Stop chasing butterflies.

I don't hug trees. At least, not when you're watching. What I do on my private meanders through the glade is, well, my business!

I'm useless at recycling, and my penchant for keeping things to reuse has cluttered my flat and classroom into near junk status. My green credentials, in truth, are more duck-egg blue. But.

I was so saddened to see the children all chasing after butterflies, trying to clap them in their hot hands, or snag them with their heavy sweatshirts. We're a second Green Flag EcoSchool for Pete's sake! We're Forest School, nature friendly. But apparently not at playtime.

A thirty minute, spontaneous lesson on air-pressure, sound wave stunning, finger acid burning and all-creature-great-and-small respect just seemed to fuel their curiosity to devise more effective and ingenious ways to dispatch nature's dust motes with as much compassion for them as if they were bubbles.

So, I went chasing butterflies. I will show them these pictures tomorrow. I want to see if understanding the beauty and the form of these Orange Tips makes any difference.

If not, you will find me at the weekend, alone in the woods. Hugging a tree for company. And should you find me, say nothing. Just pull up for own tree and think your own thoughts. Together.