Peace and Tranquility

 Since my last post I have been mostly hibernating!
This last Winter was wild, wet and windy down here in Cornwall, and I've found myself hiding indoors a lot.  I love to listen to the wind howling around the house, and the rain lashing against the windows while I'm all snuggled up warm and safe inside.

I love Winter, but this last one has had an unusual effect on my psyche - I've succumbed to the constant rain and storms, and I've looked forward to the Spring - which I have to say felt like a long time getting here.  

I spent a lot of my time indoors writing my journal and reading about a simpler life of less consumerism and more grow-your-own.  And also reflecting on how little socialising we did last year - too few barbecues with friends and family, hardly any firepit gatherings.  And so we resolved to change that this year.

It's now almost the end of May, and just over half way through Spring - and already we have had a few social gatherings, barbecues and at least two firepits to sit around.  The sun shines longer into the afternoon and evening which seems to fill the soul with warmth, love and hope for better times.

We've planted tomatoes and peas, kale and courgettes (not loads, but enough for us) and for once our pear tree looks like it might bear fruit.  (Our apple tree did OK last year, but we didn't eat a single one!)

This year I'm hoping to brew some mead, and see if the homebrew red wine kit I was given a couple of years ago will still produce something drinkable.

Our solar panels and battery banks are already saving us money, we are actively reducing the amount of water we use, and are well on top of the home maintenance jobs that keep our home clean, tidy and in good repair.

All in all we are healthy and happy, and with that comes a sense of peace, tranquility and wellbeing.

It hasn't taken much to achieve this - a shift in perspective, a realisation of what's important and what's just mental clutter.  Prioritising our needs to encompass the outdoors into the equation so we have fresh air, sunlight, and birdsong to lift our spirits.

I think this year is going to feel far more alive than last year, and for that I am extremely grateful!

Winter

When my daughter was very young, I used to love walking her to nursery in the mornings.
She would ask dozens of questions, and I would point out different plants and birds and so forth, getting her to see more, notice more, and know that she’s not isolated from nature, but a part of it.

One day she asked me why trees shed their leaves in Autumn, so I started to explain how the tree is getting ready for the winter by detoxifying itself – it pulls all the goodness out of the leaf – the chlorophyll, the nutrients etc, and then it will push all the unwanted waste back into the leaf before allowing it to fall to the floor – where it recycles back into the soil.

I explained that to a tree, a year is like a day for humans.  In the spring the tree wakes up, and gets dressed, in the summer it enjoys the day, filling up on all the goodness the sun, rain and Earth can provide it, and in the autumn it starts to get ready for bed, shedding its clothing ready for a sleep over winter.

The more I ponder this simple analogy, the more I see how we could follow the same process – we wake in the morning, and get ourselves ready for the day ahead – we should be the most productive in the earlier stages of the day, putting in most of the effort while we are still energised.  As the day goes on, we should produce our fruit (the fruits of our labours) and as evening draws forth, think about detoxifying our bodies, cleansing ourselves ready for a good night’s sleep.

We could extend this to the week, the month and the year – maintaining a clear focus on our habits, allowing our bodies to follow the natural processes, allow ourselves time to detoxify ourselves, and bring our “self” back into harmony with the seasons.

Time is a relative construct – seconds, minutes and hours are a fabrication – but the revolution of the planet, and it’s journey around the sun are very real, and our bodies, once fully in tune with these cycles, have become out of synch.  We rush about, plugged in – receiving our rhythm from our technology, out-of-touch with the subtle vibrations of the Earth.

As I was driving home from work yesterday, having spent the day in front of the computer;  talking to people on the telephone, fixing their IT problems, delivering customer service.  My mind was on updating Facebook, checking Twitter, text Mum.  I could feel myself gripping the steering wheel tighter as the cars in front of me braked, my body tensing as I checked the rear-view mirror to see if the vehicle behind was also slowing down, had also seen the hazard.  I became aware that I wasn’t fully aware – I was distracted.  I felt very uncomfortable because I realised I had driven a few miles without noticing I’d done so.

I brought my attention back to the present, and noticed up ahead, a shaft of sunlight fell across the road – as I drove through it I smiled, realising that it was the only patch of sunshine I had seen that day – and I was very glad I hadn’t missed it. 

It made me think about how little attention we pay to our surroundings, how much we take nature for granted.  When we step outside, do we notice the birdsong? Do we smell the scent of the damp earth, the fallen leaves, or see the “crispness” of the light on a cold winter morning?

This year my resolution is going to be to bring myself back in tune with my surroundings.  I am going to eat carefully what by body craves rather than grabbing food on-the-go.  I am going to go to bed when I’m tired, not when the TV programme I’m watching is finished.  I am going to get outside more, walk more, leave my smartphone at home more.  

I’m going to reconnect, and allow this precious planet of ours to recharge me.  By the time we get to Spring, I will be ready for the renewal! Happy New Year!!

Spring

Well, today it's definitely spring!
The sun is shining, the birds are singing.  I saw a butterfly flit by on a gentle breeze.
I went for a walk in my shirt sleeves and didn't feel the chill.
Spring has definitely sprung now.

And with it comes the need for sloughing off the winter encumbrances - those few extra pounds in weight, the lack of exercise, the over-dependence on alcohol (to lift those winter blues), and the under-dependence on fresh fruit and veg.

Spring brings with it a need to abandon the lethargy and find some new life.  To turf out the old ways and look for something dynamic and driven.  No more hiding under the duvet, listening to the howling wind and driving rain - now the country lane beckons - "Walk down me with your dog!", or "Cycle down me and admire those stunning views!"

The beach transforms from rugged endurance course to leisurely strolling place.
The woodland walks from sucking mud pit to bluebell carpeted enchantment.

The spirits are lifted, the blood is stirred, and thoughts of inactivity are replaced with picnics, exploring and a desire to "get outside for some fresh air".

I like spring!

Seasons

When the sun shines and the heart sings, when the leaves fall and the Earth is carpeted with russet and gold. When Winter's white evens out the blemishes and imperfections and makes everything equal again. When the Sun's powerful pull returns her precious Child Earth closer to her, and warms it in her embrace, and the Trees awaken once more and put on their new clothes ready for another Summer.

The Seasons, I love them!

When the rain lashes harsh against the windows, eerie moaning of the wind in the eaves.

When crocus and snowdrop tease up through the barely thawed ground.

Children laughing, splashing in the surf, lazy evenings, the Breath of Life

Chilly mornings, scarves and hats, catch your breath.

Watch the World getting ready for bed again, yawning sleepily - It's been a long day!