The beauty and mystery of right now

Movement is living and exercise is medicine.  - John Zapotocky, 92 

A cold front has come through this weekend to Cape Town and we arrived at the pool in a storm. 

The sea temperature has dropped to 11.5 degrees and we had a very quick swim! It was lots of fun swimming in the rain. We even had hail. All the rain has been wonderful as we are still going through a serious drought. 

I was wanting to post a picture everyday of my sunrise swims! I cant believe its already September  on Saturday! 

 Happy Monday xx 

Hello August

My morning routine since January has been to wake up at 6 a.m. to  a cup of tea.

Put on my costume and clothes and drive to the tidal pool in Kalk bay. 

Then jump into cold water and swim lengths with all the other "crazy" sunrise swimmers. 

It's the most crazy and beautiful way to start everyday! 

Then I'm in my home "studio" for the rest of the morning to potter and create with clay...

Today we had a whale in the bay and we watched it's huge tail flapping out the water.

We are so blessed to start the day this way! 

Paradise found... 

Happy Wednesday! 

Shirley xx 

Breathe...

6:58 am : A very early morning  we  at the pool! It is still so dark!!

7:28 am the sun has risen and we are finished our swim and ready for a large  cup of tea!!  Sea temperature was 14.1 degrees... 

We pop into the lovely Salt restaurant in Kalk Bay after our swim...

for a quick chat with our shivering friends who have also been swimming with us! 

Yesterday we celebrated to wonderful life of Nelson Mandela! He is a hero and I love this quote of his...

May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears. 

This is one of my teapots for a customer with the bright orange aloe flowers and two little willow warblers. I'm busy making a few more smaller ones for a market I will be selling my work at. 

This week has flown by! I'm remembering to...

breathe...

always leave room to exhale after each inhale...

Happy Thursday 

Shirley xx 

Dalebrook Pool... my very happy place!

This is "my" pool and my very happy place. 

I have been waking up very early ...before the sunrise! This is so unlike me. I have been as Gretchen Rubin the author of Better Than Before explains... I have always been an "Owl" My favorite time of day has always been the evenings. 

However since mid January my daughters encouraged me to get up early and take them to this pool for a dip before the school run. I never swim in Cape Town water...its just tooo cold for me!( Im a Durban girl)  But the one morning it was just so incredibly beautiful - that I decided I' m going to swim with them. 

Well 3 months later I am still swimming - every morning! I am totally addicted to my "new" morning routine and life! 

This morning we arrived at 6:40 am to a calm, beautiful sunrise. The tide was at its lowest (6:35am) and the water is absolutely clear and calm. 

This morning one of our friends who also swims every morning spotted a small Puffadder  shyshark. We could  all  clearly see it at the bottom of the pool. 

This little shark is also known as happy Eddie and is a species of catshark. This is a common shark and typically reaches 60cm in length. When threatened, the puffadder shyshark curls into a circle with its tail covering its eyes, giving rise to the local names "shyshark" and "doughnut". 

Thankfully it is harmless to humans. 

There are lots of other little fish in the pool and a beautiful big Cormorant was swimming and then sunning/ drying off his wings on the rocks close by. 

Quote to Ponder: 

Lifestyle change requires focus and effort; it can only work if its constant and intensive and results in habit formation. 

Have a happy Monday! 

Shirley xx