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THE JOY OF GETTING OUT
A frosty cold morning and Charlie the spaniel needed his walk. I defrosted the car and headed to one of our regular spots but, alas, I had forgotten my headphones – so no podcast, no phone calls. Within minutes, my walk took on a different personality. Walking through the woodland, I was able to hear the crisp crunch of the rusty carpet of oak and beech leaves. I heard Jenny Wren foraging among the brambles and saw her as she popped out fleetingly.
The crows were having a heated discussion and smaller birds were chitting and chatting. I caught a glimpse of moving branches, revealed to be antlers of a majestic dark brown stag camouflaged in the undergrowth.
We broke from woodland cover into an open field carpeted with shimmering frost, with the sun’s rays making even a common clover leaf glisten with beauty. Cow parsley, brown and crispy, looked like tall architectural spires and hawthorn, with its spiteful spikes, was covered in cherry red berries.
As always, Charlie rearranged fallen branches throughout the woodland, no doubt assisting nature in scattering seeds and spores ready for spring. Maybe I need to learn a lesson from him and leave my phone at home more often. I thought I appreciated being in nature, but writing this makes me realise that today I appreciated it so much more.
Sandie Sach, via email
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