I highly recommend a long walk with the dogs for de-stressing and general soothing the soul. I would also recommend however, that you remember when a blister formed the day before, in the walking boots that you put on the day after. A minor incidence in the scheme of the things, but a sharp reminder that one’s actions always have consequences.

I wandered out of the back gate of the barn, climbed a mighty huge style – one of those ones that you just know a farmer has put up because he doesn’t want you to go across his land….. and proceeded across a field towards a wonderfully ancient, working apple orchard. Before I could climb yet another huge style I had a different type of barrier in my way – an electric fence, high enough to clamber carefully under if you are the size of a pixie. I managed, just, but failed to clock the rather large cow pats that were placed just so……….. must remember them on the way back.

Having finally managed to enter the orchard, I meandered through the apple trees, imbibing the soft sounds of bees busily at work, the rustling of the stinging nettles as the dogs dived into them, to see what was on the other side of the clumps and the gentle sound of a stream as it skipped merrily to the side of me. Then of course there was the huge splashes as the dogs – spaniels – threw themselves with total abandon into the water and galloped around with much joyous pleasure.

I pondered on the beauty of my surroundings; the new trees intermingled with the old knarled ones, all bearing vast amounts of apples – an analogy maybe for a community, the old wise trees resting amongst the young, wild ones, with weeds that need to be discarded, threatening to choke the unwary. The sheer perfection of wild flowers peering through every now and again in a place you would least expect it. Then there are the major events – stumbling across a pond, festooned with bulrushes and lilies with divinely coloured dragon flies darting through the softly wind blown reeds - perhaps a wedding where love is being proclaimed to all. The bee man tending to the small collection of hives that hummed busily as I passed – maybe the tenacity of working hard and achieving a gaol. Then, for me, the most momentous event of all – an Oak tree.

The Oak tree took my breath away, I stood in wonderment at the sheer beauty that I had stumbled upon. It stood in a clearing at the edge of the orchard, the stream burbled behind it, a Silver Birch wisped it’s tendrils in a gently lethargic manner just past it, while the Oak itself was festooned with acorns on every branch, by every leaf. Each acorn was perfectly formed even those that were smaller, more vulnerable than the others. The leaves protected all that it hoved and gave hope for the future – new growth, new life.

I reluctantly left the tree to return back to the Barn, I retraced my steps, lest I do my getting lost trick. Although strangely I never do seem to become lost on my walks, I gain more than I start with – always. I did however go under the electric fence at the same place and played chicken with the cow pats as before – when will I learn that there are easier ways to do things ie I could have walked out of the orchard onto the country track, instead I chose the most difficult way……………….. I will return to that Oak by whatever means.