I’ve been away from my laptop for a while. If you follow me on Instagram you will have seen some of our 30 Days Wild pictures. I meant to blog about our adventures each week but I think the enormity of recent events just took it out of me…

We cast off the first day of June with a bit of Dancing in the Rain! I carried him outside and oh how good it felt to enjoy the freedom of being outdoors and to see his lovely legs again.

 

After the constrictions of cast life, taking part in the Wildlife Trusts’ 30 Days wild challenge felt like the perfect start to getting back to ‘normal’. We were seeing the world again through new eyes. A new appreciation for the little things.

We began by exploring our garden again. We watched the peas that he so carefully watered in his cast, flower and grow around his den and then we harvested our first home grown food!

 

Learning to crawl again on the lawn helped us get up close to insects and see things from a different angle. We encouraged wildlife into our garden by making a bug hotel from bamboo and leaves and creating a safe place for bees and other insects to drink. We also have an area of long grass and weeds on our lawn which has attracted a lot of insects. Not being able to run about meant that we could slow down and just watch a garden chafer make his way slowly up and over each blade of grass…

(Have a look at the Goodreads section below to see some of the books we have been reading).

       

We brought a little magic into our days. Can you spot the Ferny King? I needed to clear a path that was overgrown with ferns so we made a crown using card and double sided tape. I, of course, was his trusty steed and there was much galloping about the garden and tales of knights and castle play.

And this little summer speedwell fellow came to say hello.

We returned to our favourite spot at our community woodland and he took his first steps outside ‘our’ roundhouse. The journey to walking again has been harder than I expected -there was no count down like there was when he was in the cast. The not-knowing when/if it would happen was tough and we had to take it one day at a time. But he got there! It’s been like witnessing his ‘firsts’ all over again and his cries of ‘Mummy I’m doing it!’ have been heart melting.

 

 

We enjoyed the freedom of being able to explore at forest school without me having to hold him in at some funny angle to allow him to join in! And not having to worry about getting water on the cast whilst pond dipping.

Spending slow, sunny afternoons in the garden. Cloud watching, eating strawberries he’d picked and sharing favourite childhood books.

 

We celebrated midsummer by making natural garlands with his Granny and sharing a sunshine meal together. I had a lot to be thankful for.

      

And, of course, the beach.

Endlessly exploring. Fascinated by rockpools. Making discoveries.

  

The smooth sand perfect for practising those steps.  That salty sea air, sunshine on our skin and the healing sounds of the waves.

 

 

Free as a bird…

Nature is my connection. Connection to my son and to my family and friends. Connection to the rest of the world and to our ancestors who walked this Earth before us. Nature connects me to the son I hold in my heart. Poppies remind me of him.

We loved going 30 Days Wild with the Wildlife Trusts! Nature is part of our every day but we’ve enjoyed  taking the time to really stop and notice (and document) the world around us. We have both learnt so much about insects, plants, clouds, sea life and how to help our wildlife and environment. It’s also been lovely to be part of an online community of like-minded people. We are looking forward to joining in next year. In the meantime we are going to #staywild. For more information on the initiative please take a look at www.wildlifetrusts.org

It is my hope that by experiencing nature and the joys of wild days in his childhood, my son (and his generation) will love wildlife and respect the natural world. I hope he continues to see the good as he grows and that he will want to be the good. We enjoyed leaving this message for other beach-goers.

And this is me and my son, walking together in June.