Enjoy our glorious countryside for your wellbeing – Verity Lush

There is something about the great British countryside that really is – especially in the face of current political nincompoopery – still ‘great’.

Sweeping panoramas of fields full of rape, like oceans of sunshine, surrounded by an accompanying jigsaw of greens and fertile ground, lush with life and nature.

We are so lucky in this area of the country to have such variety on our doorsteps. Coastline, forests, fields and woods. The South Downs and the Dorset coast are only a drive away, despite our being in the midst of gritty city living.

Running or rambling through such scenery puts a whole new perspective of optimism on life. Gone are the tarmac and the concrete, the grey and the drab, the dirt and the earache of city engines.

All to be replaced by birdsong and arcs of sky filled with white sunshine, so bright it’s almost too much to bear after a winter of drab and dismal skies.

Many people suffer from a sense of gloom throughout the winter months, some going so far as to be diagnosed with SAD (seasonal affective disorder), and it’s when the clocks have gone forwards and the days shine brighter that you can appreciate why.

I enjoy the cosiness of autumn, the crisp and the crackle of the leaves and the fires that burn them, but I am generally done with winter by mid-January, and the blowsy blooms of spring are all too cheering to see.

We take nature for granted too often and have recently become focused almost solely on the aforementioned nincompoopery.

After the Second World War there was a return of people to nature based religions such as paganism, so disillusioned were folk with the god of the church and testaments, having experienced the trauma of war.

In times of upheaval and chaos, nature can bring calm. As always, life finds a way.

The eggs are being munched so, all ready for Halloween?

Easter and all that it brings (chocolate, lamb, indigestion, and vegan alternatives) is upon us. 

Which most likely means that Halloween goods shall appear in the shops by Tuesday.

What would the supermarkets do without a seasonal aisle? 

Once Easter is done, it’s barbecue season and paddling pools.

The latter being an annual requirement because nobody dries and packs away their previous year’s paddling pool, ready to be sprung back into hygienic action come May bank holiday.

In fact, how are the oceans full only of plastic bottles and crisp packets?

Where are the paddling pools of decades past?

Jargogle your friends with your snottor vocabulary

In this beautiful weather you may wish to bang-a-bonk*.

Get outside in that lovely weather and don’t give some crinkie-winkie** as to why you should hide inside munching eggs.

You can enjoy a cuddle-me-buff*** in the sunshine (though not so many that you suffer a doup-scud****).

Perhaps titty-toight ***** the garden, or even brush up on the old and fabulous terms of the English language we so rarely use anymore and keep the old grey matter going, instead of falling into a zwodder ******.

*Laze by a river ** A poor reason *** A beer **** A heavy fall on the buttocks ***** Spruce up ****** Drowsy, stupid state of mind.