Spring (and shortbread) madness

So spring has finally arrived. It seems as if everything and everyone is making the best of the warm(ish) weather, and I am no different. I’ve been for long walks and picnics in various parks and just generally chilled. For now, I just intend to make the most of my free time, so in addition to working my way through the library and making a few stabs at my own writing, I’ve also walked around the city sketching whatever catches my eye. Looking at my surroundings with an artist’s eye really does make a difference – so many things stood out that I previously did not notice.

I often have my head in the clouds, but I do want to share some pictures that I feel best sum up my wanderings over the past week:

A trip to the zoo

I went to the zoo two weeks ago, for the first time in my life. When I was younger I never went because my mother didn’t agree with the idea of caging animals, and felt uncomfortable about supporting it, and my dad just went along with her. I spent enough time on farms and around horses and various other domestic animals growing up, so I didn’t miss out on animal interaction as a child. Also I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything because you can’t really miss something that you have no inkling about, really.

Then, at the ripe old age of somewhere in my late twenties, my best friend suggested a day at the London Zoo. There’s a new tiger exhibition, she told me one day over lunch. Also there’s a penguin beach at zoo.

Well, I couldn’t really say no to tigers and penguins, could I?

So we rolled up to the zoo, got our tickets (2 for the price of 1, with the purchase of any two rail tickets) and there we were: a pair of childless, non-romantically linked adults in 36 acres of zoo, surrounded by either photography-mad, affectionate couples or squealing kids and their parents and/or teachers.

Why I Have Faith

In my opinion, one of the most honest and well-written, yet easy to understand articles on faith that I’ve read.