It’s been a really tough winter this year right? People have been feeling low with the snow, the credit crunch, redundancies and all the other negative stuff that’s been filling the news. I want to say today though that spring is definitely here and we can all take a moment to look up at the gorgeous sky above us, breathe in the crisp new air and thank God, or whoever you do or don’t believe in for letting us live in this wonderful and challenging world. I know things have been tough but I really do believe that we human beings have so much potential and can get through all this with a smile on our face and a song in our hearts. Seriously, look out of the window! “Here comes the sun”, as the Beatles would say. Of course we all have hard times, but I also think that we’re all so lucky to be alive and have emotions and love and so, so much more. I went for a walk today and saw a man walking a dog in a park, just chilling our, relaxing with men’s best friend. It’s such a simple pleasure and you don’t se enough of it! As well as the man and the dog there was a family playing a rough and ready game of football and again I thought “we really do live in a beautiful world”. Ok so there’s war and crime and all of the negative things that happen but what about the good stuff? The ordinary, every day, honest good stuff that keeps the world going round and keeps people happy. So wake up and enjoy the sunshine, take a deep breath! I promise you won’t regret it.

Good news everyone, I’ve been paid for that last photography job that I did, you all know what that means, it’s about time to hit the high streets and pick up that new pair of asics running shoes that I have been waiting to get. Irene, are you up for a quality time this weekend?

Bugs, insects, and arachnids don’t tend to be at the top of anyone’s list of favorite things. Unless perhaps you’re an entomologist, or an exterminator. But this is such a short sighted view of the world to take. Bugs take all sorts of forms, shapes, and sizes, and provide a huge variety of services to us and our world. When you think about it, it’s sort of difficult not to love them.

Most people are fairly indifferent to bees unless they get stung, but bees are an astoundingly important part of the animal kingdom. Without bees, we wouldn’t have any fruit on our planet. Yes, that’s right. We all know that bees’ purpose is to pollinate plants, but somehow we manage to forget about the result of this task. Without bees, trees wouldn’t be able to grow any of our much-needed fruit. And don’t forget that bees also provide us with honey, too—there’s not much to hate about that!

Ants and flies don’t tend to be too popular with most people. In fact, most people consider them as pests, and try to stamp them out of their households. But these critters play an important role in breaking down waste matter, such as dead animals and decaying leaf matter. Without the help of ants and flies, we’d be living in a pretty stinky world!

So, the next time you think about squashing a bug because you don’t like the way it looks, or perhaps the way it buzzes around you, think about the role it plays in the environment, and in the little eco system in which it lives. All animals play an important role in life, and bugs are no different.

By the way, I have just started following this amazing site about enigin PLC, which is this really cool energy savings company that I have discovered! If any of you are interested in the big businesses involvement with the carbon footprint I really recommend that you check it out!

One of my secrets joys in life is going barefoot. Ah, I can see you rolling your eyes and shaking your head right now. Are you thinking that perhaps going barefoot is unsanitary, or unsafe? Perhaps you’re thinking of my grimy feet at the end of it, or the calluses I’m slowly growing on my heels and on the balls of my foot.

It’s strange that people have this reaction to going barefoot when, after all, shoes haven’t been around that long. It’s not as though we come out of the room with a neatly fitting pair of shoes tied on to our baby feet. Shoes are a modern invention, and rather than helping our feet, in many cases they can actually harm them. I’m not sure that you could convince me that walking around in seven inch high heels or a pair of pointy flats could be good for my feet.

Going barefoot, though, is a great way to give your feet a rest from the shackles of our shoe-obsessed society. Try it, and I’m sure you’ll feel the same. While I’m not advocating running around over broken glass, flexing your toes against the soft grass in a park, or walking along warm concrete can be refreshing and lovely. Barefoot walks on the sand are great, too. There’s nothing better than feeling your toes curling around the scratchy sand, and feeling yourself sinking into it. It’s like being hugged.

So, the next time you want to get that little bit closer to nature, or the next time you want to get away from all of the painful trappings of our day to day life, why don’t you strip off your shoes and go for a walk? It doesn’t have to be a long one, and it doesn’t have to be painful, but just appreciate the experience of experiencing the world, for once, through your feet.

Oh and for all you other hippies out ther, I think you should check out Paul Welton Enigin website! He does the stratigic marketing for an energy savings company and has a really great blog!

Where I live, outdoor festivals and events are a common events. Our council loves putting on these events, and it’s not uncommon to see a festival every week in the summer months. Obviously, winter’s less conducive to hanging around outside, but you’d be surprised at how many people will turn up to an event with their umbrellas and raincoats. Some festivals I’ve recently enjoyed have been the world music concerts held at one of the parks in the inner city. Over the weekends for the past few weeks, all sorts of musicians performing all sorts of music from different cultures and perspectives have been playing to my local community. We’ve enjoyed jazz, African sounds, Bollywood dancing, and salsa, just to name a few. It’s amazing to see how well all of these musicians manage to engage a crowd that’s of all ages, interests, and backgrounds. It’s great to see hundreds of people dance around in front of the stage, mimicking the different dance styles and really getting into the flow of the music. Different styles seem to invite different dancing styles, and the crowd picks it up magnificently—everyone from little kids to businesspeople to the elderly! Outdoor festivals are a great way to get together all the different groups in a community, and to do so through an outdoor event that encourages cultural diversity is even better. It’s definitely something that I love about my city, and something that I wish they’d encourage more of. After all, what’s better than seeing a huge group of strangers get together and dance to the same music, and to the same beat, with the same smile? I can certainly say that there’s not much else I’d prefer to do on a sunny day! A quick sidebar: my mother called me the other night and (I kid you not) actually suggested for me to look into tattoo removal. I mean I knew that she was never really encouraging of the idea of body art, but I really didn’t know that she was that strongly against it!

If there’s one thing that most people agree on about the natural world, it’s that the Sun is an amazing and life-giving presence. While perhaps not everyone wants to be out in full sun for the hottest parts of the day, there’s definitely something about the sun that acts as a pick-me-up. I find that spending some time outside each day, whether it’s sitting in my front yard and reading a book, or going for a walk with my boyfriend, or lazing in the park, or even heading up to the local supermarket , does wonders for my peace of mind. And it’s not all just a feel-good thing—the Sun is a valuable source of vitamin D, which is necessary to keep us feeling light and happy and at ease with the world. You’ve heard of circadian rhythms? Yep, they’re all to do with the Sun, and what it does for us.

Still, in my book, not all sun is created equal: I do have a few particular types of sunny day that I love the most. The first is definitely a cold, crisp autumn day where the sun is blazing down on me, saving me from the chill that would otherwise be gnawing at my extremities. There’s something so perfect about the contrast between the cold of the icy wind and the gentle warmth of the sun that I find exhilarating. If you want to find me on a day like this, the park is your best bet. I love walking amongst the trees when it’s a sunny, chilly day. My second favourite type of sunny day is the quiet sunlight of the summer evening. This sort of sunlight is perfect for sitting at the base of the tree, and watching the dappled light spill through beneath its leaves and on to my book or newspaper—or even better, my picnic. Sunlight is one of those things we all get to experience, so we should make the effort to appreciate it to the best of our abilities, not to mention it is amazing for energy savings and thermal energy (by the way I have found this great new sites called enigin advice if any of you are interested in alternative energy production). Get outside and laze about in the Sun, and you’ll feel much better and more grounded for it.

There’s no denying that trying to live a more sustainable, environmentally friendly lifestyle is one of the challenges for the 21st century, and that it’s one that many people are trying to take up. However, while going green may sound daunting, the reality is that even by taking a few small steps, you can decrease your waste and energy consumption, and reduce your impact on our environment. Have a look at these tips for a few simple pointers. Use energy-saving globes. Yes, energy saving light bulbs do seem more expensive, but they last longer, and use less power, so in the long run, you’ll be saving money while you reduce your energy consumption. Switch off at the power point. Did you know that even when appliances are switched off, or set to standby, they still consume power? Try turning off your television, microwave, and other appliances at the power point when they’re not in use. Reuse and recycle. Rather than throwing out your leftover food, see if it can be reused in lunches or turned into an additional meal. Soups are great for this. Also aim to reuse your plastic shopping bags as garbage bin liners, or recycle them where possible—many supermarkets allow you to do this. Rethink your car’s make and usage. Cars have a huge impact on the environment, so you should consider both the type of car you drive, and how often you drive it. When buying a new car, aim for one that’s smaller and fuel-efficient, and try not to use it if you don’t really need to—try walking or riding your bike if you’re only planning to travel a short distance.

Coming from a long line of farmers, I grew up as a nature lover, and nothing has changed. I can never seem to get enough of all of the beautiful things that nature throws at us, whether it’s the gentle warmth of a summer day, or a new-born animal, or the lull of the rain drumming on the roof of my house. However, one of my absolute favorite designs of nature is the humble tree. Trees are hugely important to our environment, as well as to our atmosphere, and they comprise an important part of the food chain whilst helping convert carbon dioxide to much-needed oxygen. Trees provide a home to all sorts of animals, whether they’re nesting birds, small mammals, or even creatures such as bugs and spiders. Not only that, but trees provide all sorts of food and sustenance that are valuable to our lives. Not only do trees provide us with a huge variety of fruits and nuts, but they’re also a source of other materials that we use in our every day lives, such as cork, rubber, and, of course, wood. And that’s not even to mention maple syrup! Trees come in an enormous array of sizes and shapes, and vary astonishingly depending on where they come from. Some of my favorites include the Moreton Bay Fig, which boasts a huge, complex array of roots that sit above the ground like dark sheets. I also love the Japanese maple, which changes from green to a spectacular red or orange as autumn hits. Other trees that I find breathtakingly beautiful are cypress trees, and the basket tree, which actually looks as though it has a woven trunk! With all that trees offer us, it’s hard not to love and appreciate them. Perhaps, the next time you’re out and about, do the cliched thing and give one a hug. I won’t tell!

While some people don’t like the rain because of what it does to their hair and footwear, or because it means we have to lug about a sodden umbrella, there are a whole lot of things that I love about the rain.

Reading a book inside. There’s something infinitely satisfying about curling up on the couch inside the house with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate on a rainy day. I love watching the rain streak down the windows and clatter against the roof—it’s as though it’s telling me to stay inside and relax.

The smell after the rain. The rain brings with it that gorgeous smell of wet concrete and damp dirt. It’s a warm, cleansed smell that always make me think that the world has just been refreshed anew. If I could bottle that smell, I would!

Being out in the rain. Have you ever tried swimming or jogging in the rain? Forget about your hair for a moment, and give it a go. Swimming on a summer day as the rain massages my back is one of my favourite things to do.

Rainbows. Everyone loves the gorgeous arc of a rainbow, but let’s face it, if we want to see a rainbow, well, we have to make do with the rain. Rainbows are a happy reminder that there’s always something good in what we think of as the bad.

Its effect on the environment. Water is an essential resource, but it’s one that we may one day run out of. Without rain, we’d have nothing to fill our dams, or to keep our gardens or even our food crops alive.

So next time you’re feeling gloomy about the rain, try instead to think about all the positives it brings us—perhaps, like me, you’ll become a rain-lover, too.

I often spend an hour or so each day in my local library, musing over a quiet book or watching sleepy university students snooze their way through what is meant to be a study session. One of my favourite perks of the library, though, is not the huge collection of books or the impressive art installations, but rather the glossy black piano that sits upstairs—with an invitation to play it.

And people do. It’s glorious to watch schoolkids belt out Fur Elise over and over, and serious adults trail their fingers across the keys when they think that no one’s watching. It’s a marvellous addition to the otherwise quiet library, and serves, I think, to draw everyone together in a shared love of music.

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be sitting by the library window when an elderly lady, hair white and stringy, shoulders hunched in painful curves, and legs spindly as pins, sat down at the piano and began to play. But what she played was nothing like a schoolkid’s attempt at Fur Elise—rather, she played Rachmaninov, Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Mendelsson. She was clearly a classically trained pianist, perhaps a concert pianist, and as I watched and listened, the space before me was gradually obscured by the dozens of people, young and old, who were climbing the stairs to watch. It was exquisite, and we exchanged glances that said quietly how lucky we were to experience such an event.

Here was a woman whose playing could no doubt draw crowds in our concert halls, and who could likely charge a fee of her choosing to perform, but instead she chose to share her gift with us, with strangers who would probably have otherwise never had the chance to see an accomplished pianist perform. The sheer generosity of the act astounded me, and I can only hope that others take the time to share their gifts and talents with everyone else.

Just came across this online competition where the prize is time at one of my favourite and best all time ever ski resorts. Everyone should really enter, this would be such a cool way way to spend the long weekend!

As far as I’m concerned, you can wear loons, kaftans and beads, but unless you go about things in a certain way then you are never going to be a real flower-child. It doesn’t matter what clothes you wear, which music you listen to or whether you prefer sandalwood or patchouli; it is all about philosophy, not accessories and choons.

Real hippies will be concerned with things in society. They are often vegetarian or vegan because of their worries over the ill-treatment of animals and they will frequently be members of protest groups. Proper hippies will have proper values and live their lives in accordance with them.

Of course, it is not only hippies who are socially conscious; many people out there have exactly the same concerns. But a huge part of the hippy lifestyle is alternative living. This can encompass all kinds of different areas such as; diet, household products, cosmetics, self-sufficiency, clothing and crafts. And these are all items that you will find on sale at a peace festival because they are in such a high demand.

Basically, being a true hippy, means being different from the inside-outwards… If you are living an alternative existence then it will show in your outward appearance as well. And a lot of the time this will happen without you even realising it. One day you will look like a normal Joe and the next you will have subconsciously transformed yourself into a fully-fledged freak!

I have just updated the illustrations on the website for biodiesel storage tanks, I know that it will surprise you that I am working for an oil company; but I don’t think they are as irresponsible as I once surmised. There are even a few environmentalists working for them! Plus, I’ve sold out, I need the cash so please don’t judge too harshly!