Life is bursting from just about every inch of soil and every branch of the trees. What a beautiful thing to see after the wet May we have just experienced. 

It makes me think of a road trip I made down the west coast of Ireland in 2005. We just happened to pick the most beautiful two weeks of the entire year. The west coast is known for its vast amounts of rainfall (the picture of a soaked Craggy Island and Father Ted in a caravan comes to mind) but, when we arrived, the sun came out and shone for the whole time. We pottered down to empty beaches through lush, fat green trees and it felt like a paradise which had not yet been discovered by humankind. It is one of those happy places in my mind that I can dip in to when I need a pick up. 

I walked for miles on that holiday and I still try to get a good walk in each day because it is so good for the mental health.

There is something lovely about hearing your own rhythmic footsteps, hitting the grit and gravel beneath your soles. It’s like reconnecting with all the people who have done this before. I have the same feeling when I hear the gongs of Exeter Cathedral’s clock; it’s a feel of being grounded, of being safe because generations upon generations have heard exactly the same sound.

Not only are those serotonin levels highly desired (I do love a bit of serotonin), I also love how cathartic it is. Being on your own walking through fields, by streams, listening to the urgent, new, chirping of baby birds in their nests while letting your mind wander is one of life’s simplest pleasures. 

Today, the buttercups looked as though they had been stretched, they were reaching so tall into the drainage ditch. Just as you can watch the stars when you are sitting in a gutter, even a drainage ditch can look glorious when all you see is the reflection of the summer blue sky.  https://www.facebook.com/shoobridgefuneralservices