Pausing

I know I'm blessed to live where I do, to live the life I do. But every so often it's good to pause.

I've rushed around this week and to be honest it's not been a great week, putting out other peoples fires, the ankle's hurt a lot, my studies have gotten harder....
But there have been good moments. A huge step forward in a long worked project, a leaping old puppy, lunch in the sun with the whole of Team IttH.

Today I paused. On purpose I stopped up on the common and walked a short ways to wonder.

If I was of a darker personality or mood its a bleak place, the motorway can be heard, and sadly litter abounds. But most days I'm not.
The Manor Court protected verges of Orton Parish were SSSI's long before they were a National Park. This year they are more impressive than I can ever remember. The stretch of orchids in extras runs for nearly 400m, you need to look in full screen to really see just how abundant they are. Next to them are saxifrage, forget me not, Tormentil, cow parsley, water avens, trefoil, clovers, buttercups, cornflowers and many, many more. The walls glisten with lichen dappled limestone, quartz sparkled granite. I sat on an erratic moved to here by glaciers before man could write.
I started this thinking I'd write about the ecoterrorism the sheep have done to the barren fields nearby but instead I want to celebrate the wonder of nature where we have it.

Philosophy Friday
I go into nature to be soothed and healed. To have my senses put to order.
John Burrows