Today has been what I have gradually discovered is a perfect day for baby and I…We went to our exciting music class in the morning, Mama got to do her yoga whilst baby had a snooze and then we went on a lovely long walk, straight out of our door, through the gate and into the woods…
The stream that wraps its way around our little barn has filled right to the brim and is about to burst across the woodland at its banks. The water is so thick and it oozes like chocolate milk round the twists and turns, there has been lots of rain recently. Baby and I wonder through the dangling ivy vines and clamber up mossy tree stumps to get a perfect look at the river with its pretty little red brick bridge passing over it. We follow the woodland to its outer edges and as it clears we see beautiful mushrooms growing in a spiral shape upwards to the sky on the surface of a lichen coated tree. We hear a woodpecker, tapping his beak into the trees above. The other birds sing around us, blocking out any other unwanted, unnatural sounds. The roads and cars are hundreds of miles away now. I have learnt to block out background noises that are unwanted through meditation and yoga. Spending lots of time honing in on the sense of my breath, passing unwanted thoughts in one ear and straight out the other, working to keep my mind clear and focused on the here and now. I feel this sense of being in the present as often as you can, physically and mentally is so important. Don't dwell in the past and stop working so hard on the future, just take it a little bit slower, if you ca, obviously life doesn't always work out that way.
We live in the same farmland as a humungous manor house that is situated a little bit farther down the lane from us. The beautiful old house is hidden behind a very large, ancient brick wall, coated in moss and falling apart in places. The wall is so beautiful, I place my hands onto the rough bricks and imagine what lies beyond within the courtyards of the great house. Is there a secret garden? Or a kitchen garden filled with gorgeous fresh herbs and vegetables? I love that sense of the unknown, I am free to imagine the beautiful things that could lurk behind that looming wall. You can only get a glimpse of the grand house, its beamed exterior and mighty chimneys are stunning. I wish I could have a peek inside but that will never happen! I love exploring historical buildings and I of course have a National Trust card! There is nothing I find more inspiring than exploring ancient ruins, castles, stately homes, ancient parkland and forests. The many memories and events that may have taken place within them make my imagination run wild, conjuring up my own made up stories from the past.
