Reasons to be cheerful I

Strange times, eh?

It's really easy to fall into a pit of despair, or to look around and feel very little hope as our travel options are reduced, our shops shut down, our bars and restaurants locked up, and our usual way of life disrupted for who knows how long.  If you're feeling glum about it all, I've been with you all the way, and like everybody else, I cannot wait for things to settle again.

Yet in amongst the madness of the past few weeks, the world has continued to turn.  Like most people, I spent today practicing "social distancing" from the rest of the population, mostly working hard in the garden.  Brits are by their nature liberty lovers, and nothing narks us more than being told we can't do something, but as we move into a difficult period, we all need to keep our sense of humour intact, and discover those simple things that bring us pleasure and fulfilment.  With that in mind, I'd like to tell you about a few of the things that have given me pleasure this weekend:

Number one - my fish are back!  After a six-month holiday, I finally brought my lovely fish back home.  I had to relocate them whilst the building works were going on, and whilst they spent their time in a temporary tank, I took the opportunity to thoroughly renovate their permanent home, installing a textured background, replacing the gravel with sand, and adding new décor and artificial plants.  It sounds funny, but our home felt different after they'd gone, and it's very lovely to have them back - watching them explore their new home has mesmerised me today.

Number two - Spring has sprung!  March is always the time when I work the hardest in the garden, clearing the winter damage (which has been bad this year), repotting, taking stock and planning for the warm months to come.  But in amongst the hard work, today I was able to turn my head upwards to the sunny sky, feel the warmth on my face, and smile.  Nature, as if oblivious to news around the world, continues to simply get on with it - there are tiny tadpoles wriggling their way around the pond; cowslips and oxslips showing off their bright yellow flowers; and my favourite thing about March, these snake's head fritilleries, which seem to come up every year.  And amongst them, the bees are getting busy, the birds and chirping away, all the beautiful aspects of life continue, which has to be enormous compensation.

Number three - country walks are free.  The bridleway to Coffinswell lies only a short walk through the woods, and after a day's gardening, provides an uplifting way to see in the evening.  I love this walk, particularly when the path bears slightly to the left, and the rolling Devonshire hills begin to obscure the houses and roads so that you feel truly in the country.  The sun setting over the moors to the west is a spectacle that never gets boring - the fact that we can walk there from the front door is a pleasure worth savouring.  Kudos to Lizzie for this pic.

Number four - fake flowers.  I bought these a couple of weeks ago to brighten up the north-facing kitchen windowsill, where previous live plants have failed.  I know they're fake, but they still excite me, as they represent many of my favourite flowers - poppies of course, but also love-in-a-mist, echinacea and hellebores.  To top it all off, I've finally found a proper use for those vintage French milk bottles I bought ten years ago.

So there's a few nice things that have got me through this weekend and helped me to appreciate what I have around me.  Life is strange at the moment, but it doesn't have to be bleak - so why not spend a few minutes thinking about some of the things that bring you joy and pleasure?