I left home when I was just fifteen years old. My father married for the second time and I made a life of my own. By the time I was twenty three, I had travelled many miles and lived a thousand lives. My footprints are embedded in land across the globe. It is no wonder my head is spinning with tales to tell.

      For some time, I lived amongst the Makah Indians in the wilds of the Pacific. It was here I fished amongst the great orcas in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Bartering with the Indians became a way of life; a life which I knew was totally illegal. I soon began to change and looked at everything in a completely different way. One couldn’t help but to do this, especially as I was so young and already felt I had lived a lifetime.

       I played music in mountains more spectacular than those found in Switzerland (though I have been there also and they are indeed magnificent). I have done things perhaps I shouldn’t have done and risked my life a million times. My feet, though small, have worn out many shoes through trekking places less travelled. And my heart is engrained with enough stories to fill a thousand books. It’s no wonder I have little trouble finding tales to write for you on these warm summer evenings...but I do need to finish my books.      

       Remember, whatever it is you are longing to do you, writing a book, travelling, a different way of cooking, visiting friends you haven’t seen for ages or painting, you must find a way to fit it into your life picture. It is as simple as that. You see, it is indeed later than you think!

Even when no boat floats upon it and no fish can be seen, and even if the water is as smooth as a millpond, it still has the power to draw one to it.

     The original name for the Pacific Ocean was ‘peaceful sea’ and although at times this isn’t the case, there is a certain aura of both peacefulness and power about it. It has the power to give and the power to take away.

      Below this surface that we often stare at with little thought, are thousands of islands, volcanoes, valleys and the longest mountain range on Earth, known as The Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Indeed, another world full of mystery. Another world full of life we have yet to discover.

      But we do know that the largest animal ever to have lived on this planet, lives beneath this water we love to stare at. The Blue whale, (Balaenoptera musculus) is around 30 metres in length and weighs 170 tonnes or more.  Her voice is louder than a jet and her heart is about the size of a Volkswagen beetle, how amazing is that?  

      So it is no wonder we stare at this magnitude of water that covers 70% of our planet. The sheer size of it is enough to make anyone feel in awe of its vastness. From its gentle ripples to its tsunamis, this part of our planet will always be something to watch, to listen to, to be mindful of.  

      For me, standing at the water’s edge, drinking in the fresh salty air, allows me to think or to meditate and not think at all. If I’m sad, its endless murmur soothes and restores my soul. 

‘We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch-we are going back from whence we came.’

John F Kennedy

As a child, my father told me that the crucial bridge between infancy and maturity in non-human mammals is breastfeeding. ‘They suckle their young until they become independent!’ he said, ‘whereas, in the western world, preparation for returning to work is the most common reason for human weaning!’

     ‘Did mummy feed me like that?’ I said pointing to the newly born piglets.

     ‘She did indeed!’ he replied and although I wanted to ask more questions, I didn’t! However, I remember thinking at the time that the whole subject of animals caring for their young was fascinating.

      The shortest nursing period of any mammal belongs to the hooded seal. Although they live for about thirty years, their childhood lasts just four days. You see, these seals must give birth out of water and the only surface available to them is floating ice. The warmth from the newly born pups melts the ice and they risk being separated from their mothers. And so the perils of life on a floating ice raft are avoided by a short childhood. Clever animals!

      The longest childhood goes to the Orangtans. These youngsters will ride on their mums and sleep in her hest for seven years or until a new baby arrives on the scene. The males will then wonder off but the females will hang around to learn the art of motherhood.

           My whole life has revolved around animals, wild and tame. I drove my grandmother crazy with the sick creatures I nursed in my bedroom as a child, and now fully grown, life at our home for waifs and strays is just the same.

How different life is when the sun shows its pretty little head!

     Sitting in the window of our home for waifs and strays, writing or painting is so much better when the sun shines. I look out and can see endless things to inspire me. Today I saw a pair of my old wellies and a pot of newly grown herbs. It’s that time of year again, I thought, the time when everything starts to grow, even the weeds.

     I really enjoy growing herbs and once had a field full of almost every herb you could think of. Today, I grow them mostly in pots, it’s a lot less work.  

     Many of us would like to open our kitchen door and pick a handful of herbs to add to our baking. Just breathing in the aromatic smells can release tension. It’s easy enough to do, let’s take a look....

      Some herbs have no patience at all and grow fast, so you would be better off growing them at intervals. Here are a few of them: - parsley, dill, chervil, coriander and basil. Some of the slower, easier going herbs are thyme, sage, mint, sorrell, chives and fennel, plus many more.

     Herbs, like most humans, prefer the sun but I have discovered that many, such as parsley and chives, will grow in the shade with little effort.

     If you’re growing herbs in pots then make sure there is plenty of drainage so you don’t drown all your hard work. Use soil based compost, this is quite important. It is also a good idea to feed your plants with a balanced fertiliser. Just another thought, I think it’s a good idea to water your plants in the morning rather than the evening, we all prefer a drop of water during the day to stop us drying out.

     You can put the seeds straight into your pots outdoors. Or alternatively, you can start them off indoors in trays. When planning where to put your herb pots, remember, if possible, to place them by a wall to protect them during the winter months. Think sun and scent! Growing them close to the kitchen, makes it easy to snip some leaves when and as you need them. Also, they will surprise you with a wonderful aroma of natural smells.

      Many herbs will flower and attract bees; this is another wonder for your newly created garden.

      Just a little note or two...

      Herbs are the basis of all modern medicine.  I will write again soon, a few remedies for you to keep a note of.

      I also grow herbs and lettuce in empty bean cans on my windowsill, at our home for waifs and strays. This amuses my kind and unassuming husband and the guests we have.

It’s the foxing hour so off to check on our hens! Thank you for calling. Pop in again soon, if you have the time!

After a long winters slumber, Mr Triturus-Newt and many of his amphibian friends were preparing for their annual vacation to the pond for waifs and strays. Mr Triturus-Newt (his scientific name of course) was hoping to find a wife at the courtship dance.

       The amphibian trail arrived at the pond just as the sun was setting.  Mr Triturus-Newt was quickly disappointed by the hoards of amphibians that had gathered at the 5* holiday resort. The place had gone mad, he thought sullenly. He didn’t stand a chance of finding a wife with so much competition.

        They were greeted by the pompous water boatmen that rowed through the water with their noses in the air. ‘Horrid little creatures,’ Mr Triturus-Newt moaned. ‘They think they own the place!’

         A diving beetle zoomed into the pond, right in front of Mr Triturus-Newt and almost sank him to the ground. He spluttered and coughed and would have choked had it not been for a beautiful young newt that pushed him up to the surface.

        ‘Thank you,’ he said breathlessly, ‘you saved my life!’

        ‘I had no choice,’ replied the young Newt, ‘you fell on my tail!’ And with that she scarpered.

        Poor My Triturus-Newt, what was supposed to be a wonderful holiday, was turning out to be his worst nightmare.

        He made his way slowly around the pond trying hard to avoid the party goers, though he knew if he wanted to find a wife, then he had to join in.

        The dancing began and so did the whipping, waving and fanning of tails. Mr Triturus-Newt just shook his head in disgust. No way was he going to do that. He would go without a wife if that was the case. But then something happened that made him change his mind.

          As Mr Triturus-Newt was about to go to bed, he saw a beastly dragonfly larvae, zoning in on the very newt that saved his life. ‘Nasty thing,’ he thought and acted very quickly. He saved the beautiful young newt from being attacked.

          ‘You saved my life,’ she said coyly.

          ‘Let’s dance!’ said a very happy Mr Triturus-Newt.