Pushing up the daisies

I walked to Buckhurst Hill this morning to have a hair cut. I took a detour on the way back, and spent twenty minutes or so wandering round the graveyard of St. John’s Church, the parish church on the High Road. It has a large graveyard on three sides, and right at the back is a wilderness area which is great for wildlife. 

I spent such a happy time there, being serenaded by a chaffinch as I wandered with my camera amongst the ivy-clad graves and in the small wooded area in the far corner. Squirrels were darting around the trees and amongst the gravestones, birds were flitting in and out of the bushes and it was so peaceful. I felt really blessed to have a little oasis of space and time to myself. I’ve done a collage in extras which shows one of the war memorials lining the lych gate, the church clock (which was showing the wrong time!) and some other views of the churchyard.

This afternoon I had a call back from the GP regarding my blood pressure readings, which had been on the high side last week. After I got back from my walk I had deliberately taken another reading before her call, and it was the lowest it has been for some time. My little nature therapy this morning obviously did me a lot of good!


The tramp poet W. H. Davies puts it better than I can:

What is this life if, full of care, 
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad day light,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.