Nina the Nerpa loves experiencing Springtime. She has been springing through Spring full of the optimism that this fine season imbues. Nina loves watching nature awake and unfold in a blaze of colour after the winter slumber. Normally, Nina would have been asleep under the Lake Baikal ice last winter but she chose to leave her home this time and set off on an adventure around Russia and the wider world.
She now finds herself in Bonnie Scotland and is loving all the natural beauty that Scotland has to offer. Already, she has witnessed fine mountain scenery, beautiful glens, and dazzling lochs. Recently, she heard about the abdundance of an iconic Springtime flower in Scotland: the bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta). The big island that Nina is visiting just now is a treasure trove of these enchanting springtime flowers, hosting over half the world’s population of this species.
What better way to enjoy the delights of Spring than by going for a walk in the woods in search of bluebells and everything else that such a walk can offer.
Exercise is something that Nina values a lot. Sometimes she gets this by swimming and other times she moves on ground to take advantage of what she can discover overland. Nina had a richly rewarding experience from her recent walk in the woods. It was a great way to get some exercise and clear her head. It also allowed her to marvel in the delights that Mother Nature produces in her Springtime show. Overall, this walk in an area where fine nature could be sensed was a great holistic approach to mental and physical wellbeing.
It didn’t take long before Nina saw the iconic Springtime flower that she had anticipated with great excitement. Shortly after setting out for her walk in the woods she started to observe flashes of blue. They set a wonderful contrast against the typical greens and browns of a wood. Sometimes the flashes were in small areas and other times they were in swathes. Her eyes danced around in delight as she sought out the next blue blaze as she continued her journey through the wood.
Nina was google-eyed by these little blue beauties. She was mesmerised by the elegance of their design and the fluttering of these flowers in the breeze. The bluebell ballet was a captivating performance for Nina to enjoy. Mother Nature’s performers are experts and never fail to impress an avid audience to which Nina belongs.
Ballet is a demonstration of great poise, balance and movement. These veins of blue twisted and turned through the wood. The lifeblood of Spring was flowing with vigour.
There was no rain on this fine Spring day but the ingenious design of the bluebell petals was not lost on Nina. She could see how they could act as an umbrella such that rain would roll right off them and protect the pollen.
The glorious bluebells were not the only sign of Spring for Nina to observe. She also enjoyed watching other organisms take tentative steps towards thriving in the natural world. Watching new organisms come to life was a very uplifting and energising experience for Nina to witness. This is the power and energy that Spring can imbue in us all. If you seek inspiration then let Mother Nature be your motivator.
The walk itself had Nina’s little heart pumping and she certainly benefited from the physical value of this exercise. There was a supplementary benefit to Nina’s walk in the woods. Watching such a fine display of nature is a great way to have a mental spring-clean. It was a great way for Nina to clear her head and have a think about what more she could do this Spring.
Nina thinks that it is a great idea to have a spring-clean. It is liberating to clear out surplus items and reclaim some space in your dwelling. It can be even further rewarding if such an effort can help charity simultaneously. For an idea on how to raise funds for charity easily through clearing out old books please see this idea for a spring-clean.