In support of Nice
Another beginning of the month where things became uncertain whether i can get enough photographs for my first of the month diary. February was appalling consistent rain and this month my car had to be serviced and MOT with a day delayed and unfortunately the remaining day i had to complete all three weather forecast was unpredictable so i have to to show two places in this weeks diary. These things happen and i have planned for Monday to go to Whittle Dene as replacement to Bakethin Nature Reserve due to forestry work.
I am super excited with Whittle Dene , it is at least 800 years old as a woodland and had much folklore with Fairies and other mystical beings.
I watched a youtube video people discussing “Kindness” and one of the presenters seemed to have a negative association to the word “Nice” as it is a negative thing. How could i not want to defend the word “nice” , the word is symbolic in Northern England with a “Nice Cuppa”. ( cuppa = cup of tea )
I feel that “Kindness” is something you do without the need of anything in return. Kindness is heartful , helpful and inclusive. But , for me anyway , “nice” is about an experience, because who wants a horrible cup of tea ? People have associate it with being insincere, shallow , boring and weak.
The world has turned into comparing, winning and being better than others , trying to out do each other and everything having to wow. That you have to be go-getting and dynamic. This exhausts me writing it.
I want to reclaim a language of goodness in our lives which quietens our soul , soothes our nervous system and be able to live without a fanfair of being better than others.
When i go , very rarely , out for a meal i just want a nice meal , i do not want to be entertained or wowed, the place doesn’t have to be best of the best with more medals than a dictator. I just want nice food and experience then leave with a warm glow in my heart.
Having a nice conservation with someone does not mean its superficial , you can converse ideas , show vulnerability whilst being open and honest and be a nice experience. The good thing about nice company is that you do not need to out do people and you feel safe and comfortable in not needing to have to speak at all.
I think of nice as comfort food , wearing your favourite jumper in the winter , a spring or autumn walk in woodland, reading a book and easy to be with people.
The best and most successful business people i have met have been nice people to the core ; caring about their workers , clients , supply chain and community. I have worked with some amazing people who showed me better ways of being and each time we had meetings together it was a nice up-lifting experience where good ideas were communicated and everything flourished effortlessly.
When i was training for coaching “mental resilience” and i receive constructive criticism it was delivered nicely and calmly which created inspiration to work from in building my own way and also aspirational into how i communicate effectively and thats a difficult thing coming from someone Autistic.
There is a choice to be made to how you want other people to experience you as for myself i prefer to have a “Nice Cuppa”
Bull Crag Peninsular
It was just right for my first March visit , a cool 2 degrees to begin and the light diffused just after sunrise for taking photographs. Nothing dramatic , no frost , no rain and everything poised for spring. I knew that finding things to capture would be minimal , but that got me exploring a bit deeper and i had realised how little i had taken of trees within a woodland.
Something i would like to do more , to introduce you to the trees individually
I had found some beautifully colour blue green moss crown which drew me in further into the woodland to find some secret enclaves and sometimes a tree in a fortunate place just has it all with so many different moss and lichen on one branch and then like most of the woodlands the Alder tree catkins are so apparent in my view.
It was time to explore deeper , wander down those tree avenues i had been photographing to find something more and to make the trees my muse for the day. In a few more weeks with the change in temperature and clear sunny days it wont be long for green shoots everywhere and then a riot of greenness.
What had changed was the audio track, bird chit chat was everywhere , not so loud yet but enough to notice the constant exchange of dialogue. A few weeks prior there was silence for the human ear and now announcements of spring is near.
This time , this year, i want to go and just feel the energy of spring just to sit and feel life grow , to embody that within myself , to know it intimately as knowing it is knowing myself. No camera , no art equipment , just myself joining in to its celebration.
I know people call the 1st of March spring , i read someone calling it a scientific spring ! i tend to use the equinox as my calendar. However , spring is more a feeling than a date and right now where i live that feeling has not arrived. You feel the intense energy of about to happen , the cusp of emergence to sprouting greens followed by colour. Watch nature , as nature will inform you of that moment.
In the Wild, Painting
Trees
Echo
My Sprit
christopher evans
Top Left : Watercolour on 50 x65 cm Fabrinno Oil Paper
Top Right : Watercolour on 33 x 50 cm Fabrinno Oil paper
Middle Left : Watercolour on A3 Canson Watercolour paper
Middle Right : Watercolour on 170 x 250 mm Leda Supplies Sketchbook
Bottom : Watercolour on 140 x 210 mm Watercolour Sketch Book
Hareshaw Linn
Thankfully my car being alright after its MOT i got out on Wednesday morning , it was 1 degree at 8am and my hands felt cold which i quite like , it connects me to the place and grounds me to what i am there for. I like early morning , the light is kinder and i have the place to myself for a few hours.
Right at the beginning i noticed some new growth coming up through the old leaves on the ground and above them were Alder catkins. Whilst you walk along the path you will notice a multitude of catkins as thats all which is remaining on the trees from 2025. I love the contrast of new and old and i thought these catkins were so beautiful with the different colours and the variegated leaves i foundas quite striking.
Each month through winter has been quite surprising for me , as layers strip away it reveals something else and now what remains is old fungus , moss and wonderful lichens. I found myself delving deeper into the wood to seek out more interesting things to see and i was not disappointed.
We are at that point in which all layers have been revealed and there is an satisfying emptiness in the place , even the Burn had quitened for the early birds chit chat to echo through the wood. The sound will become much louder and compete with the Burn after a rain fall. I cannot wait to witness the coming of new life here
I had one of “Doh” moments taking these Lichen images as i had not taken my tripod due to there was enough light and as i lay down in the mud to take the picture my time settings were way too long for hand held. Further along i realised my camera had managed to switch my ISO rating to 100 so i deceided to take them on the way back , and could i remember the exact place ? Well , eventually i found them again and here they are.
