30 Days Wild: Day Four – Go Too Wild…

OK,  I admit it. 30 Days Wild has got me hooked and this weekend saw me go a little too wild. I retweeted too many people who are taking part in #30DaysWild – because there are so many wonderful posts – and Twitter threw me in jail. This meant I only got half way through #rainbowblooms and couldn’t share all the pictures I’d taken for this week. So here they are…

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Painsomnia meant I saw the dawn – a silver lining.

I took the opportunity to walk in the dew (and take more photos of the flowers in the lawn.)

I also downloaded the wonderful Calm app and tried their free seven day trial which started with a guided nature meditation with rippling water and bird song. I felt blissfully relaxed and my muscles were eased.

Later in the day, I went through the recycling bin to find bottles for elderflower champagne, and checked on my foraged spirits, which will soon be the basis of cocktails at a wild night in. I also found my jam jars, as I’m going foraging soon.

I checked I had the ingredients I needed for elderflower champagne.

Then, I invited my partner on a wild date. The original plan had been elderflower and litter picking (who says I don’t show my date a good time!) but the weather meant it turned into litter picking and wine, later in the day.

The bench I had been fretting about had clearly been cleared, which I was really grateful for. However, there was still some litter – and many bottle caps, (56, to be precise) mostly dug into the soil.

I removed them using a small pair of scissors I carry for such situations – and they are currently soaking in the kitchen ready to be turned into art once the mud washes off

In an urge to discourage further littering, my partner and I made art together.

It didn’t stand out enough so we decorated it with grasses and seeds.

It was fun, but between litter picking and art, we were tired so we rewarded ourselves with a glass of wine.

The sun put on a light show to say thank you.

We wandered home along the canal, saying a brief hello to the swans who were performing ‘Swan Canal’ (the free version of Swan Lake).

Though I ached from the walk and the long day, I finished day four of 30 Days Wild feeling calm and content.

Random Acts of Wildness So Far…

1. Spread the word.
2. Start a weather/pain diary.
3. Look at the clouds.
4. Photograph wildflowers.
5. Look for urban nature.
6. ID a butterfly.
7. Find a fledgling.
8. Feed a swan.
9. Collect feathers.
10. Stake out a foraging site.
11. ID birdsong.
12. Tweet using the #30DaysWild hashtag.
13. Plant a virtual seed.
14. See new life growing.
15. Feed the ducks.
16. Protect an animal from a predator.
17. Reflect on nature.
18. Look closely at your lawn.
19. Make someone a nature hamper from recycled materials.
20. Share nature photos using #30DaysWild on Instagram (and help the hashtag trend).
21. Show your houseplants some love.
22. Tell friends about #30DaysWild.
23. Talk to a junior naturalist and encourage their creativity.
24. Photograph a favourite cuddly toy in nature.
25. Add a nature event to your diary.
26. Look closely at a friend’s garden.
27. Take photos for #Rainbowblooms.
28. Find a plant that looks like a bug.
29. Watch a bee.
30. Read a nature-based research paper.
31. Get overawed by nature
32. Watch the dawn.
33. Walk barefoot in dewy grass.
34. Try a nature meditation.
35. Raid and repurpose the recycling.
36. Go on a wild date.
37. Go litter picking.
38. Protect the soil.
39. Make nature art.
40. Watch the sunset