At the end of the day - a brisk day that started with frost, but was not bitter, a day of baby-blue skies and sunshine, nary a cloud in sight - Ian said, 'Well, if you didn't enjoy a day in the woods on a day like today, there's nothing I can do for you!'
He was right.
And it was good timing for me as the night before I had attended on Zoom a talk about woods, in which Peter Wohlleben was one of the speakers. He's the guy who wrote The Hidden Life of Trees? He's a forester and his wife kept on plaguing him to write a book. He did and no-one thought it would sell well, even the publishers, but it became a bestseller. Now he runs a Forest Academy.
In part of the talk, Peter said that researchers have found evidence of tree consciousness, tree sentience! Now, come on, hasn't the Crone claimed this in the past? Three cheers for the Crone. Here's an article with some of the story...
I mentioned this at lunchtime in the wood... only to recall that I had just been sawing the arms off trees. Not good. Three boos for the Crone.
I didn't just torture trees. We moved fallen branches from the tracks and explored the reserve, oddly called Glapthorne Cow Pastures. I climbed up a hunter's viewing chair (they shoot the deer.... yes, I know) and enjoyed a new perspective.
I squatted down in the leaf litter for another.
We - I was in 'the exploratory group' (of course) tasked with checking round the reserve for overgrown paths, along with Steve and Di (who shared her lunch with me as mine was in the fridge at home) - found a Tree of Apollo.
Why Tree of Apollo? Because of the LYRE!!!
The Apollo Tree was home to a fungal tree.
Indeed, a person that did not enjoy a day in the woods on a day like this would be beyond hope.
I'm about half way through Finding The Mother Tree (ebook from my library!) Goes along with your post! https://www.ubyssey.ca/culture/Book-review-finding-the-mother-tree/