Or perhaps, why I should not be allowed to drive and think at the same time

The other morning I took the camera for a ride to work, after only a short while (just over a mile) I had to stop the car and take a couple of photographs. As I’d suspected this would be the case my set off time had been adjusted accordingly, the trouble was after less than a miles further drive I had to stop again for a few photographs.

You of course have to remember that this is 0500hrs and not the time to have deep thoughts, or in fact thoughts of any kind really. However the morning was very inspiring (well at least for me), but then I can be inspired by little things; a twirl of mist on a river, a piece of music, a passing comment, or a break in the cloud casting light on a canopy of leaves… but I digress. Driving along that misty morning had me thinking, “if I didn’t have to work and could have any occupation what would it be?” Perhaps not the best thing to think on the way for a 12hr shift, but once the thought has manifested itself there is little you can do to restrain it.

So what would I be? An artist, spending my days covered in paint and hoping to capture that perfect light on the perfect leaf; or perhaps a writer, constantly searching for that elusive word which will end a phrase which in turn will complete the epic that must be inside me; or I could give everything up and work with wood, turning pieces for galleries, making nice furniture as collectors pieces…. In the end I have to opt for all three, though capturing the light is proving harder than I could have imagined, the elusive word is still evading me, and I can’t get in the workshop Still at least I have my day (and night) job to pay the bills until the masterpieces start selling (I’m hoping for £250000 per A4 watercolour and double that for an oil painting), the publisher has still not phoned – they surely know who I am without me having to tell them! And yes, I still can’t get in the workshop.

Strange what can go through your mind when your driving, perhaps I should concentrate more on the driving and less on daydreams.

In the meantime, here’s a couple of photographs from that morning…

a misty morning

a castle in the mist?