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Mind Body Plus Me!

~ Musings and Inspirations towards Holistic Health

Mind Body Plus Me!

Category Archives: Nature & Gardening

Happy Earth Day!

22 Saturday Apr 2017

Posted by mindbodyplusme in Holistic Health, Nature & Gardening

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Happy Earth Day, Health, Inspiration, love, Nature, Sharing, Thoughts

It seems odd to me that we have a day to celebrate virtually everything you can think of! That said, Happy Earth’s Day to you all!

I am finding it difficult to spare the time to update this site, but I do intend to keep it going, and I would like to thank you all who continue to contact me having read some of my older posts, it is appreciated, and nudges me to try and find more time!

So, Earth Day – it is rare to find people who truly respect, appreciate, and share the importance of the Earth in their everyday life. But as black and white as it possibly can be, Earth is paramount to our daily breath. Obvious I know, but translated a few times, ask yourself, when did you last focus purely on the Earth we stand on . . . hmm you see, it’s a phenomena that raises a smile on peoples faces.

Seeing today has been chosen as a special day to remind ourselves about the importance of the Earth, spend a moment looking at the surface of this Earth; feel it with bare feet,  smell it, touch it; widen your gaze and look at the sheer magnificent beauty of it. How it sustains life not only for us, but for every other creature on the planet, every living plant and organism. Everything we know relates back to the Earth. If you let your mind wander and your imagination time to ignite, the concept becomes even more ‘mind blowingly’ magnificent! We are so small, almost like a grain of sand in the grander scale of the planet, probably not even that! And we only exist within the tiniest depth of the Earth’s surface, so, how small do you feel now?!

Many of us love our lives, love our gardens; our walks in the countryside, our expeditions to more adventurous pursuits; love every minute we get to spend looking out of the window watching birds or butterflies, or simply admiring the view of flowers, trees, far reaching views, the sea, hills, rolling wolds, mountains, the list goes on. We have such diverse scenery, wildlife, plant life, we should be thankful and grateful with every breath we take.

Being mindful, and living in the moment we are in does bring a harmony within our souls, only possible when you engage with the Earth and all it offers around us.

Enjoy your day appreciating and loving the Earth, that boost of love today, can only help in healing the many scars we have given the planet. We need to give back instead of taking and living with an ignorance that it will always just be there without any thought and care given. We are only here for such a small amount of time, which flies by faster every year; lets make it our mission to embrace and better the Earth around us in any, and every way we can. It is precious and we owe everything to its existence, literally!

Happy Earth Day!

Druantia

Bodily Comfort . . .

07 Monday Nov 2016

Posted by mindbodyplusme in Ankylosing Spondylitis AS, Holistic Health, Nature & Gardening

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Ankylosing Spondylitis AS, Back Neck Shoulder Arm Problems, Body Limitations, Car Seats, Dog Walking, Handsfree Dog Lead

When you have, let’s say, a ‘limiting’ condition that requires you to think differently when doing daily tasks, you learn to think outside the box. Your priorities are different to the norm.

I recently went to look at a new car, and although the looks, capabilities, economy and, yes okay, the colour are important, nothing is more important than the sitting position. So irrespective of all the above, and what the engine is, if the seating position for my straight spine doesn’t suit, then the car is a no go. I can tell that within a minute or so. The sales assistance gets all poised for the technical data to impress me, and I’m already out of the vehicle saying, not for me thank you very much. They almost stand with their mouths open as if to question what just happened! Most seats are shaped to support a normal ‘s’ curvature of the spine, and the head rest is usually slightly forward to the upper part of the seat, none of which are good for me. So I’m still looking!

Dog walking too is an activity where I have had to think outside the box. I am lucky enough to do a lot of dog walking, I love it. But my days of conventional lead holding with my hands are over. Most people with back problems, and that includes the neck and shoulders, not just Ankylosing Spondylitis afflicted people, but many of the patients I treated with back, neck, arm and wrist problems got the same advice. Look at how you use your body when walking the dog, more so perhaps if it’s dogs. Most people you see are having one arm tugged forward on a tight pulling lead, and the jerking and jarring will undoubtedly either hurt or hinder any condition.handsfree-lead2
We use harnesses on our dogs, I personally do not like seeing a collar round the throat of a dog. The harness gives, in my opinion, better control as you take the power out of the forelegs of a dog when you need to restrain it. It’s also great in helping you lift the dog into a car, over a gate or fence, it also lets the dogs head be free to sniff and move.

I have had to change to using a handsfree lead that goes around my middle; I then attach an elasticated tracer to the harness. Whilst our dogs are pretty good at walking without pulling, there are occasions when they see something too good to ignore and they, in a blink of an eye, will change direction and or pace. Ordinarily that would jar and certainly hurt. With the set up I use, it is very much minimised, the elasticated tracer softens the jerk. I have an elasticated lead too, on days I am extra cautious about my neck. And when I want to move them on, I use my body in walking forward, I don’t use my arm to pull them, it’s so much easier.

Of course dog training is very important, and like I say, ours are pretty good. But I do like a dog to enjoy their walk, and have a bit of spirit in their character, instead of robotically walking by your side showing no interest in the countryside around them; but that is my choice. Ours get plenty of free running round our field, but discipline on a lead is an essential part of their daily routine.

So before you decide, walking a dog is too painful on your wrists, shoulders, neck or back, try thinking outside the box and try a long lead round your middle, or invest in a purpose made jogging lead. It may prolong your dog walking days for years, so you and your beloved four legged friend can exercise in comfort today, tomorrow and beyond . . . so it’s a win win for all concerned!

Druantia

Autumn . . .

05 Saturday Nov 2016

Posted by mindbodyplusme in Nature & Gardening

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Autumn Colours, Flowers, Gardening, Nature, Natures Beauty

The weather here has changed quickly, from nice very late summer days where the sun was still warm enough to sit out in, into cold days and nights. The beauty of nature is hitting us in the face everywhere you look. The leaves on the autumnal change are field-mapleabsolutely gorgeous. I love taking photos and all the ones I put on this site are taken locally. The last couple of weeks, I’ve been clicking photos every time I go outside, I love it!

holly-treeHawthorn hedges laden with berries, Holly trees covered in berries, if nature was telling us something, it would be saying we are in for cold winter, and the berries are there to feed the birds in readiness of the impending chill.
hawthorn-berries

Field Maple trees have shone with their bright yellow leaves, the Beech with their fiery copper shades, Hydrangeas with their deep reds, and the red leaves of the Rhus tree always look stunning against clear blue skies. The colours are ahydrangeabsolutely fabulous, and if you take your time to look, there is virtually every shade you can imagine out there in nature, truly stunning. Fuchsia late red and purple exotic looking flowers add a delicacy to the otherwise dying back garden; as does the Sedum, and Verbena.fuchsiaWe still have roses flowering and producing new buds. The ground is a carpet of leaves in the most beautiful golden palette of colour, from the Sycamore, Cherry, Beech. The Crab apples are still

DSC01299on the tree, rose hips are huge on the rosa rugosa bushes; I could fill the page with photos, but will pick only a few, and hope you enjoy them too!

Take a look outside, before the colour spectacle has gone . . .  until next year!

Druantia

Dog Prejudice . . .

17 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by mindbodyplusme in Nature & Gardening

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Dogs, Thoughts

It is a tragic story when you hear of children being attacked and sometimes, even more tragically, killed by dogs.

When these rare events happen, the ‘judge and jury’ people come out in their droves to condemn the breed of dog involved in the attack. Many a time it would appear the more seriously injured cases involve Pitt Bull type dogs, and Staffordshire Bull Terriers, but they are not by any stretches of the imagination the only dogs that bite and attack. Granted they do have an amazingly strong jaw, and have been used throughout history because of their strength and stamina in ways I cannot believe humans have exploited in the name of sport.

But the truth is ANY breed of dog, large or small or inbetween has the potential to bite and maim, not just Bull Terrier type breeds. So to ostracize these breeds is wrong, the owners of such dogs need to be of the right mindset, with that I do agree. Recently it was stated Labradors nationally bite more people than any other breed. As a Labrador lover, (and Alsatian, and Staffie, well most dogs to be honest) I found that quite astounding, but having had one Lab, who would growl and nip rather than say hello, I am totally aware of how ANY dog can bite.

I have always had dogs and throughout my childhood, also had dogs. My partner has always had dogs too and actually bred Staffordshire Bull Terriers, there isn’t anything about the breed he does not know, and he is passionate about the reputation they should have; as fantastic loyal loving gentle dogs.

I do believe that 95% of cases where dogs bite, it is down to human error, with dogs doing what they instinctively need to do, protect their family. We take dogs into our homes and hearts as if they are human. We expect them to have the intellect and often manners of a human. They are supposed to understand social circumstances way above their ability. They are loving, devoted, protective, loyal animals that bond with their owners as if part of the pack, and they find their role within that pack. We should make sure that place in the pack is at the correct level. A jealous dog can snap and bite anyone that comes too close to who they perceive as their alfa. Behavioural problems like this need addressing with proper guidance to help the dog be a relaxed safe member of the family.

If a dogs environment changes by the addition of a baby, a child, another dog, a cat – anything that changes the ‘environment’ the dog is familiar with, unless time is spent introducing the ‘change’ to the dog, assuring the dog of the safety of this addition, a dog will be unsure, sometimes nervous or anxious towards the new entity in the space they now share. Noises, smells, movements that are all alien to a dog can be misinterpreted and ignite the instinct of survival or protection, still a strong inborn trait in dogs despite our domesticating of them.

I was astonished with the results of a survey done with young children, as to what they know about dogs, and the most shocking thing was that when a dog was showing its teeth in a warning stance, children thought it was smiling so move towards the dog. That isn’t a dog being bad, it is human error. A child is too young to know, so it is down to the adult to educate and supervise them, especially in a new environment, be it out in the street, a friend’s house, or even when the dog has met the child before. Never allow a child to be alone, go and stroke, hug, cuddle a dog, ever, unless it is a dog that has had the time spent with it, to allay any anxiety it may have and even then, have an adult present until enough time has passed for all parties to be comfortable. Dogs sense fear and anxiety so if anyone is in that state, a dog will be on edge, wary of the something causing an air of unease.

When I had Labradors, particularly the one that for whatever reason didn’t like little people (I’d known her from birth and she had never had any contact with children to warrant her dislike of them) I was always mindful of where I took her, and what scenarios I put her through. And because I knew her character I was able to keep her from any otherwise, potential situations where her instinct would dominate her behaviour. But Labradors are dogs that people think always want petting, and children always assume they can come and hug them, even when they are unknown to the dog. Whilst the vast majority of the Labradors and all the other breeds, would be fine with that kind of impromptu hug, there are and always will be those dogs that are frightened, threatened and anxious about such an event, and therefore far more likely to react. Again, in my humble opinion, it isn’t that the dog is vicious or dangerous; it is frightened for whatever reason, and should not have been put in the situation by the owner or whoever is looking after the child.

The ‘judge and jury’ that make brash statements that all dogs of a certain breed are dangerous and shouldn’t be allowed, is as foolhardy as saying, all humans are evil. There are always exceptions to every rule, but it doesn’t help when such statements are put out there, it can invoke hatred and fear in otherwise neutral thinking people. And when a dog of a said breed is seen, they react aggressively or defensively, which in turn can be interpreted by the dog, as a threat towards them or their owners when on out on a lead.

A lot of people have dogs to act as security in the home, as well as them being much loved pets. So when someone comes to the door and either knocks or rings the bell, the dog usually will bark to sound the alarm, someone is here. If that person makes a noise but doesn’t enter the home, but pushes something through the letter box, it is a situation that the dog can interpret as having their and your space violated. So if that noise is heard, the glow of the day-glo jacket seen through the glass door, then something is pushed through the door, a dog can associate it as threatening. Should that dog be outside and hears the noise, sees the ‘glow’, to the dog it needs to protect you from the ‘thing’ that keeps violating your space. This being the postman, and thus most cases of dog attacks are towards postmen. Often the postmen because of past experiences acts in a way, which adds to the dogs perception of threat. It isn’t acceptable at all, but it isn’t the dog’s fault, they are doing what you expect them to do, protect. It is down to the owner to teach the dog to change its reaction, the postman should not be a subject of attack.

If a burglar or intruder enters your property be it garden or home, a dog is often the first line of defence, in those circumstances, it is praised at being a life saver, being so brave, but to a dog, the role is the same, defend his pack out of love and loyalty between you and the dog.

Of course, there are always those that abuse the relationship, they deliberately encourage a dog to be aggressive. Dogs are trainable in many ways, to be good gentle and obedient, but also to be physical and aggressive. If this were not true, they would not be trained and used as attack dogs in the forces. But again, humans being humans, there is also a minority who want to cause fear and harm to others, and dogs can be trained to be a useful weapon. They have strength and power that defies their size. They have teeth that can and do cause a lot of damage when they bite, but the vast majority of all dogs, will give a growl, will display body language that is indisputably saying stay away, I’m not happy, leave me alone, don’t come any closer. They then hackle up fur from head to tail, growling louder and snarling teeth, maybe then if all these signs are ignored, they may give a nip rather than an attack, and most will only go this far when they feel they have no other option. All the warning signs have been ignored by the approaching person, so what else can the dog do but to protect and defend. It is a quality we value most of the time.

But when tragedy does happen, or even an accident, it is devastating. To see a dog react in an aggressive manner is frightening, and often once the dog is in that zone it can display phenomenal strength and to try and control verbally will have little effect. To see your dog like that is shocking, and can leave a state of fear towards your pet thereafter, when you are so used to loving, and petting the dog without a hint of aggression ever being shown. Most people would say, my dog would never react like that, but every dog has the instinct, and it can never be 100% guaranteed safe, as long as they have teeth and canine instinct, there is always the chance it will display aggression at some point in its life. If the dog is in pain, or ill, uncharacteristic actions are often witnessed, growling and snapping are such reactions. They are usually so upset and submissive as they know they have turned on one of their own. We need to respect dogs, treat them as the wonderful creatures they are, and know them, so if they have fears, or are ill, or have pain, it is up to us to help them and protect them. They may have been startled and not necessarily set out to cause harm, but a display of loyalty and protection for its family.

Dogs seem to be thought of as docile almost toy like additions to the family. And when they chew something they shouldn’t, make noise when they shouldn’t, when they eat something they shouldn’t they are often chastised, abused, shut away, treated badly, some are even given away, or thrown out and abandoned. Rescue centres are full of dogs, some of whose history are known, but many are saved with no knowledge of what they’ve been through to end up in a rescue centre. Many are there because of the total lack of understanding shown by the people who had them. Dogs are thought of as an entitlement, everyone can have one, irrespective of the owners’ circumstances, their lifestyles, and their homes. To me, there are so many people with dogs that should not have them. They do not have the right mindset, time or dedication to give the dog the understanding, love, security and life they deserve. They do not understand the ethos of a dog, their needs, their qualities, the traits each breed has, there is so much to know and understand about dogs and the different breeds. If you were willing to devote time, love, energy and money to the dog, choosing the breed and finding a suitable puppy or dog, it still needs huge consideration before getting the dog.

Human Beings are a strange species, and one I am not the greatest fan of. We have traits that defy most of what I believe in as being good beings, and the way we treat animals is proof if ever you need it. The saying, “There are no bad dogs, just bad owners” has much truth in it. Most scenarios of dog attacks confirms the fact, there is human error, than dog error. Whilst tragedies and injuries are for a lifetime and in a perfect world should never happen, hindsight is a wonderful if not cruel thing. “If only” is said over and over, but there is only the moment of time we are in, and sometimes that’s all it takes, a split second for life to never be the same. I truly wish more consideration is given to how we act and live, it has a direct effect on animals in our care, be it a dog, cat, bird, our energies and actions always create reactions in the animals around us. Cats run off and hide, dogs will cower and try and hide, birds will flap around their cage, when agitated by shock, anger, noise, we all know this. So when a dog or cat attacks, it is usually as a last resort, their instinctive survival mode has been activated by our actions.

The other potential and very real scenario we set, without thinking, is we give our dogs toys. Toys that to us look cute, mimicking things dogs would kill, mice, rabbits – soft toys. We give these to dogs to help interact with them, to give them something to play with, to stimulate them and get them active. Many of these toys involve them chewing or biting down on them, and these toys squeak. We ‘squeak’ them to get the dogs attention, to come over to us, to get them excited, we then tussle with the dog with the toy, playing, the dog trying to get the toy off us, yes in its mouth. The process is a game, something most dog owners will do without any thought. They even encourage the dog to shake the toy, all of this connects with the dogs instinct of killing its prey. The squeak adds to the excitement and frenzy of the game. A baby, is near to toy size, and it squeaks and makes noises like a toy. For some dogs the similarities are too close and the dog can and does think of the toys it has previously been allowed, encouraged and praised for playing with, without being able to differentiate between baby and toy, especially if it’s the first time the dog has been with a baby. Without guidance, education, socialising and constant supervision it isn’t too hard to think what might happen if that baby is left unattended, we again expect the dog to understand the difference between a baby and a toy as a human does. The dog is thinking toy. It is a reality every dog owner should be aware of, similarly a large dog that had toys and games such as I’ve described, then sees a tiny little dog, never seen before, the dog again thinks, toy. It’s not an aggressive evil bad dog, it’s how we’ve treated them.

Having a dog licence as many suggest we should have in an attempt to make dog ownership safer, to me, still wouldn’t weed out the unsuitable dog owners we have; nor lessen the ill-intent they have in regard to their dog. Dogs are so readily available to all and sundry, I do not know how we can make sure dogs get the homes and lives they deserve. There are no checks done on potential dog owners. If you want to take a dog from a rescue centre, some checks are done, but I know of someone who was turned down from having a dog, they were thought of as not suitable dog owners. Instead of taking that advice from the people that know what a dog needs as helpful and truthful, they then went out and bought a puppy. They had no idea of how to look after it, and as such it became a troubled puppy, very snappy, very insecure, very nervous and was therefore left shut up for hours on its own. Thankfully in this situation another family member stepped in, they socialised and took care of this now very much loved dog. But had this family member not stepped in, that dog would be destined to abuse, be unpredictable with anyone who approached her, and a potential accident waiting to happen.

So before a dog is blamed for whatever it has done, please take a step back before judgement, see the whole story. Was the dog being instinctive in protecting after it’s warnings of fear, anxiety were ignored, was it being threatened, was the owner being threatened by something the dog was unfamiliar with, was the dog being taunted and abused. Or was the dog thinking of previous games and toys it was encouraged to partake in. When all the facts have been appraised then maybe judgement can be given. To put a dog to sleep because it bit someone is drastic. If any of the above were the case then it was far more likely to be due to human error than dog error.

We need to take more responsibility and understand the whole capabilities of any pet we take into our care. There are many dogs, often crammed into small full homes, with little access to outdoors, proper exercise, proper food and proper interaction. They need to be given as much if not more – seeing they can’t speak for themselves, priority in a household as children and adults do. Every dog has the potential to bite, thankfully it is a rare occasion when a bite has tragic consequences, but it can and does happen, and it is life changing for all involved. But please do not instantly blame the dog for being a bad breed, or bad dog, sometimes circumstances conspire and a combination of things lead to a bad outcome.

Think long and hard before getting any pet, but particularly a dog. They live a long time, and are a full time commitment and responsibility. There is a cost to be incurred with dog ownership, in their care, vets bills, keeping it safe, but also on your heart, because a love for a dog is very very special. They can enrich your life in the most wonderful ways, more than you would ever imagine. You just need to put in the time, love and care into your dog, to enhance all the fabulous qualities they have every single day of its life.

Dogs really can be man’s best friend; lets make sure we are theirs.

Druantia

Our Butterflies . . .

11 Tuesday Oct 2016

Posted by mindbodyplusme in Holistic Health, Nature & Gardening

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Butterflies & Bees, Flowers, Gardening, Nature

 

IMG_1308.jpg

Small Tortoiseshell

On The News yesterday it was stated that nationally our native butterflies are in a definite decline. We do have some beautiful butterflies, and moths actually, which always seem to get forgotten, so to think they are struggling more than ever is very upsetting.

We have a field round our ‘nature inspired garden’ that we leave alone, apart from cutting a walk able path round it. There are a few wild flowers which are self seeded, so 80% grasses. We do not cut this grass, it does its own thing and has established itself into an incredible weave of protection for wildlife as well as being beautiful to look at. We planted some trees and shrubs all producing flowers and berries, again planted with wildlife in mind. During the summer when the grasses are in flower, the soft colours are simply fantastic, from mauve heathery colours to salmon pink, to golden corn shades, really gorgeous, and because there is so much of it, the waves of soft muted colours is truly a beautiful summer treat; and very importantly, it is full of all kinds of wildlife all year round.

There are beds of thistles, which this summer were smothered by hundreds, and I do mean, hundreds of butterflies, moths and bees. I have never seen so many butterflies ever, and not just for a one-day wonder, but for days and weeks, the number of butterflies was utterly amazing. So I am very pleased our tiny corner of the world has helped the butterfly population here at least.

img_0949

Marbled White

The reason for the national decline is unknown. The weather did cool right off when butterflies were usually at their most prolific, so maybe it was down to that. Farmers will no doubt get some blame as always. But the bigger picture must surely be looked at when pointing the finger towards farmers. Yes, I am biased, but I am also not a fan of commercially driven farming. Huge fields, the chemicals, the ‘chemically dressed’ seeds, the fast field rotation are all aspects I do not endorse at all. Nor GMO but that’s another subject. I favour the organic, nature based farming. Nature and Mother Nature should be embraced and enhanced, not rewritten and manipulated, it will always win in the end!

img_1185

Painted Lady

Anyway, to list some of what we had here this year:

Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Peacock, Green Vein Whites, Marble Whites, Painted Ladies, Large and Small Whites, Brimstone, Orange Tip, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Large and Small Skippers. And so many different moths many of which were daytime ones, I wouldn’t know how to identifying them. The above mentioned are what I have decided we had, I am no expert so my identification of some species may not be correct. We did see a Ruby Tiger Moth, which was stunning. I didn’t see this year however, either a Comma or a Humming Bird Hawk Moth. We have a tiny lavender blue butterfly every year that I am yet to identify.

 

img_0650

Ruby Tiger Moth

Check out the Butterfly Conservation website, it gives loads of information from identifying to what plants to use in your garden to attract more of them.

butterfly-conservation.org

See if there are some butterfly and bee friendly plants, trees and shrubs that can add to your garden. It would appear both butterflies and bees are in desperate need of all of our help. Besides the sight of beautiful butterflies and the sound of bees completes the perfect summer scene!

Even now, when the summer is fast leaving us, we can still help the hibernating species survive by providing suitable sites, get to the gardens folks and do your bit whilst the last few butterflies take advantage of the late summer sun!

Druantia

 

 

Humming-Bird Hawk Moth

10 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by mindbodyplusme in Nature & Gardening

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Flowers, Gardening, Humming-Bird Hawk Moth, Nature

Hummingbird Hawk Moth
This is the first summer I have not seen this stunning moth in our garden on the Red Valerian which we have in clumps all over the garden. We have been invaded by rabbits this year, the adults seem to bring in their young and leave them in our garden like using a creche! Consequently, they have devoured many of the plants, red valerian being a particular favourite. So I’m not sure why we haven’t seen these moths, we have still got a lot of the red valerian, but it has been slightly out of synch this summer, so maybe the flowers were not available at the right time of July.

I remember years ago seeing this Hawk-Moth for the first time and was convinced I’d seen a Hummingbird! I have been to Canada and seen Humming Birds there, so seeing these Moths always remind me of British Colombia and the Rockies!

Nature is full of breath taking beautiful things, this little soul is one such gem.

Druantia

Our Friends, Dogs . . .

10 Wednesday Aug 2016

Posted by mindbodyplusme in Holistic Health, Nature & Gardening

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Best Friends, Communication, Dog Psychology, Dogs, Inspiration, Life Experiences, Nature, Sharing

MegI love dogs and have always had dogs around me through my life. One in particular, a black Labrador, was like the child I never had. We had an extra ordinary connection, and she was exceptional in everyway. She sadly left us when she was 14 ½ years old, having put up a strong and valiant fight to stay with us longer. If I could have given her new legs, she would probably still be with us, well, no not really, she would have been coming up 18 years old! One of the amazing things I noticed about her, was she rarely looked me in the eye; it was always at my third eye point, (between my eyebrows on the forehead). She would gaze adoringly at me, and seemed to connect with something that captivated her, and made her bond deeply with me. We shared daily adventures together, some of the best walks I’ve ever had, and some of the specialist downtime together, just her and me; absolutely loved her to bits and still do several years on . . .

Read the rest of this article in the Pages Section

Druantia

A Morning Treat

01 Monday Aug 2016

Posted by mindbodyplusme in Holistic Health, Nature & Gardening

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Holistic Health, Inspiration, Kestrel Falcon, Life Experiences, Nature, Nature & Gardening, Thoughts, Yogic Exercise

Common_kestrel_falco_tinnunculus

Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

This morning as, I partook in my daily yoga based stretches outside, taking full advantage of the beautiful sunshine, I was serenaded by two Kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) in the trees of our field.

Whilst I couldn’t really see them, only glimpse of their courtship display flight when it appeared over the garden hedge, but their chatter was loud and constant and filled the sky. It made me pause to just listen . . . it’s probably a little late in the season to be mating for another brood, but it has been very warm, in the 20s everyday for weeks now, so maybe more chicks will be on the way.

The sheer wonder of nature yet again infiltrating my daily life, such things make my day, and these two will resonate with me the whole day, love it and appreciate how lucky I am! Beautiful moments stay with you . . .

Druantia

Flowers . . .

31 Sunday Jul 2016

Posted by mindbodyplusme in Nature & Gardening, Thoughts & Words

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Communication, Inspiration, Nature, Nature & Gardening, Poetry, Thoughts, Words

The flowers of all your tomorrows lie

in the seeds you sow today

For every action there is a reaction and a consequence; think with care of what you do, for tomorrows daylight may shine on the deeds you set today

 

Druantia

 

 

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