A Year with the Covid Virus
My first walking excursions see’s me leaving the church at Carleton. A footpath allows me to cross the fields to reach the river. Nettles and docks abound, an harmonious arrangement. Whilst the nettles may sting you, the yellow dock can abate that sting. The smell of pineapple lifts from crushed mayweed. Once across the river a convenient bench offers a welcoming place to sit and watch.
Beneath the water a pike seeks its prey, avoiding a plastic bottle. Whilst a heron watches as a swan passes. Nature offers its balm, whilst science offers a vaccine. Tranquility.
My battle with WordPress today was successful after a fashion, thank you to all who sent me tips on how to succeed at manipulating WordPress photos.
This Post Has 26 Comments
What a lovely picture of being at peace with the world
Thank you Neil, If only we could bottle it and give it as a vaccine
Tranquil is the word. Thanks for the peaceful read Michael.
Thank you Iain, spring always fills me with hope.
Dear Michael,
Let’s hope it’s tranquility ahead. Peaceful, atmospheric writing.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Most of us need a little tranquility at some point. It is certainly harder to find during pandemics
Very tranquil interlude reading this, Michael.
I am pleased to hear that Sandra.
Sad that humans have destroyed nature e.g. plastic bottles in rivers & water-bodies.
I love the smell of pineapple and to be a part of tranquil nature.
Anita, I included the plastic bottle as a metaphor for the virus. Natures tranquility is important to me…
Wonderfully descriptive Michael, I’d happily sit there.
My story!
Thank you Keith. It is a very quiet spot, including a small island, covered in dense vegetation
This is beautiful, Michael. I didn’t know yellow dock could alleviate stinging nettles 🙂
Linda, my story this week was a heavily abbreviated version of a walk I undertook in the first week of the first lockdown in England, I meant to remove the word ‘yellow’. Children in my younger days spat on a dock leaf and rubbed the leaf over nettle rashes. However Calamine lotion worked better. Going back to yellow dock, it has quite a few ‘topical’ uses
I like your connection with nature and the peace you’re feeling at being able to walk out and about again.
Jade, walking is a must for me. I see the effects of nature in the most obscure places. Sadly often downgraded by carelessly abandoned litter. Both myself and my trusty dog often have to remove plastic bottles etc.
You create such a beautiful and peaceful scene, Michael.
I like the juxtaposition of nature producing its balm and science the vaccine.
We need both.
We do need both. It is fortunate that a vaccine was developed quickly
Nailed it! Love the imagery of the plastic bottle too.
Thank you Tom, I believe that humanity uses far to much plastic… I am old enough to remember food being dispensed in paper, ‘often reused paper’. Also getting milk straight from the churn, and beer from a wooden barrel into a personal tankard. Happy days.
Ah, Michael, lovely! Here’s to finding tranquility wherever we can, however we can, in what moments we can. For it will make us all the richer, whatever comes our way along the path of life.
Thank you Na’ama, It seems to me that it is getting harder for many to contact with nature.
Your traffic-light identification grid always makes me tense in case I miss one frame!
In my view nature does not let you down if you watch carefully
What a lovely pastoral piece, Michael. I felt the tranquility you drew us to. I hope there is calm around the corner. I fear there may be just another kind of crazy.
True, ‘crazy’ like the marine life having to avoid plastic particles