1^st June

Kicked off the month by planting the Wildlife Trust herb seeds.  Walked down to and along by the Afon Llwyd (so calming).  No sign of Dipper nor Kingfisher – up the steep hill footpath – enjoying the bank of wild flowers and leaves either side of me – splashes of colour here and there – all kinds of shapes and sizes.  So therapeutic to get out amongst.

I need my “nature fix” to help my mental health.  From along the top of the hill – the far distant views all the way down to the Usk Estuary in Newport, across the Severn Estuary/Bristol Channel and can just make out the grey shape of England on the far side.

2^nd June

Walked up toward the Dogstone from Varteg.  Got about halfway and decided to leave the full walk for another day.  Glorious blue sky and vivid green hillside.  Tiny wild flowers by the track – some purple and others white – Speedwell too – pretty colours, surviving on the exposed hillside, no shelter.

According to the PlantNet app (used by the local Council Ecologist) the tiny white flowers are a type of Bedstraw and the tiny blue/mauve flowers are a type of Speedwell (Veronica – my middle name); but not the common one that I recognise.

There are birds around – Warbler, Chiffchaff, Crow, Blackbird, Skylark, Pippit.  I don’t worry too much about exact id, because I’m out there to absorb the healing power of nature and just to marvel at it all.  It’s awesome!

3^rd June

Group Nature Walk at Garn Lakes.  Such a wide variety of wildflowers!  The exquisite tiny milkwort (blue with a white tassel) – large and small Hawkweed, two types of Vetch, Oxeye Daisies, various Orchids, lots of golden yellow Buttercups, Heath Speedwell.  Dragonflies and damselflies, bees, Canada Geese with young – they make such a heart-lifting ‘honk’ when flying in formation.  The usual mallards.  Listened to Blackbird, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Chaffinch.  These two-hour nature wanders always relax me, remove the stress and life calms down.  Very therapeutic.

4^th June

Even in my little back yard I can watch bugs exploring my array of plants in pots.  I did see a Dunnock exploring the pots one day and another day a House Sparrow, which flew away.

5^th June

Walked down and along the riverside path – a Grey Wagtail darted downstream as I reached the Afon Llwyd: the colours of the rocks on the bottom vibrant in the sunlight; the water sparkling as it falls over the rocks.  So peaceful, walking beneath the lush green leaves of the trees.  Wild Roses in flower amongst the plants along the river’s edge – so delicate and pretty.  All this on the edge of Pontypool town – no need of a car,

6^th June

Walked the same route as yesterday and noticed different things – a colourful Red Clover patch amongst the vivid yellow Buttercups.  The creamy white flowers of the Elderflower splashing the foliage alongside the river. 

The Dipper was bobbing on a smooth rock in the river and flew when I was approaching, I was sorry to disturb him/her.  On my return, the Dipper was flying upstream, twisting and turning between the shrubs that overhang the river – they fly so low above the water. For those that can’t walk or walk far, they could sit on a bench and observe wildlife.  There’s lots going on – the more you look, the more you see.

It’s good to get outdoors when/if you can.  Sometimes I really don’t want to go and argue with myself for hours; but when I do eventually get out there I feel so much better (mentally) and know I should have done so earlier!  Oh yes ... there was a patch of deep blue Alkanet along by the riverside path, too.

7^th June

My walk today was the mile walk into town.  There’s a large grass verge on a corner, where I stopped to admire the colourful array of wild flowers – Oxeye Daisies, Red Clover, purple Knapweed, Buttercups – the bees and other insects were enjoying foraging amongst them.  Busy, busy.  It’s so lovely that the Council only mow around the edge and leave the flowers for insects, birds and our pleasure, and then they can seed for next year.

8^th June

I walked the riverside path and through the park in Pontypool a bit, to the pond.  Three tiny very new baby Mallards with their mum.  Several male Mallards wanting food; but we had none.  Lots of different grasses amongst the hedgerow edges over the last few days – all with different seed heads, different shapes and shades of green.

I planted Ribwort Plantain (from someone else’s wedding) in my garden.  I think they are really pretty and add a different shape and colour to the garden flowers.  I also planted a pale-yellow Hawkweed from a different person’s weeding.  I like the pale yellow for a change from the vivid bright yellow of Buttercups and Dandelions.

9^th June

I walked up from my cottage to Llanerch and Blaenserchan.  Amazing variety of trees, flowers and grasses.  All sizes, shapes and colours.  The flowers and grasses against the backdrop of green foliage across the valley.

Two of the grasses looked deep, dark purple.  It would’ve taken hours to photograph each different grass.  Blue sky early, then clouded over a bit; but still glorious up there!  How nature, wildlife, has taken over the industrial areas and made them beautiful.  The noise and smell there must’ve been and now the birdsong and clear air!  Heard the Cuckoo calling quite a lot – seems late to me.  This area is on its way to being a local Nature Reserve – brilliant!

10^th June

Group Nature Walk along by the canal at Pontymoile.  Lots of wild flowers to admire.  A Kingfisher darted down river and called.  Dipper, Grey Wagtail, young Moorhen foraging amongst the reeds.  Peaceful.  We watched the waterfall where excess canal water joins the Afon Llwyd.  Chilly wind and rain in the air a couple of times.

11^th June

The definition of a weed is a plant in the wrong place – that’s open to individual interpretation in my opinion.  Weeds are pretty wild flowers and I welcome a lot of them in my garden.  I enjoy the colours and the insects enjoy them and the birds probably enjoy some of the insects, etc.  There was orange Hawkweed being removed from the communal footpath of these cottages, so I’ve planted it in my garden.  So pretty and a cheerful colour.  My first plant with orange flowers.

12^th June

The baby Blue Tits have been brought to the feeders by their parents!  Mingling with the baby Sparrows and their parents.  The Goldfinches visit the seed-feeder too and a bedraggled Robin has appeared just these last few days. The Aspen leaves are shimmering – down by the block of flats by the Afon Llwyd – I see them from my bedroom window.

13^th June

The Goldfinches have brought fledglings to the feeders!  Along by the Afon Llwyd I watched and heard a Wren sing in an Alder.  Did one of my favourite walks, particularly noticing the different shapes of grass seedheads, plus the variety of shapes and shades of green of the leaves on trees and shrubs.  The rain swept in at lunchtime to water the countryside and garden.

14^th June

I could smell the freshness of the greenery along by the riverside.  It made me think about how our senses react to being out in the fresh air amongst nature.  We had rain overnight and showers today.  Challenged myself to think about each of my senses reacting – though I didn’t taste anything from the hedgerow.  The brambles are flowering and blackberries are forming.  The Cow Parsley so delicate and pretty – no wonder they called it “My Lady’s Lace” in the old days.  I’m not sure if it was actual Cow Parsley or one of the umbellifers.

15^th June

I’m so glad that Wales is not too tidy with its wild flowers that grow dotted here and there along the streets.  Splashes of colour and food for the insects and maybe birds eat the seeds.  The GWT suggestion today is to camp tonight – how I’d love to be able to still do that!  In a tent or a woodland den – listening to the sounds of the night is so exciting – exhilarating!

16^th June

Beautiful morning!  Clear sky.  Summer sunshine.  The gardens and countryside well-watered by a drenching of rain. Walked up to Llanerch and Blaenserchan – found a patch of Bee Orchids!!  Twelve of them.

17^th June

Nature Walk Group was wandering around Pontypool Park.  Saw a female Mallard sitting on her nest on the island and one tiny young one exploring near her.  Watched a Peregrine fly over and a Goshawk.  Heard and watched a Firecrest!  Yes, really!  The walk leader knew they were nesting there and have done in the past.  We look at the Honey Bees still there in the dead tree.  Looked at trees and flowers too.  Think we saw Betony (closely related to Woundwort – both Stachys) and needed to check it out.  It wasn’t, it was Woundwort. We saw a tree (two of them) with tiny leaves and pretty white blossom (I didn’t recognise it).  The trees could have been False Acacia.  We were, of course, in the park, so some of the trees will have been planted specifically.

18^th June

The 30 Days Wild suggestion today re; Gardening …. I bought a gooseberry bush and a redcurrant bush for £2.35 each.  I couldn’t resist them at that price and planted them in spaces that I’d saved for new shrubs.  I didn’t plan to grow food; but might as well give it a go. 

In the back yard, in a growbag, I have two tomato plants.  The courgette plants, sprouts and chard all got eaten by slugs.  There are five carrots in a tub that has two raspberry plants in (one a bush variety and one a cane).  Surprising what one can grow in a small space.

19^th June

I looked at my garden and hoped the weeds from a friend’s garden are doing well, now they’re wild flowers in my garden.  I think the shape and pollen sacs of the Ribwort Plantain are so pretty and I really wanted a patch of it in my garden; but I knew I mustn’t steal any from the wild.  So, I was really pleased when my friend was digging up the roots to put in their green ‘wheeliebin’.  I rescued them and now they’re growing in my garden.

When the communal footpath, outside the cottage I live in, was being cleared, I rescued the small, pale-yellow Hawkweed and the bright orange Hawkweed, so I’ll have patches of those too.  The Buttercups in the garden have done really well, this year!

20^th June

I listened to the birds in the garden.  I have a very small garden and can hear the traffic on the nearby main road during the day; but at night there’s silence and I can hear the Tawny Owls – usually in Spring and Autumn.  Anyway, this morning, I’m listening to the chattering House Sparrows and the twittering of the Goldfinches.  The Jackdaws over the road make a bit of a din, as do the Gulls when they visit the chapel roof.  The Swifts are screaming overhead.

21^st June

Your thoughts for the day are about Climate Change.  I have never flown in an aeroplane – it is completely unnecessary for people to go abroad for holidays!  Most of them know very little about the UK and all the beautiful places, architecture, scenery, etc, that we have.  They could retrain their brains to see that rain is a good, necessary thing that makes the summer foliage so beautiful and green – lots of shades of green. I have severe mental health problems and spent 15 years as an outpatient of a neurological hospital where I was taught to look at the good in everything rather than the bad.  It took me years of trying, before I managed to do it naturally. I have never owned a car, either, so find someone who has caused less pollution than me – if you can.

22^nd June

Wandered around Garn Lakes.  A male Bullfinch sat right close to the car as we arrived, so we had a good look at it.  We saw the female fy off as we drove in.  The wild flowers around the lakes are truly stunning!  The Canada Geese have got young and the Mallards are almost in full adult plumage.

23^rd June

Sanctuary for wild visitors to my little garden .

I have a variety of feeders for different birds.  There’s a stone rock pool where the Sparrows and Blackbirds like to splash in after a dust bath.  There’s always soil turned over where birds like to hunt for worms and bugs.  Shrubs for them to hide in.  Flowers that encourage bees and butterflies and other pollinators.  A woodpile of dead bits of branches for insects, etc.  Lots of places for creatures to hide.  Even though I have a small garden.

24^th June

Health benefits of walking with nature

Yes!!  My health, mental and physical, is so much better with time spent amongst nature – garden and countryside.  I couldn’t survive without my ‘nature fix’.  Every day I need to spend time outdoors absorbing nature through my senses – at the very least just 10 minutes in the garden and at the most, the whole day out in the countryside.

Saw a female Wolf Spider with lots of babies on her back at Langdegfedd Reservoir.  Listened and watched two Reed Warblers.  Lots to see and hear, birds, bugs and flowers.  Saw a Marbled White Butterfly.  Not many butterflies seen this year.

25^th June

Be Kind

• I nurture self-seeded trees and plant shrubs for insects and birds;
• I have bird feeders; flowers for bees and butterflies;
• I never litter and I pick up what appears near me;
• I recycle, reuse, etc;
• I never use any pesticides or chemicals, etc;
• I share my love of nature with family and friends, and anyone else;
• I try to be kind to myself and spend at least 10 minutes a day outside, absorbing the healing power of nature.  It truly works!

26^th June

Bird Calls

I have gradually learnt quite a few over the years and find it best if I can see the bird as it calls.  I did have a CD to learn from; but gave that up.  I now go on the “In Our Nature CIC” walks on a Monday afternoon where one of the things we’re encouraged to learn is bird calls.

27^th June

How does being outdoors make me happy?

When I stand still outdoors, in my small garden, or the wide-open countryside, or even just walking along by the river into town.  I stop, stand still, look around me, then - completely still just for a few seconds.  I feel the power of nature go right through my body from head to toe and down my arms.  It’s an awesome feeling.  Although it’s a power, it calms me, stills my chaotic brain, gives me a sense of wellbeing.  It works best when I’m alone.

28^th June

Listened to the Sparrows and Goldfinches whilst working in my garden.  I didn’t get a GWT email this morning, with today’s suggestion.  Looked at their poster – ooh, it suggests cloud spotting!  I love watching the clouds and creating pictures out of them!  This afternoon, there’s one that looks like a Father Christmas face mask – fluffy cottonwool all around and two eye holes of blue sky!  Last week one looked like a dragon!  Maybe the Welsh Dragon? 

Today, there’s another – it looks like a big jumbo-jet airliner, tilted to one side, so the engine looks raised, as though the plane is turning.  There’s some higher cloud here and there, looking like the ripples on the sand when the tide has gone out.  I spent time thinking about how clouds are made.

29^th June

Your suggestion on the poster is Forest Bathing – I do this – 10 minutes minimum every day – not in a forest but in the garden or out in countryside – deep breaths and relax let the stress travel down to my feet and out of my body – just stand in awe of the miracles of nature.

30^th June

Wildlife is special to me because I need it in order to release the stress that builds up in everyday life.  I suffer with Hypersensitivity (sensory processing disorder) which means my brain gets overloaded and cannot cope.

Time outdoors helps me to calm down – absorbing the vibes of nature – the views, flora, fauna – stand still and don’t talk.  Best done alone.

I follow wildlife gardening ideas from the Wildlife Trust and from books I read, to try to provide a wildlife haven even though my garden is small.

I’m very careful about pollution by never having flown in an aeroplane nor owned a car, nor dropped litter.  I use as little power as possible at home and little water.  I don’t put the heating on, I just wear another layer of clothes – usually six layers in the coldest winter.  I recycle as much as possible.

I think that’s the main points of my 30 Days Wild adventures and journey.