Take a deep breath; we are in orbit. I like to remind myself of this from time to time. The planet continues to spin serenely around our nearest star, which is one of billions in the Milky Way galaxy.
Down here on Earth, we are naturally concerned about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and there is a lot of anxiety in the air. Staying connected to nature is as vital as ever, since time spent in contact with the natural world supports our mental health and also boosts our immune systems. And yet with a lockdown in place, many people have limited opportunities to engage with the wild world.
Fear not. Here are a few tips for bringing more wildness into our lives. These tried and tested techniques can be used in town or country, on a short walk or even from a window, and they can take less than a minute (or all day if you’re in the mood). You can do them alone or as games with your family. They may seem deceptively simple, but perhaps that’s because humans are hardwired for this stuff!
So here we go:
Signs of Life
Look out the window. What can you see that’s alive? If there’s a thriving garden, what draws your attention the most? If it is a really built-up area, can you spot moss in the cracks, lichens on the rooftops, a street tree, pigeons flying overhead? Life springs up in surprising places. Make it into a game to find and enjoy as much life as possible.
Skywatching
Find a patch of sky. If there are clouds, notice their shapes and the direction they are drifting in. Follow one for a while. If it is overcast and seems gloomy, consider that the fact we can see anything at all is because there is a star 93 million miles away that is so powerful that it can light up the whole sky, even through a layer of water vapour! See if you can learn to predict the weather based on what the clouds are doing.
Night Sky
Do the same at night. Can you see the Moon or any stars? If you can see stars you might try and learn a constellation or two. Or simply enjoy them without naming them. You are looking at other suns! How wild does it get?! Look for the planet Venus, which at the time of writing blazes bright in the west on clear evenings. If you can see the Moon, notice the phase it’s in, and see if you can track its path and phase on consecutive nights.
Bird Song
Birdsong is good for us! You don’t need to know what birds you are listening to. Enjoyment is the key. How many different songs or calls can you hear? Are they coming from up high or low down? Do you hear more at certain times of day? If you want to learn who’s who, that’s great fun as well and there are some good resources to help you do that. The key thing is to pay attention, soak it in and savour these fantastic sounds.
I’ll be back with more nature connection tips in Part 2, and in the mean time feel free to drop me a line and let me know how you get on.
Stay well and stay wild!
Dan
