The sunshine lasted only a few hours, and by the next day the Scotch mist had descended again and the world had vanished once more. With such a dense, wet blanket blocking out the sky, and such a pale sun as there was behind the mist barely managing to rise above the horizon, the day was dismal at best… and exceedingly damp. But when Algy wandered around his assistant’s garden, wondering what to do with himself in endlessly miserable weather, he was delighted to see that the first snowdrops of the year were starting to flower, like a few scattered lights emerging cautiously from the darkness. As he gazed at the tiny flowers in the dim, dark depths of winter, Algy was reminded of a poem written many years ago… by a Bishop…

Flower of the Snow!—we hail thy birth,
Though cold and pale may be thy shrine,
A promise from all bounteous earth
To glad our northern clime.
Thou com’st to soothe us, star-like flower!
To check our dark despair;
And in the dim and wintry hour
To whisper God is there.
Sweet gem!—how like a faithful friend
Dost cheer our lonely hearth,
And, mid the world’s unkindness, lend
Thy light around our path.

Algy dedicates this post, and his first snowdrops of the year, to his special friends who understand only too well the need to check that dark despair… 

[Algy is quoting the poem To The Snowdrop by the 19th century English writer and cleric, Edward Henry Bickersteth, Bishop of Exeter, who is mainly remembered for writing the lyrics of some famous Christian hymns, such as Lead, Kindly Light and Nearer, My God, to Thee.]

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The autumn inevitably brought plenty of cloudy days, not to mention strong winds and rain, but at times the dark clouds had beautiful silver linings, and bright rays shone through them from beyond. When that happened, Algy just leaned back on the sand and gazed at the beautiful play of light which caused the whole sea to sparkle with diamonds…

Algy hopes that even on the dark days, your clouds will turn out to have silver linings, and rays of light will shine through to sparkle on you :-))

Algy loves to perch on a rock beside the sea, just watching the perpetual ebb and flow of the tide. And while the water swirls backwards and forwards beneath his toes, Algy thinks about this and that and the other thing… and about all his amazing Tumblr friends around the world.

Algy knows that quite a few of his Tumblr friends suffer from depression in various forms, more or less severe. For some of his luckier and more carefree friends, smiling comes easily, but for many others it is not so simple. So today Algy is thinking especially of all his friends who do not find it easy to smile. He hopes that his adventures may help bring a smile to your face on the bad days, and that Sadness will leave you soon 🙂

          I pray you, Sadness, leave me soon,
            In sweet invention thou art poor!
          Thy sister Joy can make ten songs
            While thou art making four.

          One hour with thee is sweet enough;
            But when we find the whole day gone
          And no created thing is left –
            We mourn the evil done-

          Thou art too slow to shape thy thoughts
            In stone, on canvas, or in song;
          But Joy, being full of active heat,
            Must do some deed ere long.

          Thy sighs are gentle, sweet thy tears;
            But if thou canst not help a man
          To prove in substance what he feels –
            Then give me Joy, who can.

          Therefore, sweet Sadness, leave me soon,
            Let thy bright sister Joy come more;
          For she can make ten lovely songs
            While thou art making four.

[Algy is quoting the poem Sadness and Joy by the early 20th century Welsh poet William Henry Davies.]

Today Algy has some special advice for anyone who may be feeling despondent or downhearted: go and play with your rubber duck (or swan) in a bath, and very soon you will be smiling again :-))

Have a happy and relaxing weekend, everyone xoxo

Many of the trees were twisted and gnarled, and much battered by the ravages of the winter storms, but in the early summer calm they were all at peace, and so was Algy. He sat quietly on his rock in the filtered sunshine and listened to all the tiny, gentle sounds of the forest and its creatures.

Algy would like to dedicate this post to all those who suffer from periods of darkness, from whatever cause. He hopes you will find the sunshine filtering through the canopy and lighting up your lives, as it lights up the forest floor 🙂

Sometimes, on a fine day, Algy likes to visit one of the local tourist spots for fun. As he has already seen the view many times, Algy finds himself a good perch in a tree looking out the other way, and watches the visitors instead.

Algy especially hopes that this pretty scene will bring a little bit of sunshine and a smile into the lives of his friends who are suffering from depression. He wishes you all a happier day today xx

Algy found some sunshine and pretty daffodils to cheer everyone up, especially for Jürgen and for any of his other friends who are suffering from a “Blue Monday” or depression today … Algy says: “If you are feeling low, find some lovely, bright, sunny flowers to smile at you 🙂 ”