Uplifted by the natural world – pour mon ami F

One of the benefits of having a dog is that it encourages me to go for walks. On our way to a local city to attend a writing group and see my mother a few weeks ago I stopped at a lay by near a stream to let him stretch his legs. A warm sun shone down on us despite it being winter, and there was hardly any breeze. We parked beside a shallow stream running over golden stones, sending up glints where the rocks broke the water. When I was a child I saw stones like these as jewels – amber, tiger’s eyes – because they seemed to glow. Along the edge of the stream were trees – poplars, willows and others – many of them bare. A a few evergreens provided colour.

As we walked along the short grass beside the stream a fantail flitted out of one of the bare trees, spread the fan of feathers at its tail, and twisted and turned in mid-air. I gazed as it changing direction instantaneously, spiralling, spinning, falling then recovering. Barney was more interested in finding a good smelly bit of mud to roll in but I was entranced. Another fantail joined it for an acrobatic duet in mid-air, poised over the stream. I feel such pleasure and joy in natural surroundings – they lift me up when I’m down. That day I was happy to start with but the trees, the stream, the sun and the birds enhanced my pleasure in life.