Today is all about air!
For a long time, I have struggled with an idea; a wish to write something about the wind which this year seems to have been constantly rushing across this island. So many times I have been in the garden and found myself thinking that I live by the coast! I wish! What I’m hearing are the oak trees in neighbouring gardens, their green boughs rising and falling as the air moves through them. Then, when the wind drops, the only sounds are a mixture of birdsongs, mostly Blackbird and the cooing of Woodpigeon.
Aerial displays –
Swallow silhouettes,
High in the sky!
Looking up, the sky is streaked with long, thin trails of cloud that are being pushed up from the south-west. It is there, high in the sky that the Swallows are feeding. Their view of the world, I almost said “our” world, but of course, it is not, it is their world too, must be so different from ours! How thrilling it must be to have that amount of power and energy in the muscles of one’s body! I suppose the closest we could get to their physical gyrations would be as a pilot in the Red Arrows!
Aerial displays
Around the oak trees –
House Martins feeding!
As the wind drops, the movement of Atlantic air slows to a gentler pace, and I watch the House Martins circling and criss-crossing around and under the oak trees. A very different display! I think of how we take for granted the air that we breathe, it is only in our lungs for a short time and yet it gives us life.
Air!
Vital for our lungs,
Enabling us to breathe!
Air!
Unseen,
It dances all around us.
Air, we cannot own,
Without, we cannot exist!
Air! The greatest gift!
I’m reading Jim Crumley’s latest book The Nature of Summer and he has just quoted something that John Muir wrote: “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe”.
https://masashimono.wordpress.com/2020/06/26/swallow-silhouettes/
https://masashimono.wordpress.com/2020/06/26/house-martin/
https://saraband.net/contributor/jim-crumley/
https://vault.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/life/muir_biography.aspx
A Different View 
A mental breeze. Lovely photo and post with an air of its own.
Dear Marina, thank you! We have had an awful lot of rain recently so it was lovely just to sit in the garden.
A beautiful piece of writing and photo.
Thank you for your kind comments. During this pandemic, my writing has been “close to home” and so like most people, I look forward to going a bit further in the not too distant future.
On the table is your hat that reminds me of the “Lady in yellow” 🙂
a very interesting post!
Hi, have a nice Sunday
You will have to enlighten me! There are 2 hats on the table, mine on the left, my wife’s on the right! Also, there are so many ladies in yellow; I need your help with that one too!
🙂 🙂 🙂
happy Sunday!
Hey Ash-tree, I agree with you; I think we take a lot of things for granted, that should be revered, such as the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the wild things in nature that we don’t even know exist. I try to appreciate everything around me. I, too, watch the birds, flying overhead, landing nearby, and interacting with other animals. Every morning I sit on my deck and just be quiet and observe what’s happening in front of me. It’s very soothing to hear the birds and insects. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Fraxinu-sama!
Hi there Ed. Everyone should have a period of time for contemplation, especially in a natural setting. Observing the small things in nature opens a window into the universe. During the time of this pandemic, the garden has been my way of touching the cosmos!
There a lot to like in this post, Ashley – the poems are so just right. And yes it’s worth reminding ourselves not to take the air we all breathe for granted. We are hastening the natural demise of our planet anyway, but if we all took more care and went at a slower pace and led more mindful lives maybe future generations would have that bit more time on earth.
I followed your links – I like Jim Crumley and Carrie Ackroyds illustrations anyway. And John Muir was such a pioneer.
I find myself challenged now on writing haiku or maybe some of my work could be considered hokku- I’ll think on!
A timely post – thanks.
Hello Clive, thanks for dropping by! I only “discovered” Jim Crumley’s books a few years ago when on holiday in Scotland; it was his “The Great Wood” that really caught my eye and since then….well, I do love good nature books! Yes, you should definitely look at trying hokku. It has been wet and windy here at 54oN and I suppose you have also been catching some of it too! Not like summer at all.
With your picture I feel like I’m going in your home, sweet home. Thank for your kind comment
Thank you Chinou! During the pandemic, we have not been able to go very far, and our garden has been our escape.
Ooh very nice!
Thank you.
Terrific piece. And I just love that photo.
Cheers, Josie! It’s not been like that for many days! Strong winds and rain all last week colouring this island in so many shades of green.
I make sure that the air in my garden is fresh and fragrant by planting thousands of plants and fruit trees. Although I am not far from our High Street, there is no pollution, and I and the wildlife here, we love to sit and contemplate the wonder of being alive and surrounded by nature.
Joanna
Joanna thank you for dropping by! You can see from the photo that our garden is very small. Deliberately so, as we become slower but wiser! Your garden sounds wonderful.
That’s a wonderful quote by Muir, and your words are no less wonderful! I love the sound of wind blowing through the leaves, and of course the sea of which we feel reminded. And how true that the world must be so different from up high from a bird’s view! 😀
Thank you Sarah for your lovely comments. It is wonderful to meet you here. We are on an outing today so hope to have some new ideas to write about, and possibly some artwork!
You’re very welcome! 😀 Hope you found heaps of ideas and inspiration!
Sarah, that is such a lovely comment, thank you!
You’re very welcome, Ashley!
Ashley,
I’m begging you if you don’t have Kate Bush’s Aerial album, go buy it !!
You will love 😉
All strong
Corinne
Corinne, Thank you, I will look it out and let you know. 😋
He vivido en una isla, Menorca, y allí sopla la Tramontana, un viento fuerte, enérgico que dobla a los árboles y los inclina hacia el suelo. Si te descuidas te tira a una también, pero me encantaba oírlo soplar estando en la cama cuando era pequeña. ¡Figúrate que lo echo de menos! Parecía el aullido de los lobos… La brisa es otra cosa. Gracias por tus versos, Un abrazo .
Uso Google Translate para escribir esto. Tienes razón. El viento nos refresca y nos da nuestro aliento. Doy gracias por el viento y el aire. También gracias por tu comentario. Un abrazo
Estimado Ashley, muchísimas gracias por el detalle tan bonito de contestarme en español. Thank you very much!!!
You are welcome 🙏💌