Bingham's Pond on Great Western Road, Glasgow, looking towards the Garnavel Hospitals.

It was teeming with rain, sleety rain at that, when I paused to watch the ducks and swans trenchantly swimming on the pond.

One swan - just about visible at the left hand side of this photo - seemed to have its head under water for an inordinately long time, and I began to worry.  Then, smooth as you like, it drew it up and extended its neck to full length.

This pre-Christmas season can feel a bit like all of that, I think. Dogged determination keeps us going, paddling like crazy under the water whilst apparently glding along the surface. And sometimes, just when it looks like it might all prove too much, we look up, see the horizon towards which our journey is headed, and find new strength to carry on.

A couple more snaps I took whilst I watched the water birds - because sometimes a bit of a pause is just what is needed.