Sue Belfrage - Down to the River and Up to the Trees - Discover the hidden nature on your doorstep

Thorsons

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London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk

First published by Thorsons 2017

FIRST EDITION

Text and illustrations © Sue Belfrage 2017

The poem ‘Night Blanket’ first published in Mslexia magazine in 2016

Cover design Micaela Alcaino © HarperCollins Publishers 2017

A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library

Sue Belfrage asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

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Find out about HarperCollins and the environment at www.harpercollins.co.uk/green

Source ISBN: 9780008255268

Ebook Edition © June 2017 ISBN: 9780008255275

Version 2017-05-24

To Matt, man of the woods

To see a World in a Grain of Sand

And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,

Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand

And Eternity in an hour.

WILLIAM BLAKE (1757–1827), ‘Auguries of Innocence’

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Epigraph

Introduction

— Earth —

Being Here

A Map of Smells

Good Enough to Eat

Wild Rosehip Soup

Hedgerow Jam

Mushroom Mayhem

Grow Your Own

Worm Wizardry

Sounds True

Litter Bug

Hunting – With a Camera

Natural Patterns

Rock Art

Earthworks

Wild Grass Cord

Pressing Matters

Walk the Land

The Wonder of Weeds

Colour Quest

— Sky —

From Dawn till Dusk

Sun Printing

Blue Sky Mind

Cloud Factory

Pine Cones and Seaweed

Let It Rain

Rainbow’s End

Fog Blanket

A Halo of Ice

Waxing or Waning?

Earthshine

Moon Walk

Dream Diary

The Steadfast Star

Shooting Stars

Turn to Face the Wind

Go Fly a Kite

Storm Watching

Spider Flight

— Water —

Go Fishing – Without a Rod

Skimming Stones

Dowsing

Take a Dip

As Nature Intended

Row a Boat

A Tribute to Tributaries

Wending Rivers

Snake in the Grass

The Toad’s Hidden Jewel

Pond Life

Going Underground

Wishing Well

The Sea, the Sea

Crabbing

The Simplicity of Shells

Drip or Dribble Castles

Rock Pooling

— Wood —

Shinrin-yoku, or Forest Bathing

Climb a Tree

Whistle in the Woods

Elderflower Magic

Welcome to the Insect Hotel

Carve Your Own Spoon

Catch a Falling Leaf

Conkers

Colour Wheel

Hedging Your Bets

Acorn Coffee

Stripping the Willow

Barking

Swing Time

How to Wield an Axe

Stumped

Around the Fire

— Feather —

Feather Light

Write Like Shakespeare

Wake Up with the Dawn Chorus

Bird Language

Make Your Own Bird Feeder

Pecking Orders

You’re on the List

DIY Nest Box

A Song of Your Own

A Mischief of Magpies

Living the High Life

Great Bird Spectacles

Birds of a Feather

The Inner Compass

Birds of Prey

Lark or Owl?

Eavesdropping on Skylarks

Pellet Power

— Fur —

Train Spotting

Wild Visitors

Invite the Neighbours to Dinner

Making Tracks

Create an Animal Highway

Badger Watching

Nutting

Rabbits and Hares

Wild Indoors

How to Catch a Mouse

Well Groomed

The Art of Camouflage

Cows Together

Heaven Scent

Burrowing Down

Mole in a Hole

Pop! Goes the Weasel

Bats

Night Shift

In Conclusion – A Beginning …

Further Reading

Acknowledgements

About the Author

About the Publisher

First, a confession – I’ve never been to the Serengeti to marvel at lions. Nor have I witnessed a sunset in the Australian outback, or swum with brilliantly coloured fish over a coral reef. Yet I still remember one of the first times I saw a creature in the wild that made me gasp out loud.

I was sitting on the back of a motorbike at the time, riding pillion at 65 mph. And the creature that caught my eye was a buzzard, waddling across a field by the side of the road. It wasn’t soaring, swooping or doing anything particularly impressive. Most probably it was grubbing about for worms. But I was left buzzing at the thought that such a large bird of prey could exist, free to wander where it liked, within a couple of hours’ drive from London.

Today I live in the countryside and am surrounded by footpaths, green fields and woodland. And each time I step outside I’m struck again by the amazing variety of life – animals, insects, fungi and plants – that surrounds us.

But you don’t have to live in the countryside to experience that sense of wonder. Wherever your home and wherever you find yourself – suburb or seaside, tower block or terrace – you too are surrounded by living, breathing, growing beings, be they trees, bees or woodlice.

All the suggestions in this book are designed to help you create your own sense of connection with the natural world. If you’re drawn to this idea, you probably know intuitively that spending time in nature can be good for us. There’s a growing body of scientific evidence in support of nature’s many health benefits, from helping us destress and find calm, to strengthening the immune system and fighting disease, improving memory and creativity, and grounding ourselves in the present moment.

Most of the activities can be enjoyed at any time of year, although a few, such as nutting, are dependent on the seasons. Throughout this journal you’ll find plenty of inspirational quotes from great nature writers, and you’re invited to add to these by jotting down your own thoughts, ideas, sketches and observations in a notebook.

Other than being mindful of safety – for instance, when handling sharp tools – there are no firm rules. Be kind and give yourself permission to try things out, adapting them in whatever way suits you. Follow your instincts. Some of the ideas might be a better fit for you than others, or need a bit of adapting depending on the circumstances; nobody is going to judge you on the results.