As the natural ebb and flow over time takes us into the latter part of summer, bicycle adventures during the final month of mother nature’s abundances find us stumbling across clusters of life, which thrive in the natural hay meadow spaces.
During these bicycle escapades, we have the chance to admire the diverse range of long grasses which, in these wild meadows across our countries, have long been left in peace to grow tall and run to seed to become just as beautiful as the flowers left in bloom…
Cycling past, we can also get close enough to notice the way they drift from side to side in the warm currents of air to part and reveal bold splashes of bright colours from the natural scatterings of wild flowers, as they negotiate between themselves for growing space to provide a perfectly balanced ecology and stunning distribution of colours…
Discovering these pockets of heaven on earth, which also exist on the soft verge embankments of roads or city centre cycle lanes…
...at our local allotments…
...or in the preserved pockets of land, which have remained the same throughout the ages, we have the opportunity to stop and take a closer look…
...and observe the many life lessons we can take from mother nature, just by watching the way the different species organise their efforts between themselves, to create their collective masterpiece: the summer meadow…
From the mild hum that comes from the tiny insects’ wings, to the lower pitched buzzes of bumble bees and dragon flies which are intermittently complimented by the sounds of crickets in conversation with each other, these micro-sized worlds have it all going on! Yet the fundamental laws by which it all works are so simple...
With species only ever taking as much out as they put back in, bumble bees feed on the nectar which helps to pollinate the flowers, following a formula of moderation that is replicated in the dynamics between every living organism that gets involved…
Three Ways To Make The Most of August
Through a Cycle Pretty Life…
1. Go For An Early Morning Weekend Matcha
During warm sunny mornings before the weekend traffic is about, this is a great way to get motivated to make the most of the full day ahead. Slowly pushing one pedal at a time, we're able to soak up the atmosphere created by the surrounding flora and fauna.
And working out a route that allows for new coffee shops to be explored definitely adds a lot of fun to the experience of a cycling adventure…
2. Keep a Wild Flower Book in Your Basket
As they grace our lands during the summer months, we can find so many varieties growing all around us. Keeping a book within reach can therefore help make the most of these fleeting moments, whilst also allowing us to continually learn...
Frequently available to buy second hand, the older books often come with beautifully illustrated pages, like this one I bought many years ago from the Oxfam Book Shop in York...
In these moments of complete appreciation for what’s in front of us, a peaceful stillness comes from the simplicity of going back to basics, away from any electronic devices..
And while gaining an understanding of a flower’s origins, these moments can also help us gain a whole new level of respect what for grows on this earth, as when we learn of the environments each flowering species is attracted to, or indeed how rare it is...
3. Make a Pit Stop To Take In the Local Architecture
Many of us live in towns and cities across the world that are built on centuries of history, layered on top of each other in the form of grand buildings...
As reminders of what we as human beings can create when we put the gift of our intellect to good work, stopping to appreciate the wonder of what many of us have on our doorstep can also be a great reminder to ‘look up’, as opposed to keeping our ‘heads down’, as so many of us do during the busyness of our daily routines...
...whilst also taking note of the wild flowers and trees have that naturally self seeded, as much as those which are purposely planted in the landscaped areas of our cities...
...using our local cycle lanes to take a tour of our home towns, with stops along the route, can be a wonderful way to make the most of the warmer weather on a summer’s day- and it doesn’t have to cost a penny!
In The Florist Parlour
The Large Hand Tied Bouquet from the Summer Meadow Flower Collection combines a summer burst of flowers in the spectacular array of bright colours that we find at this time of year…
Arranged to appear as if they are emerging through the different grass varieties, the flowers are all placed in close proximity to overlap each other- in the same way different varieties do when left to grow in their natural meadow environment, as they negotiate with each other for growing space…
Including ornamental grasses that have been left to run to seed to become just as beautiful as the flowers in this collection, they graduate from shades of champagne pink- which blend with the different blush roses and crimson dahlias, through to longer ornate blades in the more mottled greens, which are so often found at this time of year in fields of hay, and provide the perfect backdrop to the inky blues and purple hues of the cornflowers, delphiniums and larkspur…
In The Cycle Pretty Boutique
Small but mighty, Fable England's iconic dormouse charm sits proudly atop this two tone sage green cross body bag…
The curved design features a contrasting straight flap, gold coloured hardware and very usefully adjustable strap…
Designed for life's everyday cycle pretty adventures, this is the perfect bag to grab and go with plenty of space and a zipped inside pocket to store your daily essentials…
From August's Book Corner Club…
From our bookshelf collection of Canterbury Classics, this month we bring to you Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery.
Now considered a children’s classic, it was originally written as a story for all the ages and has since been translated into 36 languages and sold more than 50 million copies....
Following the story of 11 year old orphan, Anne Shirley who is sent to live with two unmarried siblings after a childhood of moving around different orphanages and stranger’s homes, this is a story with underlying lessons on the importance of self acceptance and finding ways to get along with different people from all walks of life...
“It’s all very well to read about sorrows and imagine yourself living through them heroically, but it’s not so nice when you really come to have them, is it?”
After requesting a boy to help with running their farm at Green Gables, Marilla and Matthew who are in their 50’s and 60’s are surprised to find Anne has been sent instead.
Chatty and imaginative, Anne is quick to adapt and always eager to please. Following her journey, the story recounts both her struggles and her joys as she learns to fit into her new world.
“I’m not a bit changed--not really. I’m only just pruned down and branched out. The real me--back here--is just the same.”
Going into adulthood, Anne decides she wants to become a teacher, until misfortune strikes and Matthew suffers a sudden heart attack after learning him and Marilla have lost all of their money in a bank failure...
So rather than continue with her career plans, Anne’s sense of loyalty takes priority as she makes the decision to go back to the farm to help Marilla, who is now partially blind.
“Isn’t it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about?”
This turn of events allows for a firm friendship to be cemented with Gilbert who gives up his teaching position to move closer to Anne, and leaves her looking forward to what the future has in store at the very end of the book.
Wishing you all bicycle adventures as wild and free as the flowers that fill up the month :-) We really can't wait to meet you back here in September, when we begin to find ourselves surrounded by all the wonders of autumn time!
Enjoy the rest of your summer and best wishes to you all xxx
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