Jen Ratcliffe

Excuse the yoda order of 'read' in the sentence above, I typed this in the rain and didn't notice 😅🌧️

Saw a vast flock of woodpigeons passing overhead this morning. A wonderfully impressive spectacle, by a bird generally disliked & dismissed. Though I thought, how nice a change it was that in this nature-depleted country, I actually witnessed abundance.

(over a murky, leafy, shadowy mid water is a text poem in faded gold) A woman alone sitting on a bench in yellow watches saffron grey-willow leaves sway, like upright tinsel, bend easterly with the turtle-speed flow of mustard wavy common-birch hands upon rain dashing waters, as dipping west, coal starlings undulate together as humped whale. Uplifted on the wing as the heart - loosening words that outcast, that flung her like autumn shedding to folate here, golden and black in this place to swathe her mind, into noticing redwings call, always hidden infinite with invitation of company, herself forgetful that all are welcome home, in nature. A woman on a bench sitting in yellow enjoys the world's companionship.

#DailyNature Day 5

A rather rain-dripped poem for today, what have you seen?

#NatureWriting #NaturePoetry #Poetry #UKCanals #Winter #Challenges

Another lovely podcast from Richard, love the forecast included in these pieces, was much enjoyed by the fire last night

- and quite wonderful to hear him my words, read better than myself, I must say. Thank you so much for including me in your thoughts for this episode 💚

#NatureWriting #UKCanals

Stunning sky & shadows 🩷

💙 beautiful

It was such a lovely sight - looked as the boat was under a desk lamp

Behind leafless shadows of a tree is a grey sky with a pearl glowing ring. At the centre is the white moon.

#DailyNature Day 4

A banded moon with ghost iris and apple-stardust limbal ring glares upon us mortals. Ice particles trapped and refracting in a children's chanting loop in the sky. I dream of snow; white night; brown puddles waded waist deep. Heavy, icy water is all that arrives.

#NatureWriting

Maybe it's the equivalent of going for a little leg stretch on a train or plane journey 😂🕊️

I wonder if theres a commentator amongst the group for the little races?

The moon blues into the hands of a windmills between valley oaks crinkle cut bodies at soft blue dusk.

#DailyNature #Day3

Lunar-lamplight strobes through dieting valley oaks as a lone puppy whimpers for his tea into early evening. In the distance a constant rush of traffic follows my ears like a stream, I wonder if it were much quieter a hundred years ago, perhaps, but the air is likely more clearer

Hard ice on the window panes
A wet fleece of fog
To dull the stars.
The sheep looked up
From their sleep
And watched me
As I passed.

#DailyNature #Day3 #naturewriting #poetry

Photo: Moss growing on along the window seal of my car.

For today’s #DailyNature I’ve gone micro… this is moss growing in the groove at the bottom of the driver’s-side window of my meticulously maintained car. The moral? Perhaps that nature always wins in the end.

In the last light of day,
A still time on the fell.
A bird calls above.
You turn.
Your inner horizon shifts.
You are rearranged,
just slightly, but enough.
💚 #DailyNature #NoticingNature

Haha still very much counts!

#DailyNature #Day2
Cabbage white underbellies of lavender leaves twirl into icicles from slow air. Today is the first day I could've mistake them. My bones awake from cool fire as moon and sun sit as equals in the sky. Yet yellow boats still float on branch ends waiting to launch...

#NatureWriting

The stars follow me
From the canal bank to the city
(Or do I follow them?).
Dimmer, but they are still there.
So too are the leaves
Of birch, rowan, and beech
Strewn beneath my feet.
Dandelion and pineapple weed
Burst among the cracks
That beetles call 'home.'

#DailyNature #poetry #naturewriting

Look at the webbing in this ice 😍❄️

Beautiful capture

Seems only right for a massive shout out today for Rach Appleby (www.instagram.com/rachapplebya...) - who was chosen to illustrate my book cover. Do have a peek at Rach's fab portfolio... I particularly like her #birdart #nature #natureart #wildlifeart #urbannature #naturewriting

Ah, it was a good talk - I was there too, small world!

#DailyNature #Day1

I sit under the tepid toes of soft rain, remainders of night's arcane howls - like a feral cat brought in, now purring in front of the fire. Stark hedgerows cling to ruby earrings against undyed sky. Verdant crowns of ivy flowers scattered haphazardly: wild queens

#NatureWriting

Tit on a plane tree.

#DailyNature #Day1 #photography

I’ve been wondering what my first photo for @jenratcliffe.bsky.social December #DailyNature challenge will be & then I came across this Great Tit in the park this morning which says: Where’s everyone? Let’s get started!

#birdsky #BirdOfTheDay #nature #parks #tits

A lone moorhen rows across the canal, is such an accurate description to something I watch daily but in a way I've never read it as 💙

Absolutely 💙💚 Love this photo and reminder, daily nature can be from your window or even and indoor plant or visiting wintering creepy crawly 🐌

Great photo - crazy there are still so many leaves on the trees!

PS. Still looking for water inspired story tellers for Water Book club and would love to have you. Planning on having this spread out over next year

Thank you for the suggestion, yes it's been nice to have them out as a podcast, I think I can create it straight from Substack but still getting to grips with it. The water book club will definitely go up via YouTube and podcast though.

#DailyNature: A Solstice Community Challenge A challenge I began on BlueSky every solstice is coming to Substack!

And here is an introductory blog you can listen along to.

This month I will be rounding up some posts weekly and posting them via Substack 💚

open.substack.com/pub/jenratcl...

Who's ready for our third #DailyNature challenge month? Let's celebrate winter!
💙❄️🌬️🌨️🪾

How:
*Dec 1st - 31st
*Post a daily nature observation
*Include #DailyNature

See:
*Solstice
*Murmurations
*Seed heads, moss, reds & dark

Here's a starter pack to get going:

go.bsky.app/RUhJfc6

#NatureWriting