I recently heard David Attenborough recommending we all take time out in the natural world, as it is a great way to relax, and to stop focusing on sending emails, pondering Brexit, or descaling the kettle. I paraphrase, but you get the picture. I’ve actually taken a lot of pleasure from a tiny pond that my son and I built in our back garden last year. This summer it’s all taken off, and the pond has become a top destination for damselflies, pond snails and water boatmen, but the real prize are the little frogs, which have developed from spawn that survived the cold spring. Nestled amongst the vegetation around the pond, the jewel-like frogs will suddenly jump if I get too close. John Worsey has similar thoughts about walking his dog, Max, which helps him to relax and forget daily concerns, p.22. Fortunately, Southsea is a great place for R & R, and if the warm weather continues, we will all be taking siestas, wandering around town in our flip flops, and greeting each other with high fives.
