When William Cobbett made his historic ‘Rural Rides’ in the early 19th century around southern England it was the time of the infamous Corn Laws. The age of the Enclosures and the Tolpuddle martyrs was still a fresh memory. Farming life was hard for rural folk then.
Continue reading “‘Rural Rides’ with William Cobbett.”
A small boat floats lost on an immensity of ocean while the moon’s mass looming large is tugging at the sea. This is the dance of the sea with her partners the earth, the moon and the sun giving us the tides. Powerful forces are at work here.
Continue reading “The Call of the Running Tide”
Houseplants, once overlooked Cinderellas, are now seeing a comeback. Many of the younger generation living in flats in cities are greening their homes/ living spaces with house plants. Such urban gardening is now a popular trend and indoor jungles are becoming increasingly fashionable.
Continue reading “Houseplants are back”
It is early morning on the banks of Ireland’s wild river—the mighty Shannon. The rising sun is just beginning to light up the water. The earth is awakening.
Continue reading “Still Listening with St Patrick”
With Wordsworth we re-visit the beautiful Wye valley near Tintern Abbey to re-discover the source of one of his most famous pieces of poetry.
Continue reading “Re-visiting the Wye with Wordsworth”
Unlike us, plants don’t take holidays! Returning after a week away we found that our garden has moved on. Cottage gardens are forever changing, ours certainly is.
Continue reading “Mid-summer’s garden”
This is an ancient place, a remnant of old England, where ponies stop the traffic and donkeys look into shop windows, while pigs rummage in the woods in the acorn season. Things are different here! Past traditions still flourish, ‘commoners’ graze their animals overseen by a court of ‘verderers’ assisted by ‘agisters’! After 900 years, though still owned by the Crown, it’s now an open National Park.
Continue reading “The New Forest”