By Rebecca Chapman
The cold, biting wind hit me as I stepped out of the house to go to work this morning. We were lulled into a false sense of security with the brief spell of warmer weather in September, but now the nights are drawing in fast and the squally wind and rain we have had this week is a sure indication that Autumn is here, and Winter is not far behind it.
I am not a great fan of the colder weather, despite being born in January! My husband will tell you that I often sit on the sofa of an evening at this time of year with a blanket pulled up to my nose, despite the heating being on! I prefer the warmer seasons when we see the new growth of plants in the Spring and the sunnier days and bright colours of Summer. The sunshine always lifts my spirits and makes me feel more alive!
I have always lived in the countryside (except for the 3 years I spent in East London completing my degree) and so have been close to nature and its beautiful transformations during the changing seasons. I love to hear the birds singing and see the amazing variety of wild flowers and animals as I am out walking my dog ……. and I am a real sucker for a bright blue sky with big fluffy, ‘cotton wool’ clouds. But I do feel that I often taken these things for granted in my busy life and have not appreciated how lucky I am to experience such things.
The first time I remember really noticing how beautiful nature is and the changes in the seasons, was when my Dad drove me back from University for a weekend. It was October (as it is now) and the myriad of vivid colours of the leaves on the trees as we drove through Great Yeldham really hit me and made me take a closer look at my surroundings. It was certainly a stark contrast to living in Whitechapel, where my nearest sanctuary for nature was good old Victoria Park!
During lockdown I have taken up running in the mountains of New Zealand in the snow and cycling through the Fjords in Norway during the springtime……’How is that?’ I hear you ask………the power of virtual video on YouTube is a great way to immerse yourself in beautiful scenery and nature whilst trying to distract yourself from the not so enjoyable task in hand (ie keeping fit!!).
God has created such an amazing array of ever-changing plants, animals and insects for us to experience and enjoy. No matter what season is upon us there is always something new to discover if we take the time to explore and appreciate what he has created.
(Photos all available on Unsplash)
