Balm for the soul

After a long period when we haven’t left the house, either because it was too hot, or because we weren’t feeling up to it, we finally managed to go out for a walk this afternoon.

I had a couple of cards to deliver locally, the second of which was to a house opposite an entrance to our local woods, which are part of the ancient Epping Forest. For that reason we put on our walking boots for the first time in many weeks so that we could venture into the woods once our task was completed. We weren’t sure how muddy it would be underfoot after the recent cloudburst!

I would like to say that we spent some time practising the Japanese art of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, but in reality I was just practising my photography and struggling to remember what to do about all the settings, and having to be reminded by my husband! Our boots came back dry because the ground underfoot was fine, and the water level in the pond in the woods was still pretty low. It actually felt quite autumnal; there were plenty of ripe blackberries in the brambles, and every time the breeze got up there would be a fluttering of leaves falling on to the woodland floor.

We agreed that we both felt much better for getting out of the house and spending time in the natural world. It really was balm for our souls.

[One more photo in extras of a magnificent beech tree which wouldn't fit the collage because it's in portrait mode.]