Sensual awareness

It is only now that I’ve finished reading my novel, “The Lantern” by Deborah Lawrenson, that I am aware of its influence on me, at least temporarily. In the book one character endeavours to describe the appearance, the colours, the essence, of things in all their moods,  around her to her blind sister.

I think that is maybe part of my heightened awareness of the autumnal colours as we drove over to Harrogate and back. I will also admit I envy the author’s ability to capture the essence of lavender, for example, in words. I quickly come to the end of descriptive abilities as can be seen from my last blog & this.

This sense of visual awareness was evident one day this week when we went along to the golf club. We looked out through the huge windows across the greens in two different directions.

First we looked eastward. In the foreground were some varied coloured shrubbery, reds & greens. Then the eye went further back to the fairways, so green interjected with some majestic trees in their autumnal glory. Beyond lay the bluey Pennines. The sense of recession was wonderful.

Then we looked north, up the fairways. Here the grass is dotted with yellows & silvers, shed by the trees which act as a windbreak to the winds blowing up along Morecambe Bay. Beyond the sun bounced on the whiteness of the village of Bolton-le-Sands, making it gleam. They must have some fabulous views from those houses, both of the open parkland of the golf course & across the Bay. As they point south & west they should see the magnificent sunsets for which this area is famed. Behind the village lie more hills as the Pennines meld into the Lakeland fells.

The views at the golf club are really wonderful. It is part of the attraction of being members here. It certainly isn’t the golf as neither of us play, or even follow it. But we do enjoy watching the ever active birds at the feeders, & just appreciating the views around.