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Posted on by Debbie

Cover me in Sunshine for #SundayStills

Songs and photos

I love the theme for #SundayStills this week, Images inspired by favourite song lyrics or original poetry, but I admit that it did have me thinking for days!

My mind was in a state of flux –

Would it be best to:

a) choose a photo that suits a favourite song (what even is my favourite song??), or

b) maybe choose a song and look for a suitable photo, or

c) wait for inspiration to strike?

Confession time – I’m not that type of blogger

Well of course I chose option ‘c’ which means it’s Sunday morning and I’m winging it – again. I sometimes wish I was that blogger, you know the ones who have their posts on the themes all sorted months in advance?

It’s not as if I haven’t known what was coming up in terms of themes, I have them all in my blogging diary, it’s just that I’m not that sort of blogger!

Don’t get me wrong I can be organised and I do plan ahead. I know how to use the ‘schedule post’ setting, and often do, but I sometimes just have to wing it. It is a creativity thing I do, putting myself under pressure and then seeing how it turns out – often with great results! I understand it can also be called procrastination 🙂

Anyway….

wattle
Bright yellow wattle flowering in the bush- makes me smile

Cover me in Sunshine

I woke up today (thankfully) and saw the sun was shining (again, thankfully), a big blue sky, a touch of frost on the ground and a hint of warmth, with a top temperature expected of 12 degrees celsius – in other words, a warm winter’s day was in store.

I turned off the news on the TV, put on some music instead and immediately felt a lifting of my spirits.

I sat on the verandah soaking in the crisp morning sunshine, ate my breakfast, read some of my book and decided on a stroll around the garden.

As I was wandering around the garden checking out the state of the buds on my magnolia tree; admiring the huge ‘fried egg’ flowers on my camellia bush; smiling at the delightful yellow of the happy little jonquils; the daffodils pushing up through the cold earth and almost ready to flower and then it came to me – the song I recently chose as my phone ring tone – Pink’s Cover me in Sunshine. I finally had my take on today’s Sunday Stills prompt.

I’ve been dreaming of friendly faces
I’ve got so much time to kill
Just imagine people laughing
I know some day we will
And even if it’s far away
Get me through another day

Cover me in sunshine
Shower me with good times
Tell me that the world’s been spinning since the beginning
And everything will be alright
Cover me in sunshine

You can watch Pink, and her daughter Willow, in the offical video here:

This song, to me anyway, is a song of the times we are living through – lockdowns; the uncertainty of what the world has in store for us; the grief, loss and sadness; the inability to travel overseas and for me that means I can’t visit my daughter and granddaughter in the UK anytime soon. I can’t even visit my grandson in another state, despite being in the same country! I know things will improve soon, they have to.

I see their smiles through a screen and learn about their daily outings and milestones through messages and video calls. It’s hard at times and when they’re sick or feeling the overwhelm I can’t just rush to them as I would normally be able to.

So the words and message in this song mean a lot to me. It has a positivity that I need at the moment so that I’m not just languishing or feeling meh – my sister sent me this great article from the NY Times, and it was spot on!

This is my little slice of sunshine to you 🙂

camellia
camellia
fried egg camellia
inside a daffodil

It seems that all my photos lately have had a yellow theme, as evidenced by the photos in this post. Yellow indicates sunshine to me and happiness and smiles.

I am someone who puts a lot of store in colour to brighten my day, which is why winter is hard for me with the long grey, miserable days. But we are moving slowly towards spring and the garden is proof of that with the slow awakening of plants and flowers. Wattle flowering in the bush nearby is always a good gauge that things are changing – and I for one couldn’t be happier!

I took this photo of a slice of Lemon Meringue Pie, which is also yellow in parts, and it made my mouth explode with a sunshine burst of flavour! I enjoyed a ride on our rail trail with friends and at the half way point we always stop for a snack, sometimes choosing healthier options than this one! But I just couldn’t refuse this delicious slice, it nearly beat me but I managed to eat it all before hopping back on the bike and riding home – a total distance for the day of 45km!

lemon meringue pie
lemon meringue pie

Make sure you visit Terri to see her post and her wonderful photos. It’s always interesting to see what others are posting for the prompts too.

Next week Sunday Stills is a Monthly Colour Challenge: Burlywood (light shade of brown, think khakis). Did you ever read my post about Beige that might be a starting point – so goodness knows what I’ll do next week. I seem to think that every week, but usually find something to share, and that is what creativity and challenges is all about!

Thanks for stopping by and taking a moment to share the sunshine with me today! Your visits are always welcome and your comments make me smile.

Tell me that the world’s been spinning since the beginning
And everything will be alright
Cover me in sunshine

May you also be covered in sunshine!

Debbie 🙂

All my Sunday Stills posts can be found here

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Sunday Still weekly photo challenge

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Debbie in rock chick mode

Everyone has a story to tell! Deb is a young-at-heart & active 60+ blogger/retiree, after being made redundant from her 22-year career managing education programs in a men’s correctional centre (jail). She now spends her time reading, blogging, riding her ebike and travelling. Deb was awarded a Bravery Award from the Queen when she was 17 after a tragic accident – a definite life changing moment! She is married with 3 grown-up daughters & has 4 grandchildren. She never imagined being Granny Debs would bring so much joy to her life! You can read more of Deb’s story here

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30 Replies to “Cover me in Sunshine for #SundayStills”

  2. I’m a huge sunshine and yellow person! I also find winter hard not because of the -30 but because we have a couple of cloudy months and that always does me in. Kudos on the lyrics, photos and the great bike ride!

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  4. Hi Deb what a ‘good feel’ post, I love yellow – daffodils, wattle the flowers are beautiful and yellow is such a happy colour. Please don’t change the way you blog. I used to plan and have my posts written ahead of time but now I’ve changed and am trying to be more spontaneous and I’ve learned that from you. You year of living BOLD must be rubbing off on me. Maybe Jo can teach us how to make Lemon Meringue Pie I’m sure we could find it some where in Yorkshire LOL 🙂 Have a beautiful Sunday xx

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    1. Thanks for that lovely message Sue! It makes blogging fun when we can connect and learn from others. I can see the need for planning and still do it to some extent but like the feeling of just going with the flow too. I’m so pleased my year of bold is having an impact on others too. I love yellow and sunshine, so this was the perfect song for me.

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  5. I was not familiar with that Pink song. Thank you for sharing it. She has a lovely voice and that video is so playful and hopeful. This has been such a difficult dreary time for so many. My mom’s residence is back on Code Red and just hearing that increased her depression.
    Your photos and outlook are very bright, though! Thank you for sharing the warm yellow in your world. And that slice of lemon meringue pie!!

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    1. Yes Leslie, I liked the playfulness of the video too and the feelings of hope. It’s a lovely happy song in lots of ways. We need that don’t we? I’m sorry to hear about the issues with your mum’s residence, it just never seems to end! Take care x

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  6. Hi Deb – not sure how you’re going to handle “beige” but I loved all your sunshiney yellow pics and the song. Glad you’re managing to keep your spirits up and that the sun has been shining for you. I’m so grateful for video chats with family too – how would we manage if it was the “olden days” of expensive timed phone calls??? Thanks for sharing your happy post x

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    1. No I’m a bit worried about the upcoming colour challenge too Leanne! You know me so well 😂 I can’t imagine how I would have coped in the olden days, without the technology we have today. I am happy with sharing my yellow shots and the way colour impacts on my life. Thanks for your lovely comment.

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  7. WAY to go Deb! I am both a blogger who plans and one who likes to write to meet a new need and so I post both. I am, I confess, an ordered blogger..hence my blog posts have number and year…e.g. 51/2021 is the fifty first post in 2021. Mmm what to do when I add one of my more spontaneous ones..at first I thought, oh now, I will have to change some of my scheduled ones..and then I went “hold on, who’s in charge?” Me. So now I add .1 to an extra one …not getting too complicated is something I need to be wary of.
    Sounds like, with the song and the ring tones you are doing all you can to remember sunny times and colours in your life. I do know people who are affected by winter …sorry it’s you too.
    When I was teaching K-6 for RFF in 2004 I had just 7 classes and got to choose what to teach and I chose Colour My World: we did all the art, the music and more. Such fun…and that was my return to teaching after my health breakdown as a principal. I used all the Eric Carle Books too…so much art and colour!
    I will stop now…and by the way, “creativity comes in ways we least expect”, and a walk in the garden or outdoors can fill the bill perfectly!
    Denyse

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    1. Thanks for sharing how you blog Denyse, it’s always interesting hearing how others approach it. I too am ordered to an extent but also like to be spontaneous when the mood takes me. You’re so right creativity comes in ways we least expect and I love that!

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  10. What an uplifting post, with very uplifting colours. I love how you waited for inspiration to strike. And it struck brilliantly.
    I’m like Denyse. Some posts I plan in advance and some posts I do on the spur of the moment. Funny, I don’t seem to have a post style that’s in between these two. 😀

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  11. There is so much wonderfulness here, Debbie (Is that even a word?) All the yellows, my “theme” color on my desktop this type of year. When I read you were inspired by your own coffee on the deck staring at the camellias, I almost imagined myself in late February when I lived in Northern California as winter slows down. Funny how that works. Pink’s song is perfect to describe you as I know you from your writing and images. I appreciate your candor about how inspiration strikes you rather than planning. I totally get this and often find myself abruptly changing something in my post about a Sunday Stills theme at the last minute. I believe writing opens the door for that creativity to strike and images play a large part in that inspiration and help us recall certain dear memories.

    I read the pdf about languishing. The article is spot on and reminiscent of SAD (seasonal affective disorder). I felt a little like this earlier in 2020 but with all the distractions of selling and buying real estate and moving in 2020, there was little time to languish. I’m sorry to read that you all are locked down again. I feel for my friends abroad who can’t be with family. We are taking three different flights in less than two weeks to attend three special events which culminate in my stepdaughter’s wedding. She even got vaccinated for the occasion. I always enjoy your SS posts, Debbie, even if pulled together last minute. It sure doesn’t show up in your eloquent words that convey the feelings shown in your wonderful images. No languishing for you, I can see that! Have a fab week!

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    1. This has to be one of the nicest comments I’ve read Terri, you are so supportive and I feel we have become real friends, during our Sunday Stills connections. Thank you so very much for your lovely words and sentiments, I truly appreciate them. I always enjoy the challenge of finding something for the theme and it helps me see the world differently. Also seeing how others interpret things can be a an eye-opener too, which can often help me make sense of the world around me – even across the world.

      I’m so pleased to hear you are travelling soon for special events and I’m so happy you are able to do this. I can’t wait until me can travel again too.

      The article my sister sent was spot on in many ways but as you say I’m trying not to languish, although I do have my moments. Pink’s song is on rotation at the moment and it cheers me up each and every time I hear it. Thanks again for all you do and stay safe.

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  12. Yellow is such a happy, amazing colour. I love that video of Pink and her daughter, I have seen it before but it was wonderful to see it again and listen to the words to a wonderful song.

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  15. I am basking on sunshine, Deb! What a cheery way to start my day!
    Enjoyed the song very much (my first encounter) and have sent the link to my daughter (who happened to catch strains of it) – we thought it such an uplifting and appropo song.
    Was very captivated by your lemon meringue pie – and when you had it, so I went back to read your Rail Trail post – I feel so inspired!

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  16. Pingback: great expectations – Touring My Backyard
  17. Pingback: Sunday Stills Monthly Color Challenge: Walking in a #Burlywood World – Second Wind Leisure Perspectives

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