First dog on the blog

For the first time today since starting the blog, I was lucky enough to have a canine companion, as well as her owner, with me on my walk.

This particular dog, I guess like most dogs, really relishes the outdoors, finding fascinating treasures like half a tennis ball in the undergrowth. What spoilsports we were not to want to pick up the yucky thing and throw it.

It's good to see bees out and about, with all the worrying news about their decline; this one is making the most of a bank of cowslips:

Sharing favourite places

Having visited 'the bluebell wood' with a friend on Monday, and finding that other people locally didn't know it, I offered to introduce another friend to its joys today.

Another glorious day and another glorious walk, including a stretch on the Trent and Mersey Canal where the forget me nots grew. What better way to catch up and share stories than strolling through dappled sunlight amongst lush new foliage?

Just a little collage today ( not as sharp as usual, phone pics) as I showed you it in depth in Monday's post:

A baby trail run!

Well, inspired by the book, (Some days, just thinking...) and spurred on by the chance to record my experience here, I headed back to the little nature reserve today and ran around it instead of walking. It was a beautiful sunny day and it was pretty quiet apart from dog walkers. I ran on the path, on the short grass and through the woods on ill-defined trails on packed earth.

It was a joy! Admittedly it was short and blissfully flat, but it seemed much more interesting than running on pavements between houses dodging cars.It was fun not knowing where any particular stretch would lead or where I would go next - which path to choose?

This distracted me from the feelings of how out of breath I was and helped me run a little bit harder than usual, I think. I was reminded though of Wainwright's advice, as valid for walkers as for runners, to watch where you put your feet - it's best not to take the surface for granted as I might on a pavement.

Still, there was plenty of opportunity to take in the surroundings too. After my brief run, I picked up the camera from the car and did a cool down lap taking photos. For the first time ever I spotted tree creepers (yes, they were creeping about in the trees, not too hard to identify!). Meanwhile a buzzard floated lazily overhead, too high to photograph but still clearly visible. May blossom is out and gorgeous too.

Thanks Boff (see yesterday's post), I'm not sure yet about hills but running wild today certainly made exercise more enjoyable.

Some days, just thinking about being outdoors will have to do

Today I didn't manage to make it outdoors at all but I had an exciting encounter with it through a book, which might sound odd.

I was dashing through the library to return some overdue books in a brief window between appointments when a book on a display stand called out to me: Run Wild by Boff Whalley. That was this afternoon and I'm 6 chapters in already.

In it, he writes of how running in nature has kept him grounded on international tours with his band Chumbawumba ('I get knocked down but I get up again...'). He describes wild running as 'replanting our feet in the soil' and 'rediscovering our roots'. He argues that we evolved to run, in order to hunt for food, and that 'historically and physiologically, it's part of who we are'.

I was especially interested in his story of running up into the hills from Ambleside as the sun started setting (although concerned about how to get back down in the dark!) as my last visit there saw a late afternoon walk up Loughrigg with magical views over the surrounding hills.

I just might try a (daylight) run on my next trip there in the summer...

Nearly bluebell time

On our annual bluebell walk, my friend and I were a little disappointed to see nothing but a carpet of green leaves... until right in the middle of the deep dark wood, we came across a patch in bloom:

 

The fragrance of wild garlic was everywhere, the trees were bursting into bud and the anemones were still out too, it was a sensory treat (as was lunch afterwards!).

Somewhat incongruously, there were fungi too:

Hosta times are here again!

I absolutely adore hostas. I think most people with an interest in plants have a particular fondness for one or two types and hostas are mine. I'm just popping out to deal with some slugs, I'll be right back...

OK, that's done, here are some of the very early shoots emerging:

This looks like a gourmet feast to a slug so they just have to be discouraged and unfortunately there is no nice way of doing that. Rabbits take the same view, which is why they're strictly limited to the front garden, which is a rabbit-free zone (barring someone leaving the gate open, that is).

At last count I had 18 plants in pots and another 20+ in the ground. The potted ones go in the garage or shed for protection in winter, and their return to the outdoors once the worst frosts have passed is another sign for me that Spring is on the way.

They vary in height from under 10 cm to about 50 cm, with leaf sizes from perhaps 5 cm to 30 cm across. The range of shapes and shades of green, yellow and cream is what really appeals to me, and as the leaves develop I'll show you some of my favourites. They do have flowers but that's not really why I grown them. I know I won't be able to resist the specialist hosta growers' stalls at the RHS Summer shows so there will be even more later in the year...

Welcome to guest blogger Dave in Richmond Park!

London guest blogger Dave writes:
Here's proof that you don't have to go into the wilderness to experience nature at its beautiful best. 

These wild deer roam free in Richmond Park just ten miles from the thundering traffic in the centre of London. 

The herd of around 630 animals is thriving on the  edge of Greater London with its population of some nine million. The deer have been breeding in the park since 1529. Watching them adds interest to my regular bike rides in the park.