Two months have passed since I was last here in my woods. I had a fantastic opportunity to skip February and some of March with trips to South Africa and then Berlin. S.A. was amazing – middle of summer and temperatures in the mid 30s C. The bush in Kruger National Park was in full growth and the animal life abundant. It puts into perspective how little wild life we have here to been seen easily which comes as a disappointment after seeing fantastic animals and birdlife every single day for a month. I have to say it has left a huge vacuum in my life now but I have to pick up from where I left and find inspiration here.

The weather was beautiful yesterday and ideal for a visit to reacquaint myself to this place. I had not real plan for jobs other than bring some logs home. So, much time was spent walking around, taking photos and noting how spring is approaching and catching up with some of my woodland neighbours. It felt oddly unfamiliar to some extent, at times disorientating but in a good way, exploring and rediscovering it.

Wild primroses on the ride edge, already lunch to some small creature. Lot’s of wild garlic at it’s freshest, wood anemones starting to flower and bluebells waiting in the side wings. A tortoiseshell butterfly and several large bumble bees flew by heralding spring.

I can see how I have neglected projects that I had previously worked on. It saddens me to see this and reminds me of the life I had before losing my wife. Appetite for life and the ambitious and exciting plans I had for my woods have been crushed for the last few years. Some things have changed in me in ways hard to explain and will probably remain that way. Some of my creativity and motivation has been lost but I feel that nature and spending time in the woods again is an essential part of the healing process for me and I hope to put in more visits here this year. I shall leave you with a few more photos of this beautiful place.