I Wonder as I Wander

Do you love to wander through the woods? Do you let your mind wander as you do so? A walk in the woods is a walking meditation for me, giving me time to let my own thoughts wander, allowing my 'logical' brain to operate in background mode, while images, memories, stories and imaginings float through from the past and the present.

Welcome to the first post in this new blog, where I look forward to sharing with you some of the thoughts and images that I encounter and experience as I take my walks through the woods. Living in an area of England which has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, I am very fortunate to have both Forestry Commission and National Trust woodland within walking distance of my front door. But I also seek out woodland whenever I travel - and whenever I do, I hope to share the experience with you here.

I will also venture to share thoughts of what 'The Woodland' and 'The Forest' has meant in the realms of storytelling, both through traditional fairy-tales and in our own imaginations. So both in reality and in fantasy, I invite you to join me in this new exploration!

And now...to begin at the beginning... here are just a few images from the New Year walk that I took today in Great Pen Wood. Walk along with me, and if you feel inclined, share your thoughts with me as we walk.

Here we go... down into the woods, with the remnants of last night's hail storm still adding a fine frosted covering to the road.

 

Here are the footsteps of a deer, frozen in the mud

A logpile on Forestry land, in the afternoon sunlight

And somewhere for bats to roost, boxes attached to an old stump on cleared land

Down at my Secret Lake, a magical scene - the surface frozen, covered with millions of tiny glittering hail-pearls

 

And at 2 pm, already the shadows are rapidly lengthening...

I hope these images have given you a taste for walking in the woods with me..I hope to return on at least a weekly basis. I hope you will choose to join me!

Comments

[Britt-Arnhild]

Sure I will join you Roz. I am looking forward to alot of walks with you, here in your forest, and may be even over in Norway and my forest some day :-)

[darla]

I'll join you and also Britt-Arnhild. I'm another who loves to walk in the woods. Your woods or my woods. I love that picture of the lake.

Darla

[Mary Hackney]

Love your idea for this blog as well as your lovely pictures. They are very magical appearing. Would love to walk in these woods.

[carol]

Delightful, truly delightful. I live in a rural country area and love taking walks in the woods. It is so serene to hear a creak here ... a creak there ... birds singing ... oh how could one not love that. Unfortunately the walks will be put off until winter season is over. I'm hoping to be able to get out of my door tomorrow as it has been snowing, snowing, snowing and snowing.

[Sheila]

Beautiful, Roz. I'll be tagging along too.

Sheila

[Carolyn]

Lovely post and lovely idea for a new blog Roz. I'll join you too and just think free exercise for all of us taggging along.

[FiveAcres]

We live in a high prairie eco-system, so will have to enjoy walking vicariously in the woods in you blog.

[Barbara Howard]

Hello, Roz, Is this blog in addition to the Autumn Cottage or instead of it? Anyway, I have enjoyed my visit. With the weather we have here in the UK the last few weeks there will be lots of magical photos. Yesterday I visited Thorpe Perrow Arboretum and here are my pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bernesealp/sets/72157622997121709/

Barbara

[Margaret Lambert]

Thanks for sharing your woods with us, Roz. I love the loooooong winter shadows on the pond...and the evidence of wildlife!

[Chel]

Roz, thank you for a walk into another world. Such a contrast to my world in so many ways.
Hapyy New year to you and yours.
I loved your post today and think it could be good inspiration for us all to take photographs of our world, our season. Thank you. Here it is normally hot 40deg C but at present it has been raining and exceptional flooding all over Christmas/New Year.Chel

[hazel coombes]

Wonderful Roz thank you so much for sharing. We have Cranford Park behind my house but because I am so scared of falling over I have not ventured over there but now after seeing your lovely photos I might just go over there tomorrow.
Thank you for the link I will return often.
Hazel (UK)

[Bonnie Goodrich-Wilcoxson]

Oh, thank you for this, Roz. I have been following the coverage of the tragedy in Haiti this evening, hoping each time I log in that there will be some hopeful news but so far, there rarely is. To have come upon your new blog in the midst of it is a respite, one I wish could be shared with those who are suffering so now. Thank you again very much.