Finding the Beauty That Surrounds You
The hedgerows glow in tones of fire as the first light of the sun reaches them over the hills. The ground is covered in glistening drops of dew and sleepy birds occasionally chirp. It’s not the usual cool mornings of September, the warm air meets me as I climb from the valley, like a leaving an air conditioned shop in Greece and going out into the heat of the day. The sky is illuminated in pinks and reds and billowing clouds reflect the colours, creating a blanket of light in the sky.
I feel like there is always some form of pressure as a walker, especially on social media, to go to grand places of towering mountains and “epic” views. I am not saying I don’t enjoy doing those things too but there is so much beauty and wonder to be found all around. I guess it sounds a bit cliche but I do also think it’s true!
My daily morning walks with Floss always amazing me, the colours of the sky, the branches laden with berries and the turning leaves. I suppose this time of year is especially magical, with all the colours. So I thought I’d share some of what I see on my morning dog walks and I hope it inspires you to notice all the magic you can find where-ever you go in nature.
I realise I live in the countryside, so maybe I have an unfair advantage. But then again I have also lived in Edinburgh and there I found a beautiful, wild park on the outskirts of the city. It was covered in thickets of brambles and trees teeming with birdlife. So even if you feel like you don’t have any wild spaces surrounding you, there will be little snippets of it, if you take a little time to look :)
a fern leaf illuminated in the evening light
hawthorn berries in the morning sun
I often find beauty in light. Light is what inspires me in most of my photography and film. Light conditions can change an ordinary scene into something quite extraordinary and sublime. There haven’t been many sunny days where I live since June and I’ve missed the usual golden mornings of September. But then again the rain does make the odd clear day feel all the more special and appreciated. Next time you have a sunny day try and wake up early to see the first light. Notice how the light soaks through branches and leaves or even how it moves between blades of grass. If you have dew it’s all the better as the drops of water shimmer in the sun.
autumn morning light
how delicate a feather is
