Wild Hearts Belong

17/11/2025

For my ADHD brain and heart, whilst also navigating perimenopause and home educating our children - time in nature + slow living is a must, especially at this time of year.

I reflected last night about how I need to be ultra protective of my routines and rituals - epspecially my morning one. It's where I get my time alone, where my brain can slowly wake up, check in with how I am, and not think of too much else, other than where I am and what's in front of me - just like my cat does!

So this morning I made sure I went to my favourite 'sit-spot' on the decking, overlooking the garden. I filled up the bird feeders first, then, wrapped up, I sat with my cat on my lap and we identified visiting birds, listening to their chatter, and took time to slowly breathe.

Then I did 15 mins of yoga, before re-entering my home, to the children cooking their breakfast and the mess of this! And our crazy kitten doing continuous zoomies.

But, at least my nervous system was sufficiently prepared and soothed, so I could calmly ask them to tidy up, and be in a good mindset to connect. 💚

This is me yesterday, making sure to fit in a quick walk in nature in the winter sunshine (essential vit D!) while my daughter was doing a ballet workshop. Always, always feel better for being outside. I sleep better, my digestion is better, and my mood is far better!

16/11/2025

Beautiful medicinal turkey tail, noticed, carefully harvested, bush cleaned, gratitude and thanks given, homeward bound, dried, powdered. For teas and tinctures.

Forage mindfully.
Harvest responsibly.
Enjoy wisely.

08/11/2025

A beautiful day for Field Blewits. We found a few! Not tons… we also found some small parasol mushrooms so we will enjoy a family feast this evening. Super grateful, as always.

Note - we have spent the last six or so years learning about wild plants and fungi that grow in our local area. Once we said we’d never pick mushrooms, but look at us now! Only ever when 💯 certain of the ID.

And we always leave more than we harvest.

04/11/2025

What if the one thing you choose today
is to do nothing?
what if all it took
was five minutes?
what if all the things that swirl inside
dark and stormy
were able to find calm
and stillness?
what if the moment you stop
when you feel restless
when you feel anxious
you breathe
let yourself be
just as you are?
what if you whispered to your heart
"I am OK"?
what if, in the quiet
and the nothing
you become no one
simply a vessel of pure being
and love?
because when you choose
stillness over chaos
being over doing
this moment over yesterday
or later
or tomorrow
you choose you
so choose
you

03/11/2025

A bowl of steaming, spiced root vegetable soup is so heart and belly warming at this time of year.

Also, super easy and quick to put together, and even batch prepare for a week of delicious, warming lunch.

My children and I enjoyed this with the tear and share monkey bread they made yesterday. Yum yum.

Here are my tips to supercharge your soup:

1. Select any root vegetable you have - carrots, pumpkin, squash, turnip, fennel, beets...
2. Sauté onion.
3. Add spices, like super strength anti-inflammatory turmeric, ginger, cumin, paprika.
4. Add water and lentils (lentils for plant-based protein)
5. Add mushroom stock or powder if you have it - porcini mushroom gives a great flavour. Then Simmer for 30 mins while you get back to work or play or rest
6. Crush garlic and add just before you turn the heat off. By crushing and adding last minute, it releases the allicin (immune fighting compound) and preserves all the benefits of this amazing herb.
7. Add grated ginger at this time also.
7. Add nettle or spinach for a hit of greens and let wilt.
8. Take off the heat, add either miso, tamari, pink salt.
9. Whiz up and serve with fresh coriander and/or some nutritional yeast.
10. Choose sourdough or homemade bread with olive oil.

09/10/2025

Amazing! This is my aspiration - to be 102 and still practising and teaching yoga.

Yoga has changed my life beyond measure. I have more awareness than ever, of my body, emotions, behaviours and of the natural world around me.

I practice nearly every day - whether it be a five minute movement session, something more focused or a longer session.

Note I said nearly every day - everyday-ish is where it's at! Sometimes time permits me to choose between a walk OR yoga, and sometimes I choose a walk.

Find an activity you love. Find time for it. Find JOY from it. Eat well. Prioritise keeping your stress levels in check.

And as this wonderful French Yogi says - "voila". 💜

For decades, Charlotte Chopin has been teaching yoga in Léré, a village in France. At 102 years old, she maintains a simple approach to aging well.Video by T...

06/10/2025

Hen of the Woods / Maitake - the most scrum-didily-umptious mushroom to find / cook / eat! Looking forward to a family harvest of this fine specimen in a few days. 🤞🏼☀️🍄

06/10/2025

Now more than ever we need nature. We need to be in nature, to love and protect it. We need to connect with real people and get outdoors as much as possible.

With AI taking over so many things, with tech being the focus is so many peoples lives - nature can give us gems that computers never can.

If we all take two hours per week minimum in nature, physical and mental health will improve and you will feel more at peace, with less stress, better sleep, better focus and more joy.

This is just a quick post after returning from my morning walk. After noticing the sweet solo of the robin in the hedge and the vibrant rosehips in the glistening sun...

It comes after watching my children return home with their father yesterday having spent four hours in the forest foraging for mushrooms and other goodies.

And my daughter self-soothed herself with robin song when she found herself to be upset for not having found the first porcini mushroom! Now that's a life skill!

Who knows, one day, I might take my work into this domain entirely - helping others connect with nature, especially children - so that we may wake up to a brighter future for us all. 💚

For now I leave you with the lovely Michael Mosley's Just One Thing. And I get on with my writing job while my 'unschooled' children design their story characters. And then we go out for a cycle with our dearest friend, Nature. 🌿

Dr. Michael Mosley explores the positive effects of spending time in nature.