From Good to Outstanding

I thought yesterday was a lovely sunny day, but today has just been outstanding, lots to see in the garden, and because of the frost this morning we had another visit from our two little deer.

My iphone camera is great but not when you need to zoom from a long way away, by the time I get back into the house get the camera, get out and zoom my visitors have wandered into the brown of the trees. They stand very still and blend in very well to their surroundings, all you can see is a little white blob and a couple of brown eyes looking back, isn't it amazing how nature has a helping hand for us if we look for it.

In my rush to get the camera though I began thinking about the times we used to take our groups outside on good weather days - they're so hard to come by in Scotland I've always felt we should enjoy them whilst we can. A bit like life really to be lived for today and tomorrow will take care of itself.

It's harder now to do the type of spontaneous things outdoors with groups that we used to, because we now need to undertake a risk assessment. The excitement and enjoyment of sudden good weather no longer has that ray of hope we all used to share outside in the playing fields or in the woods for a nature walk.

Sometimes though just going out into the open is just what's needed - a reconnection with nature can help creativity, clear the mind and just make people feel a lot better - it helps promote clear thinking too.

Just the tonic for a student struggling with an assessment or idea and a clear recipe for changing perspective.

I've decided I'm going to enjoy a 10 minute break outdoors every two hours today, my reward for writing indoors when the weather has so much promise and hope. That way I won't feel like I've missed out on all of the opportunities on offer.

Simple pleasures.