Just as Nature Intended (II)

Six months ago, back in February 2020 – a time, pre-pandemic, which seems unimaginable now – I became aware that I was experiencing beneficial effects from seeing and working on my landscape images, effects which were almost as good as the real thing (the green therapy of being there, of capturing the photo in the first place).

So I started a gallery called ‘Just as Nature Intended’ and made it an ‘active’ one (i.e. I added an image to it, every ten days or so) recording the green places we were visiting – parks, reservoirs, abbeys etc. – and enjoyed the unexpected feel-good factor.

You can see the gallery in full and read about it HERE …

But life then intervened, in the form of Covid-19 and an (unrelated) trapped nerve in my ribs, and I’ve only added four images since March. So, this morning, I’ve decided to close the gallery.

A significant factor in this decision was reading a tweet in relation to the recent A-level awards asking, “how does a student cope with failing an exam they never took?”

Obviously, there’s nothing of a life-changing consequence about my gallery and, to that extent, comparisons with the student situation are simplistic; but it made me appreciate that the gallery has more value if I can view it as a positive activity that has been derailed by circumstances which are outwith my control, rather than a good intention which has just dribbled into nothingness.

So, the new gallery below selects just six images from the original set – they’re Paddy’s Greatest Hits! – the criteria being that they’re the six which are the brightest, bluest, sunniest, most optimistic, life affirming and positive images in the group – the most non-Covid ones that 'nature' and I have to share with you.

Take care

Paddy

August 2020.