Canal's still mirror shattered as ruckus of duck's bickering breaks fast.Canal ReflectionsThese pictures were taken in the summer on a holiday in west Yorkshire. I had gone on a lone walk down the canal running through Hebden Bridge as my girlfriend scoured the charity shops in the town for bargains. Although I can handle an hour of shopping maximum, unless it is a big food market (love them), I much prefer to get out of town and observe natural processes or wildlife.

Sun's indigo death ignites clouds like molten gods awaiting the dawn.Dogs play in the surf joyous sun-sodden salt spray build rainbow wave walls.The ghost of Lowry sees Lego-like stone soldiers marching through skyscape.Skyscape Escapes

Although I have been somewhat inactive on hive the past few years, I have been watching the crypto market - and the value of the hive token - carefully, and have been impressed by recent price increases, particularly the pump in the early hours of this morning.

Image by Noel Bauza from Pixabay, modified by me using GIMP photo editing software.“He just marched in and fell down on his bunk,” Tili the elf began. “Hasn’t said a word. He’s been staring at the wall.” Rili thanked him and opened the door to the worker’s dorm. Gili sat, his legs curled up to his chest, rocking back and forth, staring at the wall in the half-lit room. “Hey Gili,” Rili said. He stepped inside the dorm and pulled up the blinds. “Heard you weren’t feeling too good. What’s wrong?” Gili said nothing. He continued staring, his elvish eyes a shade of absence, black circles hanging beneath them. Rili stepped forward and put a hand on Gili’s shoulder. “I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me, Gili,” he said. “What’s wrong? What’s the matter?” Gili turned his head to Rili, as if noticing him for the first time. The light slowly returned to his eyes. “What’s wrong?” Rili asked again. “You won’t believe what I caught Santa doing…” Gili whispered.

I have a tradition of selecting and creating a video reading of a famous poem at Christmas. This year I’d like to share Ring Out Wild Bells by Alfred Tennyson, which I chose for its uplifting theme of redemption. Although Tennyson was describing a religious redemption, and return to Christ, I find this poem ultimately profound in the context of our modern day society. Lines such as “Ring out the narrowing lust of gold” and “Ring out the thousand wars of old, Ring in the thousand years of peace” speak to a universal hope for humankind. Even outside of a religious context, these hopes hold true.

Many know that post-Christmas feeling...when you've eaten so much that it feels like the turkey is trying to fly back up your throat to explode from your belly seeking sweet release back into the sunlit world.That feeling as small stuffing warriors poke your gurgling stomach wall with roast parsnip spears, chanting for release from this infernal prison, urging their turkey overlord on in its herculean task.