As my feet stomped up the steep chalk slope, my mind was busy, mentally replying to emails, listing chores, and planning meals. As usual, I was hurrying and not paying attention to my surroundings. But, between the spring sun's warmth, the steady incline and my hurried pace, I found myself needing to catch my breath.
On stopping, a flash of colour caught my eye, drawing my gaze downwards. A common blue butterfly, decked out in the colour of cornflowers, sailing over a sea of yellow: cowslips, meadow buttercups and bird's-foot trefoil; a member of the pea family and sole food source for the caterpillars of the butterfly that had demanded my attention. As I tuned into where I was, other colours started to emerge: milkwort's dark blue petals, the amber splashes…
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The Simple Things (Digital) - 1 Issue, May 2024