Natural Wellbeing

I’m reading an article in the most recent Psychologies Magazine about how regular time in nature contributes to wellbeing of mind, body and soul, and it suggests that even spending 5 or 10 minutes outdoors with nature can be beneficial in reducing anxiety and can make us feel happier.

I know that I don’t get to spend nearly enough time outside. I do try to go for a walk at lunchtime, but quite often, due to location, that around a housing estate or hospital grounds. We are fortunate that there are open fields behind the hospital and I get a move on I might just have time to go that way. I guess even in a housing estate, nature has its place in well-manicured (or even overgrown) gardens and hedgerow. You just need to look hard enough.

When we were kids we used to holiday most years in the wilds or North Wales. A beautiful spot with mountains to climb, trails to walk and forests to play in. In adult years, when we’ve been away, we’ve always had what we’ve called “long walk day”. A day put aside (hopefully with good weather) to go on a 5-10 mile trek. No distractions but the views around us. Taking in the sights and sounds of nature doing its thing.

Having to work most days means that going out for long walks or further afield is not easily achievable. However we are lucky that we have some nice park spaces quite nearby.

According to the 10 question quiz that always accompanies these articles the thing that I should find most benefit from time outdoors is grounding.

“If you crave calm or wish you feel more grounded and connect to what matters, upgrading the quality of the time you spend in nature ma provide the shift you need. It’s easy to spend time outdoors on autopilot, or use it as a way to being with others – but you’ll benefit most from spending at least some time in nature on your own, so you can tune into the stillness and connect with your inner calm. If your tendency is to live in your head, time in nature can be a much-needed way of paying attention to your physical self. Finding the ground beneath your feet may even be the first step to finding a new direction in life.

You’ll get the most benefit by focussing on the here and now as you walk. Don’t give yourself a hard time if you can’ leave your emotional baggage behind but, when you become aware that you’re caught up in thinking, direct your focus outwards by noticing the colours, textures, sounds, smells and sensations. We can all benefit from a daily grounding ritual but, for chronic over thinkers, it can be life-changing”

Like most people, I haven’t had a proper holiday for nearly a year and a half now (since summer 2019), so when we are able to, I will relish the chance to get out and have some time to wander around new places and spaces to take in the sensations.

Yule be amazed at what I just made

Well, probably not. This weeks bake was a caramel yule log courtesy of BakedIn. This is the 2nd recipe I’ve made of theirs which requires the making of caramel. The trouble is, for some reason its something I’ve never been able to get right. The sugar and water never seems to go a brownish colour, then when I add the cream its just a slightly dirty looking yellow colour. If I wait for it to darken, it then sets rock hard. I can never getting at a pouring consistency. However, I have sprinkled said rock hard caramel instead of drizzled it. It’ll add some texture!

We’ve got proper christmassy today. Been into town for some last minute gifts and wrapped them up. Made said yule log. Then went for a wintery, night walk around our local RHS Hyde Hall to look at the Glow lights. It promised to bring the gardens to life after dark with festive food and drink and Christmas shopping. It didn’t disappoint.

The trees and shrubs were lit up in different colours, there was festive food and drink (although we didn’t partake) and everything was well set out and managed. And of course the obligatory stop in the shop.

Have had a thoroughly lovely day.

This green and pleasant land

As I have this week off work and I didn’t want it to be all consumed by chores and report writing etc, we decided to take a trip out yesterday.

Fortunately the weather was cooperative and we prebooked our car park slot, packed up a picnic lunch then headed out to Hatfield Forest, only about 20 miles from home. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hatfield-forest

Now owned by The National Trust, the forest used to be one of the foremost hunting parks of kings in medieval England. It boasts some 3,500 species of wildlife, ancient trees over 1,000 years old. It is maintained using a mixture of grazing, coppicing and pollarding.

We did manage to spot some deer 🦌 from a distance, there was plenty of evidence of cattle having grazed there. We saw the odd squirrel, butterflies, waterfowl and woodland birds.

We walked around for nearly five miles, barely talking to each other (not because we’d had a fall out) just taking in the surroundings and enjoying largely the peace and quiet. The only time the sound of children invaded was when we got near the lake where there were several small groups of small people running about. The only other invading sound was the occasional airplane ✈ taking off or landing at the nearby Stansted Airport.

I tried to image what it would have been like in medieval times, totally unadulterated and before Capability Brown started fiddling in 1757. Thankfully he didn’t alter too much. There are two or three little dwellings dotted about in the firest, totally cut off from everything. Presumably they are lived in by the forest manager. We imagined what it would be like to live there in the days when the Sovereign may want to stop for hunting and what it would be like to live there now, in a time where everyone and everything is so connected.

We are extremely fortunate to have such pleasant places to experience so nearby and it gives us the opportunity to get away from the grind, breathe the fresh air and just be.