It was cold, but it was a beautiful day. Signs of spring in the air… catkins and pussy willow dancing in the breeze, swathes of daffodils about to open beneath the trees… and the first of the early blossom open on dark boughs.
Two small, smiling faces greeted Grandma at the door and we were whisked off to the local lake with the intention of feeding the ducks. It has to be said that the ducks were rather outnumbered by the swans and the seagulls but the mallard couples had been personally named by my granddaughters, so they were definitely the most important.
Our quiet corner by the flooded stepping stones was soon overrun by hopeful diners. I doubt if any bird went hungry, given the number of children feeding them by the main square, but it was all ‘up close and personal’ where we were, with Hollie telling the birds how to behave and share…
It is wonderful to be out with the children, teaching them as they question, pointing out the scales on a bird’s foot and opening conversations on where we all ‘came from’. And it matters little how old the children get… even in his thirties, my son is asking about the relative strength of bird bones…
…and I am coming home to look up the answers too. It really is about life-long learning. And not always about the facts.
Learning to understand facts is only part of the journey… learning to understand each other, the ‘whys and wherefores’ of how we act as we do, the choices we make, the boundaries we impose… they are perhaps the more important issue, for too often it seems as if we close ourselves off from life for no reason.
It was curious being pushed around the lake by the girls today. Most people simply chose to ignore the person in the wheelchair. Others acknowledged another human being with a smile… yet others, and these seemed the majority sadly, made it clear they felt I should not be on ‘their’ path, breathing their air and putting them at risk (presumably with my ‘cancer microbes…’).
The girls, though, don’t care… any more than Hollie and her friends cared when I turned up in full ‘princess dress’ for one of her birthdays. It is who you really are that matters to a child. The little one has her own ideas on that. Her name, which means, appropriately enough, ‘daughter of light’, chimed in from nowhere as we were talking. “Imogen is memory.”
And, as I waved them goodbye from my doorstep after sharing homemade cookies, retro lollipops and a wonderfully ‘grandma’ly afternoon with them… I hope she is right.
Sue Vincent's Daily Echo 
I think people are not so much scared as awkward. They feel like they should say something, but have no idea what to say. They are uncomfortable. And there are some idiots who just feel that wheelchairs are too slow and impede their progress, though why anyone is in a hurry while feeding birds at a pond is baffling.
Everyone seems to be in a hurry, even when they are on vacation or taking a day off. Every year, it gets worse.
LikeLiked by 4 people
I know… I have come to appreciate ‘leisurely’ far more these days 😉
LikeLike
Beautiful , photos and as always beautiful words and lessons for is all 💜💜💜
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jusyt glad to get out of the house into the sunshine with the girls <
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes it looked and sounded wonderful 💜💜
LikeLiked by 1 person
❤
LikeLike
Reblogged this on willowdot21 and commented:
Ducks, wisdom and grandchildren.
LikeLiked by 2 people
The gift of another wonderful day with your granddaughters. You are blessed as are they. xo
LikeLiked by 2 people
It takes so little to make a wondeful memory 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
So true.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on and commented:
“Learning to understand facts is only part of the journey… learning to understand each other, the ‘whys and wherefores’ of how we act as we do, the choices we make, the boundaries we impose… they are perhaps the more important issue, for too often it seems as if we close ourselves off from life for no reason.”
Another wonderful post from Sue Vincent!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, jen 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Always my pleasure Sue.
You’re the one helping me seeing life through your eyes. 🙂🦋
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m a little hampered thereat present, with just the one to fall back on these days 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
💜🦋
LikeLiked by 2 people
Breathtakingly wonderful. So pleased you had a great day. Best Regards.
LikeLike
Thanks, Goff 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
So pleased you had a great day. Been sunny here too but a bit chilly.
LikeLike
Very cold here today 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
BRRRR! Here too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a joy! A lovely day spent soaking up love and sunshine- a definite win ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
I think the swans enjoyed it too. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
such a picture perfect read with all of their pictures and gift of the swans.
glad you enjoyed your day! LOVE the swans!💖
LikeLike
It was a lovely afternoon 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful, so happy to hear 💖🤗🌷
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
How lovely to spend time with your grand-daughters, Sue!. Sadly – I mustn’t be greedy, as we have three great sons – we have no grand-children, nor will we. What lovely photographs too…So pleased you enjoyed your outing. Love Joy xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
t wasa lovely aternoon, Joy.. I loved being out with them ❤
LikeLike
Making memories… Grands–they sure are grand! ❤ xoxoxo
LikeLike
Theyare such gorgeous creatures to share time with ❤
LikeLike
Reblogged this on pensitivity101 and commented:
Lovely post and pictures! How I remember the swans that used to come up to the boat with their young. We never fed them, but it was wonderful to see the babies growing up in such close proximity.
LikeLike
I doubt these would have been quite so friendly come breeding season… but the girls had them well in hand 🙂
LikeLike
Ha! I remember my niece trying to get a swan to ‘sit’ for a piece of bread in Poole Park. She’s 43 now, so a long time ago! We have a lot of Canada geese here in the breeding season, but we’ve been lucky insomuch as they tolerate us, I suppose because we always talk to them when we pass by. Maggie never used to bother them, or they her, but we always gave them space if they had youngsters, but some would let me quite close to take pictures.
LikeLike
They get used to the regulars and usualy know ho wil bother the and who won’t.
LikeLike
I think so.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, how I wish I had been there with you, Sue. But, I was! Your words had me feeding the ducks and answering questions, and being with your granddaughters. Thank you for that. Adults can learn so much from children, like not caring if you were in a wheelchair, because all they see is your heart. Gloria understands. I do, too.
LikeLike
I rather thought you and Gloria would ‘get’ it, Jennie 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, more memories of granddaughter smiles 🙂 Ducks, geese and swans are an added bonus. Sounds like a good outing, even if there were a few jerks on the loose.
LikeLike
I can forgive the rest as long as the girls are there and smiling 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
we can learn so much from kids…
LikeLike
Every day 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lovely day, even though chilly, any time spent with grandkids is special. The beauty of children is that they are 100% present, living in the moment. Such a gift. ❤
LikeLike
Oh yes… and they always bring you with them ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks for sharing such a lovely outing with us. Love your words and images. Daughter of light is the perfect name. 😍❤️
LikeLike
It is… and fits her so well 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
If only people remained as open and accepting as adults as they were as children…
LikeLike
It would be a very different world…
LikeLiked by 1 person
A bit of sunshine, blossom on the trees and ducks on the pond. Plus 2 lovely little girls makes a perfect day. To add to their store of Grandma memories 🙂 🙂
LikeLike
It was a lovely interlude. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so glad you got outside with the girls, Sue. It sounds like a wonderful day. ❤
LikeLike
It was lovely to be out with them 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love how present kids are. They encourage us to just be and enjoy the moment.
LikeLike
The same with dogs… and they pull us along with their laughter.
LikeLiked by 1 person
❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful spring day, out with the family!
LikeLike
It was, Becky… though a touch chilly still 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Same here, where I am, Sue.
LikeLike
A nice way to start a morning, though.. with sunshine 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful photos of a beautiful day. ❤
I agree it is the "little" things (perhaps not so little) that create powerful memories. We never know which moments will capture our hearts and stay with us.
I love this paragraph so much:
Learning to understand facts is only part of the journey… learning to understand each other, the ‘whys and wherefores’ of how we act as we do, the choices we make, the boundaries we impose… they are perhaps the more important issue, for too often it seems as if we close ourselves off from life for no reason.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My ‘little things’ were definitely at the heart of he day ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s how to welcome in Spring. 😀
LikeLike
It seemed to work 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another great post – I love how you can take an ordinary event and turn it into a life lesson!
I do hate how some people want to avoid illness, differentness – but I think it makes them uneasy and maybe even fearful. If you work with sick people (I used to volunteer in a hospital), you get over it. People are people! ANd I’m so glad you had a good time. And look at that bird leg – one powerful limb!
LikeLike
I loved how the scaes remind you that burds and dinosaursare close kin. I do believe too that he ordinary moments offer the best life lessons and ones e can easily relate to
LikeLike
So glad you are getting out of the house and making memories with your family! The photos will help them remember that day far into the future and grateful for the time you spent together. More hugs!
LikeLike
Hugs Alexandere. I just wishI could do a little more these days…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wish you could too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It sure seems like it was a glorious day Sue. The girls have surely grown quickly. They’re beautiful. I’m happy for your lovely time together. ❤
LikeLike
I cannot believe how tall Hollie is now… not much shorter than me 🙂 ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
I couldn’t either! God bless ❤
LikeLike
❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for telling about your wonderful and hopefully distractive journey, out into the wonderful nature. Nothing better than that. Its also cleansing the mind. Be well, stay save and enjoy the (hopefully) far arriving summer. Michael
LikeLike
It was lovely day out with the girls 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed! Congrats to this, and stay well.
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike