When the clouds partthe sun is warm withthe scent of season’s turning, and the promise thatseeking a different angleoffers a different sight.And the first bumblebee. + Sue Heatherington It was surprisingly warm in the sun as I fed the boys yesterday afternoon. It enlivened everything and complemented my morning walk when the shafts of light … Read more
This is one of those plump acorns from earlier in the autumn. Can you see how it’s opening up and reaching for the dark? But it cannot grow into a sapling oak here on the path. So I moved it to a place where it could burrow into the leaf mould and the earthy soil … Read more
The thing about echo chambers is that they are predictable. After a while, we know what will come next. Yet that familiarity can become comfortable. We know where we are, or at least think we are. Until we realise that this isn’t reality. And then we have a choice.
All living beings are intrinsically connected to their environment, from the largest tree to the smallest amoeba (or virus…). They only thrive if they are in the right conditions. And even then, how they thrive and the exact form they take is context-specific. Winemakers talk about the terroir. The distinctive soil, topography and climate that … Read more
Yes, I know this sounds counter-intuitive. After all, we’ve spent decades speeding things up and celebrating he who gets there first. Yet, the reality is that we’re not in a fit state to go fast – especially at this time – and neither is this our best contribution. Instead, that’s what we’ve created information technology … Read more
Last year the raised bed was overflowing with gorgeous orange and yellow faces and abundant greenery. Exuberant in growth and impact, I couldn’t help but smile every time I passed by. So, where are they now? There was just a single flower tucked away at the side, even though hundreds of seed pods were left … Read more
Bare hazel, gracefully climbing the bank above the lane. For months just bare branches offering themselves to the elements. And then, a few days ago, hope emerges as catkins. These fleshy ‘lamb’s tail’ flowers, unfurled and dangling in the breeze, incongruous in still-in-winter barrenness. Where did this growth come from? And what about us in … Read more
Really? It may be who you are today. But that’s different from yesterday, and tomorrow has new possibilities. Thank goodness. We learn and develop, becoming the sum of all of our interactions, and growing daily. And it’s the same with seasons. We need to embrace the time we are in, but if we get stuck … Read more
In your life and work, what do you see in the landscape you inhabit? Yes, the effects of the seasons will be evident, and whether there are people around. I wonder, though, what is the nature of the underlying landscape? Is it one of years of harvest and no planting? And perhaps weeds and rubbish … Read more
The shift in seasons can sometimes narrow our expectations. And this peculiar time we are in reduces our horizons, both mentally and physically still further. So I wonder how we can practise extending our stretch? Mentally, physically, emotionally, creatively and spiritually. For me, this has to be a conscious decision. Translated, even if falteringly, into … Read more