For those that don't know, tomorrow is the spring Equinox (or Ostara) also called the "vernal" equinox. So out of curiosity I looked up vernal in my latin dictionary... the closest I could find was the word "vernula" meaning 'young home-born slave'. I'm not sure I can match springtime with the word slave, but I'm certainly a slave to the spring... so much to do and so much to anticipate. But to me it's all so worth it - a single humble primrose is enough to put a smile on my face, especially after the black and white world of winter in the UK.
The spring equinox is another point in the year when day and night are of equal length. Daylight is balanced with darkness and spring begins. As it would happen, balance is also something I've been forced to consider lately - my job was in danger of taking over my life and so I put up my slack line today. Taut between two trees in the wood by the hive, to not only give me the opportunity to get some strength back in my jelly legs after a winter spent on the sofa, but also as a reminder that I need to find better balance in my life. They call it "work-life balance" but if you thoroughly enjoy what you do for a living, I think it's not such a fitting phrase. I prefer to think of it as just life balance... we each get 24 hours a day; 8 to work, 8 to sleep and another 8 to do with as we choose. I have forgotten to balance these things lately and this time of the year is perfect to redress it.
So after a heavy Saturday and Sunday morning digging and tidying up my garden at home, I headed off to the wood to do much the same there and was quietly smiling to myself when I pulled up alongside two other vehicles of friends who had arrived before me and had chosen to do the same.Flee was keen to make some progress on the dam and recreate the pond we briefly enjoyed last year, and Simon, myself and Tracey got stuck into chopping and burning an immense pile of Rhodies to clear it before the birds decided it would be a great place to nest.
Our reward was a lip-tingling chilli soup made by the domestic goddess Tracey and a short burst of warm sunshine.
Tracey and I took a walk around marvelling at the remains of a pigeon eaten by a hawk and an enormous tree root that had left the ground and tumbled down the bank to wedge itself across the stream, upturned and topped with a huge chunk of sandy soil making it look much like an 8 foot spider on it's back with a serious orange pot belly, but making the perfect natural bridge.
Next weekend Flee plans to raise the level of the pond to the second overflow pipe and, all being well, the extra weight of the water will test the new dam, but not damage it. Slowly slowly catchee monkey, (patience is another lesson I've yet to master, but Rais is thankfully a great teacher).
