This should be just a quick post to share a lovely experience. I had a day pottering around yesterday as my car was in the garage having the dent taken out of it that I’d caused by bouncing the car off a post in the car park where I used to live. I walked back home from the body shop after dropping it off, and explored some interesting independent shops in Bingley, just off the main road. Then as I went along, I walked past some allotments. I noticed some artichokes growing in an over grown part of the plot, next to a tree- which was either a hazel or a cob nut tree – and noticed some embryonic fruits forming! Yum. When I got home I baked some bread, made some butter (very easy if you have a blender or food mixer – not so easy if you don’t!) made some pastry and then a quiche and some egg muffins. I used some of the eggs that one of the people I work with brings me from his hens. I now have bread to last me the week and quiche and muffins to go with my daily salad for lunch for the next week or so. When I got my car back I went and did my shopping for the week- didn’t need much which was good.

Then before going home I went for a run along the Aire. The run felt easy for some reason – often I’ll tire about a mile into it but I think I could have even kept running for longer than I did yesterday. I started at the place I used to live. I parked there because there are three hours free parking. I also wanted to check to see if the Hobby falcons that nested there last year were back – they had used the mill chimney to raise a chick. I’d noticed them when I had my one window open, and heard their distinctive call to each other in flight – an eerie but wonderful sound. Rare birds that, like many creatures, can only hopefully survive, despite being at the mercy of human conceit. Unfortunately I could see no sign of the birds – who knows where they are or what happened on their migration? I hope they just found somewhere more suitable.

From there I dropped down to onto the canal, ran along towards Salts Mill, continued past it and Roberts’ Park, past three barges – one called the Sorceress. Nice name. Past the disused Saltaire Garden Centre (I would love to turn that into a real haven) which is opposite Hirst Wood and the wildlife project that is happening near the lock. I went further up until you come to the bridge and the slight smell of sewage from the sewage farm (humans really do stink don’t we?), and where the river Aire turns and runs underneath the canal. Here I turn back, down a little cut which takes me back, but along the banks of the river instead of the canal. I stopped for a little walk here. Then I started running again (at the bit that starts off down hill!) Although it was quite light still, once I was under the tree canopy it was actually fairly dark, a green-dark though which was cool and stilling. But also a reminder that dark and light are never too far away from one another, and even in the full flush of summer, growth and abundance, sometimes that abundance can be a barrier to the path of light.

Anyway – as I emerged from the thicket of green-dark, I stopped just before getting to a river bank tree with bare branches. At that exact moment in time I was lucky enough to witness a tiny dart of the most beautiful bright iridescent blue, fly from one of those branches right across the river to the other side. It landed in a leafy tree on the other side, then decided it obviously wasn’t quite far enough away from me and so took flight again, and in doing so flashed it’s bright orange underside to me as well. A sudden, sharp and fleetingly vibrant flash of colour. Only a few seconds, but my brain focussed on those seconds and I’m left with a brilliant memory. I wondered if these sorts of creatures inspired legends of fairies and pixies. You’d be forgiven for imagining some small magical creature had donned its best jacket or dress. But this is just the beauty of our natural world. We have magic all around us.

I’ve seen Kingfishers here before but not at all this year, so that is a very positive sighting. I hope many more will flourish and again not suffer too much because of the conceit of mankind.

I’ve no photos of the bird in question because he or she was far too small and quick – just the memory and I thought it was worth sharing. Photos posted here are from Google images.

I’ve met with another beautiful creature today – my friend Dragonfly. Again it wasn’t a long meeting, but I enjoyed it a lot. She has her own story which is hers alone to tell, but all I can say is she has emerged from it radiantly and long may this continue!

I’m now waiting for a visit from Holly if he has time and drinking some White Tips Teapigs tea. So refreshing! Until next time.

Tips:

1. If you are out running/walking – stop every now and again, lift your head up and take in what there is around you – you may come away with a lovely memory.
2. Try to see a kingfisher at least once in your life.
3. Be kind to creatures you may see as inconvenient. Try to think outside the box and find out something about them – everything has a purpose in nature even if it might be inconvenient to you. For example a wasp may sting you once in a while, but it does have a very real and needed role. No creature is more destructive, or poses as much threat to the future of life in general, as the human being – use that as you bench mark when assessing another life form.
4. Take a closer look at dragonflies this summer – they are a beautiful and enduring species.