Sauntering.

It is January 16^th. I am halfway through Dry January now. It has been a breeze, I have enjoyed it. I haven’t missed alcohol at all, but I bet they are missing me in the pub. Never mind, it is only two weeks to go. Not drinking in January was one of my New Year resolutions. Another was to go for a walk every day. I have kept to that one as well, but I added a proviso which is ‘if it isn’t raining’ because we have had a lot of heavy rain recently. We are back into a cold snap this week which means sunshine. I had a nice saunter through Southwick Country Park this afternoon. It was very enjoyable, getting some fresh air and communing with nature. A lot of people hate wintertime, but the way of getting through it is to embrace it. Get out there and start walking. You soon warm up when you get walking. I don’t walk quickly, I stroll, or saunter. I saw a quote about sauntering a few days ago by John Muir. He was a famous Scottish/American environmentalist and author.

“I don't like either the word hike or the thing. People ought to saunter in the mountains - not 'hike!' Do you know the origin of that word saunter? It's a beautiful word. Away back in the middle ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going they would reply, 'A la sainte terre', 'To the Holy Land.' And so, they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not 'hike' through them.”

I forgot to take my camera out today, but I did yesterday when I had a bit of a saunter. The photos aren't that great, but they will have to do to illustrate today’s little blog.