Wild Garlic and Bluebells. The Wood Anemones have finished flowering but these other ancient woodland indicator species are in full bloom.

Yesterday was a day of hard graft. I’ve been feeling pretty low this week. Various factors have been playing on my mind. Anxiety and depression rob you of motivation and I started to feel like I couldn’t even be bothered going to the woods, my favourite place to be. Yet that is just the very reason to go. Last visit, I felled a larch tree that my neighbour had kindly donated for my shelter rebuild and he offered me another if I needed it, which I did. So I wanted to get on with it before the bramble really takes a hold and makes it almost impossible to access. I picked one out, it was looking sickly and struggling amongst it’s bigger siblings. I cut it into several long lengths and bundled it into the back of the car, sticking out of the hatch and carefully drove back to mine to process it – peel the bark.

There were six lengths to peel and it was going to take me the rest of the day to complete. It was very demanding on my old body but despite the resulting aches and pains and small bruises, it was hugely satisfying. I felt completely at one with the woods. Good, honest physical graft. No need to think much, just shaping the wood and working the body whilst surrounded by a fabulous green haven of trees, plants and rich birdsong. I was content. Each piece was taking about half an hour and lot’s of energy. I try to pace myself by taking a short break between logs. Just sitting and watching and listening to the life around me. A pair of buzzards wheeled about and descended, swooping through the tops of my trees. I thought they were about to land but maybe they spotted me and decided against it.

Apart from work, it was also a good day for wildlife spotting. I took a walk around to observe some of my bird boxes and get an idea of nesting activity. Lot’s of bluetits in and out of them suggested young chicks to feed. One adult landed very close to me and gave me a good telling off. I was busy looking at something else and hadn’t realised I was standing right next to a box which it was keen to get back into. A sparrowhawk zoomed above the tops of the trees, no doubt giving the little birds a fright! On arrival there was this “gift” prominently left on a large log – I feel sure it is fox poo. They deposit it in raised locations to mark their territory. I smiled at the thought of the fox jumping up onto the log and the balancing act required.

Here are a few more photos of the day