Wheeeeeee! There it goes! The mouse soars into the air, catapulted by the delicate white cat’s paw. As it hovers in mid-air before its descent to earth, the cat’s ears prick to one side and she jumps, flipping the poor dead creature onto the mat before pouncing, grabbing it in her mouth and tossing it into the air once more. The mouse — or perhaps, looking more closely, a vole, judging by the size of it — was thankfully long dead before she began cavorting with her breakfast.

(Inspired by a conversation between Julia Ferenbacher and James Crews) This is enough: birds singing, frogs croaking, little grebes skittering across the pond, wind chimes tinkling in the breeze. Yes, the breeze soft against my skin, is enough. As is the smell of freshly cut hay, the nodding heads of flowers shyly opening to this new day. They sway in the gentle wind which wraps around us, as we reach out our needy arms for comfort and recognition, as it whispers, this is en

I have permission to be lazy, to be late, to be untidy; not thoughtless, but not bound to please everyone all the time either. I have permission to cross things off my to-do list without doing them, perhaps tear up the list entirely, so I can luxuriate in some creativity: painting, pottering, writing this blog whilst the lunch time washing up languishes in the sink! I have permission not to wash my hair; to wear a hat instead. To forgo making the bed, to allow things to slide

Dandelions & Chamomile Together Maybe today is the day I can sink into the March sunshine, letting warmth seep through after a tempest-laden, rain-drenched, whirlwind start to the year. A time that caused more damage than the wild fires of summer, that once again brought misery to the central part of Portugal as thousands languished without electricity and water for days leading into weeks. Maybe today is the day February’s record rainfall—highest in forty-seven years—can qui

I touch the frost with my bare hands as I open the gate. It’s beautiful. The icy crystals sparkle in the weak early morning sunlight and...

A full pond after the rain... I hear it gently patter on the roof and my lips cannot help but lift at the corners, a hesitant, tentative...

Photo by Matt Dodd on Unsplash “Come along my little love, time for a pee,” I say as I stand outside in the cold, crisp, night air. ...

It is no small thing to trust the tiny things in life. How many times have you heard me say that! I might sound like a broken record, but...

Here is an excerpt from my latest book. Click here to have a preview. If anyone locally would like a copy but doesn't want the hassle of...

I am beyond excited to report that I have just compiled a beautiful photo book of the Alentejo countryside accompanied by blogs I've...

I am saving my love for the green spikes of grass pushing up through the barren earth after autumnal rain. I don’t want to step on a...

Dog snoring in sunrise’s early glow. Same coloured cat curled within her legs and snuggled into her softness, who could have ever...

The world is too much with us; late and soon, Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;— Little we see in Nature that is ours;“...

This story began many generations ago in Shropshire. It began with farming genes in the blood. It began with a connection to trees and...

Here I am watching spring meld into summer. Grass burnt from green to gold, pastures waving their frond like blades in the summer breeze...

It could be hot buttered toast piled high with butter and damson jam...

Giving in to this moment, I stop trying to hijack every tick of the clock. Instead, I give in to being a tortoise rather than a hare;...

I write because it eases my mind. All those pesky thoughts rushing around my head creating confusion and discombobulating my day pour...

The house didn’t get cleaned because I took all the time I needed to relish the crisp morning air as I walked the dogs. Then I stopped to...

It could be Zara’s big nose resting on my knee in the early morning, which makes me aware of her liquid brown eyes telling me it’s time...