A flash of Gold
I remember when the sight of a goldfinch was a moment to cherish. Rarely if ever seen in the garden, they would only ever visit during February, an...
"I write as I see, feel, and experience the world around me—sharp, untamed, and always changing. Nature isn’t just a backdrop to life; it’s the pulse of life itself. The cool soil beneath our feet, the shift in the air before a storm, the quiet industry of insects in the undergrowth.
Growing up, nature was my playground. Birds weren’t just a backing track; they were neighbours, companions, constant presences. Hedgehogs caught my attention as they bustled noisily through the undergrowth, while butterflies and bees dazzled in their numbers, colours, and diversity. The land itself was alive. But over time, I saw something change. Nature was shrinking—the dawn chorus grew quieter, the wild corners disappeared, and the creatures that had once been ever-present began to retreat.
My writing isn’t about rekindling something lost; it’s about recognising what’s still here. I don’t write to teach—I write to share. Moments, memories, and thoughts from a lifetime of watching, listening, and being part of the natural world. I take the science, the folklore, the things remembered from childhood, and those only understood with age, and I set them down as they come to me.
From the soil to the sky, nature is always speaking. This is just my way of joining the conversation."
I remember when the sight of a goldfinch was a moment to cherish. Rarely if ever seen in the garden, they would only ever visit during February, an...
The debate around feeding garden birds has grown recently, but I believe the question isn't should we feed them, but rather how to do so responsibl...
I love our four seasons, the distinct qualities of each, and the transitions between. For me, autumn is awesome. As the sun weakens and days shorte...
Have you ever noticed how rich and fertile plants grow following the death of an animal? Wherever a carcass is left, the following season will see ...
It’s been an interesting spring. We’ve had rain like I remember as a child, interspersed with hot and humid intervals. Nights have often been chill...
Spring is such a wonderful season. Full of promise and opportunity as the sun warms, days lengthen and plants bloom. It’s inspiring for humans, ani...
A totally arbitrary number, as the signs of spring are so multitudinous. Just stand outside and open your senses to nature. Everything is vibrating...
The old proverb goes… ‘As the days grow longer, so they become colder’ just when natural food is at an all year low. We’ve moved past the winter so...
It’s windy, wet and to be honest, grim out there! I’m not feeling inspired as I watch the last few leaves being ripped from the oak’s grasp, as gal...
I’ve just about finished planting my spring bulbs and it’s the most digging I’ve done for years. I prefer adding compost and mulch and leaving the ...
My family have a tradition of growing trees from seeds. Every year while out walking, we carefully collect sprouting nuts and seeds and plant them ...
I’m sitting on my patio blowing steam off a hot mug of tea. It’s going to be a hot one when the sun rises above the treetops, but for now I’m just ...
“I said-a hip, hop, the hippie, to the hip hip hop-a you don’t stop, say up jump the boogie, to the rhythm of the boogie, the beat.” A magnificent ...
As the sun climbs higher in the sky and we enjoy the longer days and shorter nights, a calmness embraces the land, replacing the frantic pace of sp...
We wouldn’t be British if we didn’t complain about the weather would we? “It’s too cold, it’s too hot, it’s too wet, it’s too dry”. Most of the tim...
I’m sat on my lawn running my fingers through the neatly trimmed grass. The sun’s warm but I can feel how much cooler the grass is to my touch. As ...
Fast food, fast fashion, and fast cars. Long hours, short lunches, and little sleep. Places to be, appointments to keep and decisions to be made. I...
I love that feeling of the sun warming my back while I potter in the garden in the early days of spring. It inspires me to start planning new proje...
“I need some air.” That moment when a walk becomes an imperative, not an option. It tends to happen more in winter, perhaps the limited daylight ho...
When it comes to wildlife, curiosity can be as rewarding as knowledge, because some things are simply imponderable. For example, how do butterflies...
Earthworms, do you ever think about them? We know birds eat them, they live underground, they’re a bit slimy and you often find them on pavements a...
They say the flap of a butterfly’s wings in the Amazon, may cause a tornado in Texas. Chaos theory says everything connects, we are not alone in th...
Once upon a time, sheds up and down the land were packed to the rafters with chemicals set to control every facet in our gardens. Decades later, th...
They appear with the sun, and waft back and forth as if floating on a sea of warm air waves. Apparently carefree, perhaps they dance purely for our...