What are your morning rituals? What does the first hour of your day look like?

As it’s spring time I tend to get up earlier, as soon as the sun rises. During the night Uhtred (ginger tom/Uhtred Longshanks Miller-full name)) and Beocca (long-haired, black & white/Beocca Bluetooth Miller – full name) have found their way on to the bed, usually I’m trapped between cats and husband unable to move. I navigate out of the bed after lying there for a while, listening to birds and unable to move my furry/human companions. Out of bed I slip on some leggings, some layers, socks and head down stairs to find my walking boots and salopettes (its still nippy at the end of March) and then I do my morning walk around the village. It begins at my garden gate – I usually turn left for this circular walk. Across the cattle grid, turn right, across another cattle grid and my house is now out of sight. I walk past the cow shed, the calfs are growing, they alway watch me as I walk past and no longer hide behind their mother. 

I slow down a bit now because I know there are a couple of Mallards nesting under neath the bank of a small stream. Also I try to keep quiet as this year most mornings I have stumbled into three hind deer. I don’t know they are there until they and I are both startled by each other and just as its registering to me they are there, all I can see is they’re white bottoms disappearing up the hillside. After walking along the road for 5 minutes I come to the first, mostly hazel and birch, small, wind battered trees which are now covered in catkins. I love this time of year! After the winter months everything is stirring, you can see, feel, touch and sense it through every fibre of your being – I don’t want to miss any of it, this is why it is my morning ritual! The path through the forest opens up to a wide expanse of shoreline – grassy bank, rocks and sand. When the tide is out the sand stretches a long way out, all the way to two small island which are often inhabited by shags and seals, nestled on seaweed covered rocks. I don’t rush this part of my walk but smell the sea air, watch the ebb and flow of the sea, seagulls above and oyster catchers walking around on the sand. Continuing on the walk (a well worn sheep path) up the hillside and into another forest again, mainly hazel and birch. It’s a slippy muddy path so taking my time, I’ve had numerous incidents of slippage in the past! It takes longer to walk through this forest, it’s darker in here, the forest is more dense, lots of hidden areas, big rocks, streams. It will be full of fungi in a few moths time. I see one primrose. More light starts to filter through as I walk towards the edge of the forest and then I’m out onto the hillside. Magnificent mountains loom up, dark craggy ones in front and red rotund (breast like) mountains on the right side. The ground is dryer here and I’m walking through Clint’s and Grykes and heather. Rabbit holes everywhere. Islands in the distance. Looking across to the left is the sea, a few local fishing boats bobbing up and down. Continuing on, clambering over a coupe of fences and then making my descent down the hillsides towards the main road. There are a couple of holiday houses visible now, cars outside and I wondered for a moment about the people staying there. Back on the main road I turn right and walk up the road back towards my house. I observe each house as I pass it, the local cafe, the trees, the sheds/barns, the verges, the birds, everything that is going on. This is at the steepest part of the walk, a bit of a puff and a pant but I find myself back at my gate. Usually I will across the road briefly to check if there are any eggs in the fridge at the side of the road with eggs for sale. Then once back in my own domain I will nip into my studio, switch the heating on, back into the house, shower and then I’m ready for the day ahead, ready to be creative.