Inspirational | Pilgrim's Perch

Let’s go fly a kite…

One of the joys of summer holidays is being able to take time out and just wander without a specific goal or destination in mind. Walking along a sea shore, sand between the toes, wind in the hair, the cry of the seabirds and the susurration of sea waves gently curling on the beach. Lines from AA Milne’s poem Spring Morning come to mind:

Where am I going? I don’t quite know…

If you were a bird, and lived on high,
You’d lean on the wind when the wind came by,
You’d say to the wind when it took you away:
“That’s where I wanted to go today!”

A playful wind and an expanse of open beach create the perfect environment for the fun of flying a kite – something that has been enjoyed for hundreds of years. It’s unclear who invented the first kite but it is believed that the earliest kites, made of leaves and reeds, were used to aid fishing. An early written account of kite flying comes from China in 200BC when a general of the Han dynasty used a kite to fly over the walls of a city he was attacking to measure just how far his army would have to tunnel under the city walls to achieve domination.

Kites flying over the beach — Colourful kites dance in the breeze

Since then, kites have evolved and been used for many different purposes. As playthings for children they provided hours of amusement but gradually it was realised by scientists that they could be used for studying the atmosphere and understanding more about the weather.

Child plays with kite on the beach — A child has fun with a kite

Kite flying also helped with the development of early aircraft and they were used militarily in observation and aircraft recognition exercises. Modern hang-gliders and sports parachutes have their origins in early kites and today kite-surfing has become an extreme sport in which kite riders combine kite flying and surfing to perform breath-taking acrobatics.

A kite acrobat rides the sea — Kite riding with the birds

But you can keep it simple too – there’s still so much fun to be had with your feet on the ground and a simple colourful kite. As the children in the film ‘Mary Poppins’ found:

‘With tuppence for paper and strings
You can have your own set of wings
With your feet on the ground
You're a bird in a flight
With your fist holding tight
To the string of your kite.’

Child launches kite for the first time — The excitement of that first launch…

Mindfulness in a Shell: What will you find?

There’s something pleasingly childlike – simple, absorbing and entrancing about wandering along a beach, discovering treasures washed up by the sea – bits of wood, pebbles of kaleidoscopic hues – and shells, shells and more shells.

Who can resist filling their pockets with these fascinating curios: homes to tiny sea creatures long gone. What stories might they tell? Find a large shell and hold it to your ear – do you hear the sea, shushing on a shore far away?

A large shell brings a whisper from the sea…

There is a beach way up north from here where many an hour has been spent in blissful exploration. One of the king finds is the tiny delicate Monetaria moneta, or money cowry. Usually tricky to spot, once you get your eye in they can be found in pools, in nooks or just washed up in the sand.

Tantalising beaches can hide all sorts of delights just waiting to be uncovered

Historically these curiously shaped shells were widely used in Pacific and Indian ocean lands as shell money before the introduction of hard cash (and way before contactless payment!)

The shells are the abandoned homes of small sea snails, a marine gastropod mollusc. Also known as Groatie Buckie shells in Caithness they are considered to bring good fortune to the finder. Children love seeking them out – and for adults, too, the simple pastime of shell seeking is mindfulness perfection in a shell. Just tune in to the sounds around you – the gentle swish of waves on the beach, the crying of seabirds; the smooth feel of pebbles, stones and shells. Feel your cares drift away and your mind float in peaceful rhythm with the surf. An hour will feel like five minutes and you’ll come away refreshed and relaxed.

The American poet, Amy Lowell (1874-1925) wrote the following poem, Sea Shell:

           Sea Shell, Sea Shell,
           Sing me a song, O Please!
           A song of ships, and sailor men,
           And parrots, and tropical trees,

          Of islands lost in the Spanish Main
          Which no man ever may find again,
          Of fishes and corals under the waves,
          And seahorses stabled in great green caves.

          Sea Shell, Sea Shell,
          Sing of the things you know so well.

What are your Favourite Things?

'Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woollen mittens...'

Lines from one of the all-time favourite ‘feel-good’ films, ‘The Sound of Music’. Happy images to cheer you up when you’re feeling a bit blue.

Woman walking along road — Feeling a bit blue?

There’s nothing wrong with the occasional flight of fancy. A day dream, a whimsical moment, whatever gets you out of a slump and into a more cheerful frame of mind. It might not quite be the weather for ‘warm woollen mittens’ but August, notionally a month of high summer, draws to a close. Whilst the weather might not have been what we would expect for the time of year there are still some wonderful things to enjoy, whether we’re at home or out and about.

It’s often the small things that can make us smile. A brief (and welcome) overnight shower left raindrops glistening on flower buds and petals in my garden. They shone like jewels, even in the damp, subdued light.

Raindrops glisten like jewels on green leaves — Raindrops glistening like jewels

A walk along a local lane brought sight of emerging autumn fruit – sloe berries and blackberries. A spur to make some jams and jellies perhaps… Or perhaps you might enjoy the view of a field where the harvest has been gathered in.

Time to have a go at making that bread recipe you’ve always thought looked appetising. There are few aromas that beat the smell of freshly baked bread.

Person holding loaves of freshly baked bread — Enjoy the aroma, feel and taste of freshly baked bread

So whatever your mood – go on, make a list of your favourite things. And enjoy them.

‘When I’m feeling sad, I simply remember my favourite things, and then I don’t feel so bad…’

Raindrops sparkling on a pink rose — Raindrops on roses…