Let's reclaim Blue Monday from the marketers

There is plenty of joy to be found, in the blue, green, brown, white and pink of nature.

Hello, I’m Rachel. I write about nature and creativity to encourage connection and wellbeing. This is one of my regular posts about noticing nature and finding connection. To read more - go to my homepage and click the noticing nature tab.

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So, today, how’s it feeling?

I’m not going to comment on global news events but scale it down to what we can affect - our own view.

Today is, according to an advertising campaign started in 2005, Blue Monday, the most depressing day of the year.

Except, really? How can any day be loaded with that much negative expectation? And it’s not, there is no scientific data behind it, it was just a way to make us buy holidays. There is nothing different about today, from yesterday or tomorrow.

But, I will use it as an opportunity to promote the wonders to be found in nature!

It would have been a clever twist of the term if I could have made it down to the sea - to bring the joy and calm that blue spaces offer. But, that’s too much for me today. So the cemetery it was, and of course, it didn’t disappoint.

On the way there I said hello to the sparrows in their hedge and checked on the progress of the ivy berries.

Then, ahhh, calm and plenty of both visual and auditory joy.

The snowdrops are starting to show their faces, the daffodil spears are standing tall and the cherry trees are preparing for their debut. The single branch of Cherry blossom I captured for the 12th day of Christmas post made it through the snow and is now fully in bloom - though the rest of the tree is still waiting a bit longer. I was also pleased to find some new female hazel flowers so they survived the cold too.

Female hazel flower, Cherry blossom buds and Cherry Blossom in bloom

I did say both visual and auditory so I will leave you with a little voice note from nature - not my voice, but the avian residents. It’s a little quiet, I wasn’t going to include it, but I hope you will forgive my technical inadequacies. It lifted my heart, so I hope it does yours. As far as I could assess, the orchestra consists of Robin, Blue Tit, Song Thrush, Crows and Magpies. The blackbird and Jay were too busy finding their mid morning snack.

Hopefully, I’ll be able to get a microphone soon. Maybe drop me a tip to help?

So, wishing you a blue, green, brown, white, pink (other colours are available) Monday. And if you can’t get outside today, I’m happy you can share mine. I’m off for a nap now.

Until next time,

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