Spring is definitely here, finally. We’ve had a couple of lovely, sunny days, and in our garden the blossom is out, the bulbs are flowering and the tadpoles are hatching… it’s all so welcome after what feels like a really long, dull, wet winter.

We have a pair of magpies which have nested in our hawthorn tree for the past three years. I saw some movement a few weeks ago, as if they were repairing the nest, but then I hadn’t seen them for some time and wondered whether something had happened to them. But then on Sunday I saw them once again, busily bringing twigs and weaving them into the nest, and I was so glad! My dad has been known to chase nest-building magpies away from his garden, because they feed their young with the young of other, smaller species. But I am more in favour of allowing nature to take its course. And I really enjoy being able to see the pair at work from the house.

I have been listening to an audiobook – “The Brain at Rest” by Joseph Jebelli, about the importance of giving your brain enough rest. It has challenged me to look for opportunities to let my mind wander, and generally to stop feeling the need to constantly either be productive or distracted from my thoughts, as well as to make the most of having so much nature in our garden.

As a result, I have started allowing myself to pause and rest and let myself just ‘be’ without labelling it as ‘wasting time’ and I think it has helped me to feel more relaxed and less rushed in general. I recommend trying it!