Like everywhere, At the moment, The talk all along The canal is the rain. The eager chatter of drips. Gentle whispering Sighs among alder. Reed and iris' High-pitched plinks, The oaks deep exhale. The slow celebration Of slug and snail. #DailyNature #ukcanals #naturepoetry

First day of canal closure. Heat plays across the water. The air feels close and heavy. A cat slants asleep across a cabin roof. A young lad with faraway eyes says 'There's a big pike here.' Then he says he could be wrong. I tell him I saw it last evening. He looks relieved. #DailyNature #ukcanals

Canal-side plants Angelica (Wild) The thrum and beat Of cyclists and joggers. Airliners razor between clouds. But the canal Sleeps easy and content. In its reflection, I can read Its dreams. And there Is Angelica by the wall. #DailyNature #ukcanals #plants #bloomscrolling #naturepoetry

The Prussian blue sky The scent of cut tomatoes Fields of calico #naturepoetry #haiku #summer

While we are taking a couple of weeks off on holiday, it is time for another of our Summer Readings specials, where I recommend and review a book that I think you'll enjoy. For this episode, it is 'Boater' by Jo Bell. #podcast #boatlife #Narrowboat #ukcanals #books www.noswpod.com/boater/

Boater (Summer Readings - 8)

Summer is finally here, and nothing quite beats finding a cool and last spot (preferably in the dappled shade of a willow tree or two) and idling away a few hours w…

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Canal-side plants Meadowsweet I came for the howl Of wilder winds, the Roll of storm clouds, Sunset fire, and the Blast and fury of life At its most essential. Instead, nature Sang to me With meadowsweet. #naturepoetry #plants #ukcanals #naturemusing

Canal-side plants Arrowhead Chaste bathing beauties Dip below the water As each boat goes past. #naturepoetry #ukcanals #plants #nature

Canal-side plants Teasel 'Come,' Says the teasel, 'Let me charm you With goldfinches And between my bristles The wild haze Of moorland heather. For we all have wilder hearts That beat to untamed winds' #naturepoetry #ukcanals #plants #wildness #nature

We walk through Drifts of loosestrife That dance with tiny wings. All the while, the canal Dreams in the syrup sweet Afternoon sun. #naturepoetry #ukcanals #plants #nature #summer #bees

Canal-side plants Marsh woundwort Soul friend You too love The shady places Of midnight greens And moorhen call. #DailyNature #naturepoetry #ukcanals #plants #flowers #summer

Canal-side plants Bindweed Strung along the towpath The great bells of bindweed Ring out their silent peels. The canal listens For the chimes We cannot hear. #naturepoetry #DailyNature #ukcanals #plants

"Every day, priests minutely Examine the Dharma And endlessly chant Complicated sutras. Before doing that, though, They should learn how to read the Love letters sent by The wind and rain, The snow and moon." Ikkyu (1394-1481) #zen #poetry #wisdom

And the path leads on to who knows where? Disoriented little souls, dry and exhausted. We all need aa helping hand sometimes; we all need a glimpse of clarity. Together, we find water. #life #frog #souls

*New Episode* It's a glorious July night with a welcome breeze playing among the reeds. Join us tonight at we think about how people viewed summer in the past and find some surprising similarities and differences. #pocast #ukcanals #summer #nature #history #mentalhealth www.noswpod.com/gentle-days/

The Gentleness (of the shortening days)

A welcome breeze plays among the reeds and carves ripples on the canal. Tonight, the Erica is moored on a perfect summer’s night. We welcome you to join us as enjoy…

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"Living deep in the mountains I’ve grown fond of the Solitary sound of the pines; On days the wind does not blow How lonely it is!" Rengetsu (1791-1875) #poetry #Zen #windless

Canal-side plants Nipplewort They call me An invasive weed To pull me up By the roots. A nuisance A threat. They do not see me Rise lotus-like, Transforming your ground With the beauty Of such nectar-rich life. #naturepoetry #ukcanals #plants #naturewriting

Canal-side plants Hemp agrimony Slow winds the canal Through calico fields. Two drakes break cover From a jungle of iris leaves. Surprised by the strawberry blush Of floral candyfloss. #naturepoetry #ukcanals #plants #DailyNature

The clouds are not the sky The sadness is not the son. The long grasses sing out The Heart Sutra To the wind. þæs oferēode, þisses swā mæg [That passed away; So may this] #poetryorsomething #wordsflungatthewalloftheworld

For a short while, this morning, The sky whirled With crow call Ragged wings Against a snarl Of cloud. For a time, My world was filled With crows. I doubt though, If looking down, They felt that their world Was filled with a solitary man Looking faintly lost In a denuded wood. #naturepoetry

John Moriarty's 'What the Curlew Said'. I love this book so much. It is like a mountain spring, always fresh, always replenishing. #naturewriting #Philosophy

Canal-side plants Morning glory Up with the lark, Fresh faced. Lazing in the sun all day. Even by late afternoon They are still wearing Their pink and white Striped pyjamas. #naturepoetry ##DailyNature #ukcanals #plants #summer

It's been a HOT week in the UK (particularly on a steel narrowboat)! So come and enjoy the cool of the evening with us onboard the Erica as we 'freewheel' into a warm summer night. #podcasts #ukcanals #naturewriting #summer #boatlife www.noswpod.com/evening-cool/

In the Cool of the Evening

As the heat begins to settle, join us tonight on the narrowboat Erica as we enjoy that special time of a summer’s day, when evening falls and cool breezes ripple th…

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Sages have come And their names are now lost Bullies also came, terrorised, And now their names And faces are forgotten. The hemlock The dew The raven's call Remain #naturepoetry

Thick chalk-cliff skies And a sticky warmth That threatens heat A fish surfaces Gulps Then decides To go back home And then Everywhere And everything Is suddenly golden. #naturepoetry #solstice

For a while, This evening, I watched A tiny damselfly Alone among the stillness Skim low across The wide, wide water. A solitary figure, Slient, minute, Dwarfed by the clouds Reflected below her. And I thought That I have never Seen anything So brave as this. #naturepoetry #courageunseen

As we edge towards midsummer night, let's enjoy the long twilight and join us as we reflect on the fast-moving world of podcasting, the magic of audio, and the future for NoSW. #podcast #ukcanals #audio How old is Mindful's Vanessa (and other questions I don't have t… www.noswpod.com/how-old/

How old is Mindful's Vanessa (and other questions I don't have t…

As we edge towards midsummer night, we’re reminded how everything is in constant change. This is particularly the case in the fast-moving world of podcasting. It is…

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Soft the wash of rain Soft the feathered touch of yarrow Soft the call of wood pigeon Hidden in ancient trees. The canal responds in kind. #DailyNature #naturepoetry #ukcanals #nature #rain #summer

The canal is quiet today Sunshine flits and skips Across a growly sky. The forecast spells rain later We alter our walk to avoid Disturbing the heron. A thin grey figure Filled with The canal's silence In total communion Together under A turbulent sky. #DailyNature #naturepoetry #ukcanals

My first mug of tea A morning of liquid light Rooks hawk on wild winds #naturepoetry #haiku #birds #summer #poetry

Canal-side plants Red campion Sitting Listening to the rain Rattle upon the roof Thinking Of red campion Dozing in the sun. #DailyNature #naturepoetry #plants #flowers #ukcanals