CELEBRATING ONE YEAR OF 'LIFE AFTER WORK'

On this day, one year ago, I officially gave up full time employment and a professional role.  I still wake each morning counting my blessings and the year has fulfilled my dreams and more.  Yes, there are things I miss....  some of the people I worked with, the satisfaction and sense of achievement when things went well. Even the adrenalin rushes.  Because sometimes it was like being a drug addict without the drugs and the highs could be incredible. But the flip side was the pressure and intensity of the work. It could be stressful and the daily commute was a drudge. The down side is something I do not miss. Not at all.

Looking back to my post, one year ago, I could not have foreseen what lay ahead, and if I had I would have been truly excited. Probably even more than I already was!  I continue to run regular  book making workshops, which I love, and set up a fb page. And I became a member of a Design Team over at That Craft Place. There have been so many adventures and exciting happenings, too many to mention. So a huge, huge thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey.... believed in me... encouraged me.... and supported me.  Life after work has been everything I hoped it would be and so much more.

But one thing that has gone adrift is time visiting blogs... not because I have more important things to do (certainly not!) but recently I have been occupied by other things.  Things that put perspective on life, such as the sudden loss of a friend.  She was a great crafter and had a huge amount of materials.  I offered to help her family as I knew that others continuing to enjoy these things would make my friend happy as well as ease some of the worry for her family about what to do with it all. I am slowly recovering space and time and it has eased my own sense of loss, knowing that I have done the best I can in an awful situation.  And it has made me realise how much 'stuff' I have too, but I am not thinking about what will happen to mine one day.  No.  Life is for living fully and if you are thinking about big decisions and your dreams listen to your intuition and take calculated risks. I'm glad that I did. 
And I will be catching up on blog visits very soon! 

TREE FOLLOWING - July 2015

It's time to share this months photos and the change is much more noticeable this time of year.  First,

THE LONDON PLANE....

The ivy continues to wind it's way up the trunk, though there's not much growth from last month.

 

You can see where the ivy was cut down in the past.  I wonder if it will be there next month?

 

 



The difference in bark is something that attracted me to this tree.... 

Round the other side of the trunk the violets are resting after several months of flowering.  I thought I would find out more about these and I was surprised to learn that wild violets are often considered a weed and pest.  It seems they are prevalent throughout parts of Canada and US, and also grow in Australia and Europe. 

And while I welcome their purple flowers, some people find them troublesome when they grow in their lawns and they go to great lengths to eradicate them.  Perhaps they might look at them more kindly if they knew that the flowers and leaves are edible and that you can use the flowers to make jellies. They would look pretty in salads and frozen in ice cubes.

Note the ivy is starting to grow up the trunk here too....

 

Overhead the leaves are a lovely shade of green and there is lots of lichen on this side of the branches.

THE OAK

 

This tree stands further down the road and this month a cranesbill joined it for company.  I have never looked at a wild flower and thought of it as a weed, but rather, appreciated them for their beauty and what they have to offer.  Many make natural dyes or have other uses. In the case of the cranesbill, it apparently has medicinal qualities. I do not suggest you go ahead and try these remedies without seeking advice but it is sad that we have lost touch with what nature has to offer, and instead look on these plants as a nuisance or something to be got rid of.  And yet many people happily give space in their gardens to violets, pansies and geraniums. Pooh has the right idea:

"Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them"  -  A.A. Milne

Back in May the oak had it's own flowers which grow like catkins. 

Now there  are acorns growing.

 

The dead leaves still hold on and there is no sign of them coming off. Meanwhile the crop in the field is growing taller,

And new leaves continue to develop. I have never noticed before how they grow around a central point.

 

And nor have I noticed how these branches frame the view....

 

 

There is something different to see each month.... 

 

This post is part of a photography project inspired by Loose and Leafy.  If you missed earlier posts and would like to learn more please start here.   Thank you for popping by and I'd love to hear about any ways that you enjoy or use wild flowers.