The island breathes again

Life on the island is returning to a gentle whisper as children are all back at school and ferries are no longer busting at the seams. September is a beautiful month on the island and I can tumble onto the beach without another soul in sight. I think when you have lived on a small island for some time it would be difficult to go back to living the faster pace of mainland living. City living would probably put me in an early grave. I love to visit, but I love coming home more.

Island life isn't for everyone. Some folk don't like the quietness or some of the challenges that island living presents. I never thought I would move here but when my children were very small I wanted a different life for them so we moved her with no jobs and crossed our fingers. Neither hubby or I have even been without work. We have turned our hands to many things over the years but the reality is you don't need so much money on the island. There is very few places to spend it. If you need to get off the island in a hurry or for an important appointment or onward holiday travel it can be stressful as the weather often prevents the ferry from sailing. Add to that a ridicously old ferry and getting off is more and more of a problem. I don't like using that ferry. I prefer to go off the top of the island in the much smaller, but much more reliable little ferry. I do, however have to navigate my children on and off on a regular basis.

We are blessed to live on a smallholding shared with my sister and my mum. There are 10 acres between us so, although we live on the edge of a village, we live up a quiet track. Better than that we are surrounded by establsihed trees and in the summer months the world beyond them just disappears.... This year we had no time for the garden as we are doing a lot in the house so the garden has gone completely wild. I love this new found wildness in my garden and aim to support it as much as I can. My raspberry crop is marching across a small side garden that you can now barely get into. Right in the middle of this patch is my glorious sunflowers preparing to make some much valued seeds.

So, as September brings a renewed sense of belonging I have time to notice and observe. My patrons and I are setting up a commonplace book and a nature journal so there is much to record. Any cutting back will be delayed until I feel I have seen it all. Yesterday I found a perfectly ripe raspberry deep in the patch long after the rest had finished. I often find odd things like that as I wander. One thing slightly out of pace with the world around them. I take that as a bit of a sign. In reality I am excactly the same 'slightly out of pace with the world around me' and endlessly content for it. x