Tag Archives: nature

Walls come tumbling down

Posted on September 7, 2020 by simplyradical

‘But it’s got no zip!’ I’m staring down at a limp piece of khaki-coloured plastic, laid out on a darkening woodland floor. It’s a bivvy bag, but not like the one I used last time, which was thick and had … Continue reading →

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Screw you, Facebook: Why I’m joining the monthly digital detox revolution

Posted on December 2, 2018 by simplyradical

Forget Christmas Day and Black Friday – will you be marking Moonstruck Day? The next one falls on Saturday December 22, just after winter solstice. It’s the day of the full moon, and for 24 hours we’re invited to join a … Continue reading →

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The colour’s coming back in

Posted on April 30, 2018 by simplyradical

Like post-war technicolour movies, colour has come back to the landscape, despite a winter which wouldn’t let go. In another throwback to the 1950s, the 2018 Doomsday Clock is now at two minutes to midnight, where it last was in … Continue reading →

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Getting through January: with a little help from the starlings

Posted on January 24, 2018 by simplyradical

8am on a gloriously bright January morning. The storm last night has washed the sky clean of cloud and the light is strong and clear, purged of dust. I should be getting ready for work but instead I’m lying up … Continue reading →

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A better life is possible – I’ve seen it

Posted on September 30, 2015 by simplyradical

This blog started out as a record of my attempts to ‘escape the system’ and live more lightly and simply on the planet. Over time it’s become more focused on nature as a theme, and I’ve posted poetry as well as prose. … Continue reading →

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Simplicity and wildflowers Part 2: New London Meadows

Posted on August 9, 2013 by simplyradical

All over London this summer, I’ve noticed wildflower and grassy meadows where before there was regularly mown grass. This is something I’ve been persuading landlords to do for the last year and a half, and now, suddenly, it seems to … Continue reading →

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Tree flowers

Posted on May 18, 2013 by simplyradical

I’ve really enjoyed noticing flowering trees this spring, hungry for signs that the Narnian winter was on its way out. Many wind-pollinated trees put out tiny flowers before, or alongside, their leaves, as leaves can get in the way of … Continue reading →

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Two weeks of silence and poetry

Posted on March 2, 2013 by simplyradical

I recently spent two weeks on a silent meditation retreat deep in the Scottish Highlands. I’ve done a silent retreat before but it was only 7 days long, and it was four years ago. I don’t meditate as regularly as … Continue reading →

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CSI in the snow

Posted on January 25, 2013 by simplyradical

I took the advantage of the fresh snow to get some information about what kind of crepuscular/nocturnal creatures could be lurking around my home – human and non-human! It was fascinating to get a glimpse of last night’s activities, most … Continue reading →

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