I grew up by the sea, I valued wide expansive space, salty air and the curlew’s call. The wash and suck of the waves over rock and seeing the sun paint the sky with pink, purple, crimson and orange at twilight. I wanted to be windswept, sand blasted and to live within earshot of the ocean’s roar.

But life has a funny way of taking its own path and if we trust in the universe, a way of providing exactly what we might need. I live in the forest now, a small white house guarded by pine, ash, larch, willow, hawthorn, sycamore and newly planted blackthorns and oaks. A long desired cherry tree stands as a sentinel at my gate. I swapped sand and shells for a carpet of ivy, pine needles, cones and season toned leaves.

I spend alot of time in my mud encrusted hiking boots, turning slow circles to take in the green embrace to the sound of birdsong or watching the moon pass over from a silver sliver to her round shimmering fullness silhouetting triangular pines.

The sea taught me about space and freedom, how to soothe my busy mind and to feel the rhythms of ebb & flow. When I opened the door to my new home, I had no idea I had yet to learn so much from the forest too.

Here’s what the forest has taught me so far…

1. Every morning, the dogs and I walk around the edges of our little plot of land and facing a new day, I am reminded that not much of what we worry about really matters. The important things are quality of life - nature, space, clean air, fresh water, safety, a sense of belonging

2. There is no lush deep green beauty without rain

3. Don’t rush into cutting down or bulldozing through anything. Sit back, watch, learn, take time before taking action

4. The phrase “what doesn’t grow dies” is no longer something I want to subscribe to. Nature hibernates in winter, it dies off so that it can flourish again, energised in Spring

5. Even on the darkest of days, there is beauty just outside your window, waiting

6. “Weeds” are plants growing freely - learn about what is at your feet first

7. Rats like the woods, I like the woods. We already have more things in common that we first appear to. We don’t have to like each other to coexist peacefully

8. The best place to solve your problems and confusion is somewhere none of it really matters

9. Time moves slowly, we are just too busy running to notice

10. Just as Winter turned into Spring, my heart ache has eased and changed too. All things shall pass

11. Chop wood now to prepare for next Winter

12. Plant trees, it’s life affirming - I’ve planted over 60 trees already, another 150 to go by the end of March. “To garden is to believe in tomorrow”

13. The best alarm clock is light curtains and birdsong

14. The summer time midges are excessive at dawn and dusk, sometimes it’s best to know when to quit, there are certain battles you won’t win

15. Things don’t all have to be done right now - you’ve got time, choose what is priority, choose what you enjoy the most and start there

16. No matter how lonely you may feel, you are never alone. Tracks over banks and ditches, burrows and markings, there are lots of signs of life right beside you, you just have be open to seeing

17. Life is short, make the most of your time. I found the dead body of the kestral on the road, I’d be quietly watching it for a few weeks. I had the honour of watching the beauty atop a pole by the barn as I hunched low in the undergrowth careful not to make a sound. Of seeing it hover and dive, devouring a kill . I placed the soft feathered remains carefully on the ditch as I drove by to work. A single toothmark between the shoulder blades. I went back to bury this majestic bird later and there was no trace. Taken by another for sustainence.

18. Seek shelter under the trees in heavy rain, be patient, it will pass

19. The wettest parts of the forest are best tackled in wellies - knowing where the boggy sections are means you can prepare in advance with the right gear

20. Wander off the beaten track often, it’s more of an adventure

21. Carving out a new path means pushing through briars, crawling over muddy banks and under fallen trees, but the next time you follow your newly walked track, it will be easier

22. Seek solace where your spirit soars high

23. It’s wise to have secret places that no one else knows about, hold something back just for you

24. Some creatures like midges are annoying and bothersome, they don’t like smoke, so light a campfire!

25. Find something every day that makes you say “Wow"! Life is always better lived with a little wonder and awe

Thank you for reading,

Maeve x