Finding nature

Discovering nature was about recognising my life had
gone awry. I needed to find something I could embrace.
Something that would help me rebuild my shattered
world, and in so doing, nurture a sense of peace. I reached
out to mindfulness.

Being with nature frequently enabled me to step into
childhood. ‘Good morning Mrs Squirrel, how are you
today,’ I would frequently ask – they are all ‘Mrs.’ I have no
way of telling. Accept the obvious.

Donkeys are my husband’s favourite. Mine too. Equally
pygmy goats. The way they jump and play makes me
smile. They all receive a gentle stroke, a smiling face and
a joyful word. It’s difficult to feel sad when you watch
pygmy goats play.

I first noticed the pussy willow tree when taking a walk
around the ‘bunny run’ – a circular walk around our home.
I wonder how many ‘bunny runs’ are so called. Probably
thousands.

With her furry catkins, so delicate, so charming, the
pussy willow provides a home for many of our beautiful
creatures. The caterpillar. The emperor butterfly; viceroy
and mourning cloak.

And then there’s the horse chestnut as she casts the
weight of her strikingly beautiful seeds for children and
adults alike. But only for play. The conker is poisonous to
us mere mortals. Animals too.

It is autumn. Nature can now relax. She has fulfilled the
eclectic tasks she is required to complete. She can now
rest in the winter months. Regenerate. Rebuild. Regrow.
As I look all around me, I see nature beginning to take a
bow. I am reminded this is a time for healing. For restoring
the balance.

In a time not too far away, we will soon see the delicate
flowers of the snowdrops. A reminder that spring is in the
air. We will witness nature come alive as the bees, the
butterflies, the flowers, the trees, all regain their strength,
their vitality, in preparation for the year ahead.