Thin wavy branches with new leaves are shadowing across the red-tiled roof and bricks, of the houses opposite. Bright blue skies and full sun came out of a grey cloud sky. The shade now, just on those red-brick walls opposite, blowing in the wind. The times they are a changing.
I was in the park earlier, lying under the sun. Eyelids relaxed and warm, listening to birdsong, children on swings laughing, “higher, higher”, sound of footballs meeting feet. Humanity; happy, chatting, laughing. My body, nestled into the grass and daisies under blue sky.
When I sat up to drink my tea a dog ran past chasing a Frisbee with a tiny tot chasing it, stripy T-shirt and little feet landing on the dog and winning the frisbee, to throw again and repeat. The caravan cafe packing up, last tea sold and little yellow van arriving to take it away.
White dogs, black dogs, on leads, off leads, chasing balls, jumping in the air. One squirrel made it up a tree. Young ones making out and playing, the rhythms of spring, under dappled tree umbrellas swaying in the breeze.
Mounds of earth with bedding plants and palm trees. Groups arriving, friends with hugs and barbecues.
Drinking all this in, I got up and ambled on through the park, feet walking across damp dark earth and green velvet grass with bright yellow dandelions. Through the park gate I went, ahead the tarmac road with houses on each side and skyline roofs in the distance, the sun, bright with car paintwork glistening. Not balmy because air still cool, but bright. And beautiful. And, blue. It was, just lovely. A shiny, sparkly, glistening, effervescent moment where humanity shone along with the world.
When I got home, windows open, hot drink in hand, on the sofa looking out. I watched those moving shadows and the sun opposite on red brick, and relaxed into this ordinary quiet street, where hardly anyone seems to exist and I thought, I wonder if the fox will be out tonight.
Photo by Pixels – pixabay
Joy dots
Bright blue sky
Mug of hot drink
Sun on eyelids
Damp earth and velvet grass
Sunlight
Glistening
Happy humans
The sound of laughter
Friends with hugs and barbecues
Wild things
I love this time of year for the wild garlic and nettles. I make tonic from nettles and cleavers, pestos from the garlic, sautés, stews and soups galore. Wild garlic butter and dressings and, of course garlic salt and purées. The wild leek in the picture above can be used in place of the wild garlic, and I used to dig up the bulbs for pickled onions – it had over-taken the shared gardens and no amount of digging up got on top of it. I make a soup with these each year with lots of white beans. It is warm and yummy and very simple. The above ingredients with sautéd onion in butter, potato added then, white beans and stock, cooked and puréed, with salt, black pepper and fresh lemon to season.
News
Next week I’m going to start to send out ‘Ayurveda Shorts’, on Wednesdays. These posts will develop and become the Ayurvedic resource I send to my paying subscribers, once I get into the swing of it, and there will be a serialised audio of my book ‘Your Peaceful Belly’ plus a monthly Q&A. As time goes by this will build into a really rich resource for anyone who wants to take care of their health with Ayurveda. It’s going to be a way of receiving my support if you can’t afford a consultation. I hope you enjoy what I share, and if you don’t, please tell me how I can improve. I really want to support you and am feeling into the best way to do this. You are in at the beginning of this journey with me, and as my ideas, and technical abilities, grow, I hope you will come to look forward to what I share.
The evening is drawing in now, chilled air and hushed neighbourhood as people get ready for the week, with whatever that will bring. But right here, right now, on this little piece of the planet, I’m focusing on the simple things. So that I can bring myself to the not so simple, in a good way, knowing that tomorrow is (always) another day.
Photo by Kranich – pixabay
Wishing you the warmest,
Lucy x
Beautiful Lucy. I had a garden overgrown with Oxalis for a while and got to making Oxalis salads, pestos etc. I love this approach - there is no such thing as a weed, just a plant that needs to find its purpose 😊 Good luck with launching your Ayurveda shorts series. There is so much wisdom there to share ❤
Best wishes with your launch of Ayurveda Shorts, Lucy. I recently shut down my remote Chinese Medicine herb/diet/lifestyle services as my partner and I prepare to move abroad in June. If anyone contacts me looking for holistic support, I'll let them know about your newsletter!