What can anyone write this week? I’ve sat up here at the top of this post for ten minutes now trying to work out what to say in the wake of executive orders that rollback, attack, and harm.
Something that has helped to add a great big dose of hope this week is hearing from people who care about the world we live in. From those, including Mariann Budde and Amanda Gorman, whose words will be heard by many millions, to those writing to a thousand or so – including nature writer Charlotte Varela who shared this beautiful post, to my parents in our family WhatsApp chat telling us about the birds they’ve spotted in their garden today (including a couple of dunnocks – my fave!).
On Saturday, I had a quiet morning in town – walking along the river, drinking good coffee, and rummaging in secondhand books/antique places. I found these three new postcards to add to my collection.
Each one bears a message that has made my heart sing throughout this week. Each one makes me think how important it is to keep celebrating the smallest details of the natural world, even to the smallest audiences:




All I can hope is that we can be like Carolyn and Joan and pay attention to something that’s bright and beautiful in the world this week (and forever).
One way could be to take part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch (24–26 January): rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/big-garden-birdwatch – I’ll be counting the birds too.
Love those postcards. Goldfinches are my favourite.