NATURE IS OUR CONSTANT IN THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES

If you are lucky enough to be able to go out for your daily exercise you cannot help but notice the beauty of the natural world around us. It struck me that nature hasn't changed, people and their behaviours have had to because of this dreadful virus, but mother nature has given us a beauty to hang on to and appreciate.  Ever since I was a child I have loved being outside and finding flowers to take home to Mum, we lived by the old disused railway line in Tewkesbury so that was, and still is, "my happy place".  I could find sweet smelling buddleia, surrounded by peacock and cabbage white butterflies, wild sweetpeas rambling through the blackberry bushes and if I was lucky tiny violets hiding amongst the woods.  

Foraging! It has to be said I love it.  Of course there are rules - don't take anything that is protected, like Bluebells, don't take from anyone's gardens or parks but hedgerows, overgrown waste area, then I say its fair game to take a few items home.  Today we walked along the river and where the river rose during the floods it left a tide mark in the bowl of a field and in that tidemark was a veritable treasure of bleached drift wood and bark, perfect recycling material - some will go in the garden some will become part of an arrangement.  To team up with these I added a few small branches of blossoming hawthorn (I think).  The delicate white flower teamed perfectly with the white and browns of the different woods - gorgeously simple.  

I believe as going out is becoming so precious we will open our eyes wider and our ears will become more attuned to the gloriousness of what is unfurling around us and to hear the birds that keep singing their pretty tunes to us.  I've been so inspired by what I see and am starting to create a "Back to Nature" collection - I feel I'm taking a ride upwards on the rollercoaster today and am contented in my "happy place".