Voyage of discovery

Having spent some time carrying out some research for my award, I have asked many questions in reflection and to be honest I am spoilt for choice as I consider all the areas that I could potentially explore as part of my award process.

First of all I looked at Clackmannanshire as county and WOW I am blown away when I open my eyes really to what exists around my very County of Beauty. By its very mission statement is more than I imagine. I wonder if this is what John Muir was refering to when he said "Walk away quietly in any direction and taste the freedom of the mountaineer. Camp out among the grasses and gentians of glacial meadows, in craggy garden nooks full of nature's darlings. Climb the mountains and get their good tidings, Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. As age comes on, one source of enjoyment after another is closed, but nature's sources never fail."

After getting out and taking some initial photos almost like a new tourist explorer camera in hand. As I looked through the lense to press the shutter I focused on the beauty before me and then it hit me "this is truly being alone in nature, if you just sit quietly in a field or by a stream within a very short space of time nature will come to you will walk on over and say hello. I felt strangely revived

Its always been there, my County's beauty by like something we take for granted I passed on by every day without giving it a care in the world, now it is engaging me, inviting me to climb its hills, walk by its streams communicate with it and I have taken the invite on board and accepted it.

I meet with the rangers sevice on the 30th of October and looking forward to finding out even more about the County I live move and have my being in