I think I’ve mentioned somewhere before that when I’m not crocheting, you’ll find me sat in the conservatory with a cuppa, probably with a biscuit or 3, watching the birds in the garden.  Since I’ve stopped teaching full time, one of my aims has been to get out for an early morning walk a couple of times a week.  Left to mine own devices, I would quite happily sit and crochet all day, and what I’ve also discovered is that my Fitbit will count my crocheting as steps!  So at the end of the day I feel pretty smug that I’ve been able to crochet a complete scarf and hit my 10,000 target!  Fearing that this is a slippery slope to turning into a crazy crochet woman (some might say it’s too late), I now set my alarm early doors, get my walking boots on, and off I go.

I live in the middle of town but am lucky enough to be very close to the river and a local nature reserve, and this is one of my favourite routes for my early morning walk.  The first part of my walk takes me through the church yard behind our house, which at the moment is showing off a glorious display of crocuses.

First thing in the morning is also a good time for some nature spotting and on this particular morning I spotted a few squirrels going about their business (they always look so busy!) and I could hear a Thrush belting out her favourite tune.  There was a flock of Goldfinches in the tree tweetering away (not sure that’s a real word but it’s the best way to describe the sound they were making) and I also got up quite close to a Redwing who was eating some berries from a nearby tree.  From here, I walk through the nature reserve which brings me to the river.  There are parts of the river that are pretty grim; shopping trolleys and a fair amount of litter take the beauty out of it somewhat, but on this morning, in the place I was stood for a few minutes, it looked very beautiful to me.

The trees are still bare which reminds me that it is still only winter, despite me being out without a coat!  I follow the river for a little while and then cut through a housing estate.  This might seem quite boring for a nature walk, but I love a good nose into other people’s windows, especially when they are eating their breakfast!  (for the record, the majority of people were eating cereal with only a few having toast).  

From here, I walk through the park which displays another patch of crocuses, and then on into town.  I pass two primary schools on the way home which brings a mixture of feelings.  On one hand, I have very fond memories of my time in school and as I glanced at my watch when I walked past, I felt pretty confident I knew what each teacher would be doing at this time in the morning, but also with a feeling that “I’d done my time,’ in the nicest possible way.

Luckily for me, The Secret Crocheter has been a busy little bee of late, with an increasing amount of workshops, and newbies wanting to learn how to crochet, as well as planning exciting things like markets, birthday parties and crochet holidays, not to mention the building of The Crochet Cabin.  Sometimes it can feel a tad overwhelming, so taking the time out for this walk in the morning isn’t just about getting off my lazy ass, it’s about taking some time out to clear my head and be mindful of my surroundings and the beauty that lies within it, because it is there if you look carefully.