Recycling

The yoga class this morning was very enjoyable as we were concentrating on holding our postures for a little longer than usual, allowing a longer pause between breaths. Somehow you could feel the whole class relaxing and our tutor suggested that this was probably a good technique for calming yourself down when stressed, impatient or tense....not holding strange postures, of course, but the breathing technique!

This afternoon I had another good walk with the dogs although I had to wear two fleeces, hat and gloves today as the wind was keen and chilly. Feeling fairly relaxed and contemplative following the yoga I ventured into the older part of the woodland where it was totally quiet, except for the occasional cracking of twigs and branches as the dogs enjoyed gambolling around. In one part of this wood everything is beige and dismal due to the heavy covering of old pine needles and the density of the pine trees. Nothing is growing in the tree litter at all as very little light or rain is able to penetrate the tree canopy. On the perimeter of this area, however, the woodland opens up a little, more daylight penetrates and the floor is much lusher. Old tree stumps, dead branches long since fallen to the ground are littered everywhere accompanied by discarded pine needles and pine cones- some of which have been chewed down to the husk by squirrels. However, although many are now soft with decay they are covered in varying stages and types of moss, which themselves are sprouting healthy new shoots. The ground is soft and pliable to walk on and I would love to know how many insects and tiny animals have found new homes and plentiful food stores in this haven. The whole atmosphere here is one of hope and regeneration in the place of the decaying timber, thanks to the penetration of light and rain water.

I stopped for quite a while taking photos of different aspects of the forest floor and both Cara and Bruce were quite happy to potter about, the same feeling of calm affecting them too. I eventually chose this as my blip today because instead of actively getting in my way and becoming impatient as I hovered to take photos, which is normally the case, Cara happily settled herself comfortably in amongst the moss covered debris, one leg over an old branch, contentedly chewing on a piece of moss covered stick and leaving lots of little bits of wood strewn about for some smaller animal to make use of. The image seemed to encapsulate the whole scene for me.