During the past year, I have been forced to slow down and nature, in particular trees, have been where I have found solace. I found that If I started the day outside in nature, I felt much calmer and happier. Whenever I could, I went for a walk in the nearby woods. I noticed how still the trees were on some days when there was little breeze to move them and how much their branches moved in the wind on other days, but their trunks stayed still, anchored into the earth by their roots. Just sitting in the woods for 10 minutes and noticing the beauty around me, my mind became still and the busy thoughts that were circling in my head began to subside. Being still has helped me to think more clearly, make better decisions and feel less stressed and overwhelmed by small things as my brain isn’t busy all of the time. So my first lesson from trees is to be still and slow down rather than rushing around all the time. (more…)

If you stop to think about clouds, they are phenomenal; huge, ever changing and floating above us, regulating temperature and light down here on earth.  Yet most of the time, we take clouds for granted, barely pausing to notice them.  Watching clouds is a wonderful way to learn about weather, or just let your mind wander, contemplating Big Ideas.  And no matter where you live, you can’t miss them.  The brilliant Cloud Appreciation Society sums it up in its own manifesto;

We think that clouds are Nature’s poetry, and the most egalitarian of her displays, since everyone can have a fantastic view of them. (more…)

“Robin” by pauljeffery59

‘A crow in a crowd is a rook and a rook on its own is a crow’

After many conversations in our house about why the birds weren’t frequenting the bird feeders in our garden, this past week has allowed us to get back on ‘bird track’.  There has been a lot to notice.  Tuesday saw the first visitor to the feeder – a robin.  It was strange to see its cautious movements around the garden before it dared to make a dash for one rushed mouthful of seeds; hardly even stilling its wings before flying off again to the safety of the hedge.

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Ivy is one of the ‘Lost Words’; everyday nature words removed from a children’s dictionary, that inspired Robert Macfarlane’s book of poems.  In our final blog for this series, each member of staff has written a short piece exploring what ivy means to us, with themes of resilience, sustenance and renewal recurring throughout our writing.  ‘Clingy, luscious and misunderstood’, we hope you can see this enduring evergreen in a new light too.

Dear Ivy,

In the past, people called you Bindwood and Lovestone.  You still find a way to stick to everything, not letting go easily. You aren’t afraid to keep climbing high, the top branches are within easy reach.  (more…)

I’ve been telling my children bedtime stories of adventures in magical woods since before they could understand the words. We are lucky enough to live under the shadow of Otley Chevin and often go exploring amongst its enchanting trees.  At this time of the year they like nothing better than stuffing their pockets with the most precious of all treasures, the tiny acorn… (more…)