to view winter and prepare for it. This challenge is another I know I might fail at. It seems the criteria and qualities that get you favoured by Vocal are ones I do not have. Having said that, my friends and audience know how excellent my work is.

So I will prepare as usual and write the six hundred required words for this five-hundred-word challenge.

This piece changed tack when I saw this amazing painting by Joni Mitchell shared on Facebook here:

So obviously the music has to be "River" from "Blue" with its beautiful Jingle Bells piano intro.

A Time To Discover And Renew

For some, Winter is seen as an end, and in the northern hemisphere, it does occur at the end of the calendar year, and we prepare for the New Year, with present giving and resolutions.

I always see every season as a chance to experience new things or old things in different ways. I love seeing the beauty of snow and ice, being cold and wrapped up outside and warm and cosy inside.

All these things give me inspiration for writing and creation, and sharing with friends and family.

This year, 2025, I published my first collaborative book with my friend Angie Livingstone, and now I am preparing a follow-up to that.

Although it is a constant thing, I am always preparing to succeed, and winter maybe makes that far more emphatic.

It is a time we can look back and consider lessons learned from outr past. I am still always learning and this challenge is just makig me remember what I have done, and what I am going to do.

A great friend of mine once sad about people who retired and he said:

"They retire, go home, sit in a chair, watch television, and die"

While we all have to go sometime, I see so many people who keep doing things, keep active and have a great life. Dick Van Dyke just turned a hundred, and we all forgive him for the Mary Poppins chimney sweep, don't we.

So I keep on doing things, learning things, and enjoying life because I know that when you stop, then life stops.

Winter is a time for renewal while enjoying the beauty of winter snowfalls and walks through beautiful white landscapes.

Modern life does move a lot faster, and the internet has made us part of a global community. Vocal is my main community, but I know a lot of other people around the globe whom I have met over the years, and I am sure I will meet many more.

This year, we were adopted by a cat called Mrs "P", and I love the way Grammarly tells me to remove two words from a sentence that would completely change its meaning.

And these are the lights in the garden from last night

This winter is different from last winter as new things are happening, and new things to discover, and new things to try. This year, I finally met a Vocal friend in person, Caroline Jane at "Rebel Rebel" in Hebden Bridge

Conclusion

So I am past the five-hundred-word requirement for this challenge, but I know it will be rejected if I submit it at this point. I know it has been a bit rambling, but I suppose my recent problems with Vocal were a bit of a creative winter for me, but they are close to an excellent resolution.

Thank you all for your continued love, encouragement, and support.

Without you, I would not be here.