July/August Nature Musings 2024

Hi everyone,

Welcome to the July/August 'Nature Musings Blog' - a chance to look back over these last 2 months and remember and honour what nature has shown us and continually teaches us.

I'm not really a 'summer' energy person - I find the heightened energy of summer just too much; far too much for my adrenals.  BUT for once, this year I actually embraced this energy and started to explore more of what the natural world was showing me.  How nature itself deals with this frenzied way of being, after all it is the one chance that all the plants and animals get to really thrive in order to survive.  Food is plentiful at this time of year, so it has been a thrill to watch the young birds fledge and earn their wings; watch too the plants in the woodlands and meadows burst with vibrancy, the flowers turning these last few weeks to fruits and seeds ready to be either harvested/eaten or dropped to provide new life next year.

The ongoing cycle of nature, turning to the maximum height (on the Summer Solstice in mid June), now slowing making its turn towards the darker times of autumn and winter.  These darker times bring deep reflection, of making sure we are well prepared for whatever this time brings.  The animals start to feed and store food ready for the winter time.  Watching young squirrels gather hazelnuts in the forest the other day made me realise just how busy they are, preparing for the time ahead.

And how do us humans prepare?  For some they probably don't even think about the cycle of nature turning and how this is affecting them, other than lights need to be switched on that bit earlier and an extra layer needed in the evening.  But for some of us who work with the land and the natural world, we gather (fruits, seeds, firewood) and prepare for the shorter days ahead......and for me I welcome in those cosy nights, longing to have the fire on and read a good book.   

Lots of energy turning into harvests these last two months and lots of journeys both on the land and by the sea for me, for a change, this year.  

I hope you enjoy reading this journey of nature occurrences that have really stood out for me........... 

"To see all of Nature as sacred and as a part of ourselves engenders respect and responsibility"
Elizabeth Jenkins

Dragonflies are one of those amazing insects that always make you go 'wow, did you see that!".  These wonderful beings, almost fairy-like in flight, are such a wonder to behold.  BUT did you know that when you actually see the adult 'Dragonfly' it is the last stage of this insects life-cycle, lasting a few months to a year.  They spend the majority of their time in the larvae stage (really prehistoric looking too), anything up to 5 years in water.

Dragonfly nymphs I know all too well!  I used to have a freshwater pond in my previous garden which was filled with dragonfly larvae.  Although I didn't realise this until after wading barefoot in the pond and getting bitten a lot by the nymphs!!  They are carnivores and will consume anything that happens to live in a pond, even toes.  And the nymphs live totally under the water!  

After 4-5 years the nymphs then make their way up through to the grasses, reeds by the rivers edge and start their transformation - shedding their nymph bodies and transforming into beautiful winged beings of the air!  One of my joys of working in and around ponds and rivers back in my University years as a lecturer was finding these nymph castings and encouraging others to look and find others too.  

So we go from an insect that lives totally in water to then transforming to live totally in the air - massive transformation.  And in the air this winged being can reach speeds of 35mph, travel in any direction, accelerate with such force that the equivalent would be 4G's (most human pass out at 4G), see in the ultraviolet light spectrum to see their prey easier, and gather in swarms to feed and migrate.  

This swarming behaviour I had never before witnessed until very recently.  Up at Great Wood on the Quantock Hills, I was coming back from a walk and was stunned as to the number of dragonflies swarming in the open meadow areas - feeding.  I stopped, totally transfixed as their wings sparkled in the sunlight, darting back and forth.  An amazing sight to see.  

The Dragonfly in the photo (a female Southern Hawker), caught my attention on a walk in July.  She was injured on the ground, and would have been trodden on if I hadn't seen the glint of light catch her wings.  One of her lower wings wasn't working as well as the rest, so I picked her up and she very quickly held onto my fingers.  To see such beauty close up is wonderful - the detail of the eyes, the almost symmetrical markings throughout the body and the hairs and hooks on the legs; so detailed.  

Those wings too just shone in the light.  Several times on my hand she beat her wings, the vibration easily heard.  I took her off the path and into the woodland, sitting down to admire her in the sunlight.  Thanking her for the chance to experience such a close connection, I left her on the side of a tree stump.  

The energy of the Dragonfly can be seen through the elements - a being of water (emotions) and then the air (of the mind) - a being that bridges the emotions and the mind, and lets not forget a being to help bring transformation!!  I had a great teaching from that Dragonfly that day - my heart felt opened, connecting strongly to the Spirit of the Dragonfly.  Guided to bring forth transformation into my life...just what I needed. 

“Magic is seeing the wonder in nature’s every little thing, seeing how wonderful the fireflies are and how magical are the dragonflies.”  Ama H.Vanniarachchy

Geometry in Nature

For part of the Summer Well-being Programme I set two Curiosity Session's, where I asked students to explore a topic in nature.  So for one of the sessions I asked everyone to explore 'geometry in nature'.  The concluding live zoom where everyone shared their findings was simply stunning.

Geometry exists in nature everywhere we look.  For thousands of years mathematicians have explored the behaviour of nature and found it to fit many shapes and patterns.  The Fibonacci sequence being the most mentioned when exploring patterns in nature.

The Fibonacci Sequence begins with the numbers 1 and 1, and then each subsequent number is found by adding the two previous numbers. Therefore, after 1 and 1, the next number is 2 (1+1). The next number is 3 (1+2) and then 5 (2+3) and so on.  What is remarkable is that the numbers in the sequence are often seen in the natural world.  Think of the number of spirals in a pine cone, pineapple or seeds in a sunflower, or even the number of petals on a flower.

The numbers in this sequence also form a a unique shape known as a Fibonacci spiral, which again, we see in nature in the form of shells and the shape of hurricanes.  Our galaxy too is in the shape of a Fibonacci spiral.  

Fractals too were shared in that session - another amazing mathematical shape that we see everywhere in nature.  Remember a fractal is a self-similar, repeating shape - meaning the same basic shape is seen again and again in the shape itself.  So if we were to zoom in or out, the same shape will be seen throughout.  

Fractals make up many aspects of our world, included the leaves of ferns, tree branches, the branching of neurons in our brain, and coastlines.  For those of you like me, and are a bit mathematical nerdish (!), then you will love the Mandelbrot set - a beautiful, colourful array of fractal sets in mathematics.  Something I remember in the 1980s trying to get my Commodore-64 computer to reproduce but it just couldn't!!  Nowadays you just need to look up 'Mandelbrot set' in Youtube and voila hours of fun.

Then we have the hexagon shapes in nature too - well presented by the Bee building their hive.  Snowflakes also show hexagonal structure as do water bubbles when they are pushed together.  

Concentric circles can be seen too in the tree slices showing the rings of growth, ripples on a pond and of course the spiders web.

If you find mathematics boring look to nature to inspire you and draw you in.  Science understanding nature but in a really fun way.

I love fossil hunting, and love geomorphological changes that can be seen on the land!  

My Environmental Science degree was heavily land-based; in fact it nearly became a true Geology Degree in the second year but for an amazing lecturer who convinced me to study ecology and soil science instead.  I still kept some geology base in there with soils and geomorphology (land form studies) in the 2nd and 3rd year to keep me happy.  But I love great landforms where you can see the twists and turns of the layers of the geological strata, of the intense pressures that have folded and shaped our land.  One of these great places has to be at Kilve on the North Somerset coast.

Spending quite a few hours on this coastline is very easy to do, and fossil hunting is a must....in fact it's quite interesting that most people who walk along this stretch of coastline, walk with their backs bent over constantly turning over stones!!!

It's not as busy as Charmouth or Lyme regis, and the local Rooks and Ravens are a delight to see - I wonder what they think of us bent over turning over stones!!

Lot's of geological findings too - fault lines, ammonites, reptile remains, beautiful coloured stones, limestone and shale deposits - enough to keep me entertained for quite some time!

The land here holds the Earth's history dating way back....deep sea deposits now open for all to see.  A very magical place.

The land where I fly the birds, and run the Animal & Nature Assisted Therapy, has had a new resident - frequently heard testing its voice from the middle of July.

A young Buzzard, born on the land, has occupied a lot of my time when I have gone up there.  From hearing its first mewings (with a slight hiccup at the end!!), to seeing it branch out onto the nearby branches of its nest - testing its wings but not yet strong enough to fly.  Then spending many hours just running up and down the branches, twirling on the spot and generally just exploring the tree (this phase is the most curious and for the observer the funniest).  Then eventually gliding from tree to tree until it gained the courage to spread its wings on a windy day and test its nerve a couple of weeks ago.

Regular therapy clients have watched in awe and amusement how this youngster has had to learn how to fly....and some of its aerobatics must have made its parents roll their eyes!!  Parents always close by though, but ultimately those first few days of free flight are something it has to do on its own.

When it has tested its wings it starts to venture further afield and that's when my birds have been grounded for at least a few weeks....I want this youngster to gain strength before I let my own Buzzard Artemis out into the sky....just in case they decide to fight for space.

Interestingly when I take Artemis out into the field she will call to the youngster if it is calling.....I am always concerned though that the parents wouldn't take too kindly to an imposter Buzzard in their domain.

Last week the youngster sat in a dead tree, on the edge of the field and watched my birds fly to clients.  Not making a single sound, just observing.  And the only bird to see this bird was my Buzzard Artemis.  She actually refused to fly because the youngster was there, so we just sat and watched the watcher.

Last year this Buzzard family had 2 chicks, both of which still hang around with the parents.  They now have another youngster to tend, but this one seems to be doing just fine and enjoys the antics in the field.

Beautiful pale in colour and easily spotted amongst the other Buzzards.  Within 2 - 3 years this youngster will have flown further afield to find its own territory and have more defined, darker plumage too.....and hopefully better flying skills!

Keep a watch for the young birds of prey when out.  Look out for those youngsters learning to fly! 

“He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying”    Friedrich Nietzsche

During these last 2 months the Wheel of the Year has turned down to the first harvest at Lugnasadh........and now as we turn into September, to the Autumn Equinox. 

There is a change in the air, a change too in that the nights are drawing in, and for some trees their energy has retreated already back into their trunks no more supplying the leaves with the energy they need to shine.  The natural world around us is changing and we need to change too....time to let go of things that we've held onto for too long this year, to make room for the new.

True autumnal air is ready to embrace these next few months to come so enjoy your time outside discovering, exploring, observing more of nature and how your own 'nature' fits into this wonderful web.

Thank you for reading my nature musings for the last two months.  I would love to hear your connection stories with the natural world, and the plants and animals that have helped you too - send me an email or respond via Facebook. 

Look out for the next Nature Musing Blog which will appear in your email boxes from end of October.  A list of what is going on re workshops, talks, etc., will appear as a separate 'newsletter' which should have flown into your email boxes.  

Enjoy your own nature musings throughout September and October...enjoy the harvests and also be grateful for everything that is there to support you at this time. 

Nature Blessings,
Karen x

P.S Please note new e-mail address so please update your contact details for me - drkarensteaddexter@fastmail.com

P.S.S  If you would like to be added to a Nature Wisdom WhatsApp 'Plant Spirit Wisdom' or 'Bird Spirit Wisdom' group then drop me an email.  I set these groups up a while ago for people to share their plant spirit wisdom and bird spirit wisdom connections, with some examples of my own too.