It has been quite a while since I've updated my blog, but before I get into it, I'd like to assure you that now I am settled and in a good routine, you can expect far more frequent content. This year I am striking a healthy balance between studying at present and looking towards my future. I'm aspiring to publish my nature writing in the future, and my blog serves as a space to practice; share my writing and my story; and most importantly, to network a little and gain constructive criticism and pointers. As always, please do get in contact with any comments/thoughts/queries/advice you may have from reading my blog, via my Twitter (@HannahRLilly), my email (hannahrose.lilly@gmail.com), or in the comment section below — It would help me out so much. Thank you!

First, a personal update, and then I'll get into the nature stuff! As you may know, I'm an English Literature student at the University of Reading. In September, (because we were assured it was oh-so-safe to do so), I returned to Reading after living at home in Kent since March. It was my first time living alone, as previously I had been living with my partner, and honestly it wasn't great. I made some lovely friends in my flat, but we were unable to go out to socialise due to online lectures, cancelled societies and closed bars. It was lonely, disheartening and generally an unhealthy way to live. My mental health had not been particularly well for most of the year, but I became very unwell during my time in University Halls, so I went to visit my older cousin and her son in Somerset over the October half-term— and well, I never left.

It's been two and a half months now since I cancelled my Halls contract, moved my stuff out and set up base in South Somerset. In Kent, I grew up in suburban, farmland countryside, but here I am properly out in the sticks. Our cottage stands within a small area of woodland and is completely surrounded by both farmland and wild areas. It is my idea of heaven, although I am not used to this volume of mud (and neither is my 1L Peugeot 107)

Enough about me now that you're up to date with my set-up; let me tell you about the wildlife around here — although I am planning a separate post about my garden wildlife. The bird life is incredible here, just this morning I've had pheasants, blue tits, great tits, nuthatches, coal tits, long-tailed tits, a marsh tit, and a great-spotted woodpecker on and around a small apple tree in the garden.

When I go to fill up my feeders, I listen for the phew-phew of the local bullfinch flock — a bird I've only been fortunate enough to see in Kent all of two times. Kites and buzzards soar above the garden during the day; at night, the sky carries the conversation of tawny owls, calling between silent fields. The night sky is never hazy, on a clear evening every constellation is distinguishable. When the ground begins to thaw on sunny, crisp mornings, flocks of redwings and fieldfares descend on the garden to fish out invertebrates. On one occasion as I drove towards Frome, I watched a herd of deer (I was unable to determine the species) grazing on the unkempt land, and my cousin has told me that they have found deer droppings in and around the garden. Later in the year, as national guidelines permit, I want to venture across Somerset in search of cranes, bustards and stone curlews. For now, there is so much to take in just looking out from my kitchen window, let alone from a bird hide.

It is perfectly rural here, and I know that living in Somerset is the retreat I need in. I am planning to stay with my cousins until roughly the end of summer, and within that time I have a few nature/career related goals:

1. Work on a nearby campsite as an advisor and to develop a record of the species on the campsite, how they can optimise their space for the species present, and develop guest information.

2. Post-lockdown, to visit as many reserves as possible in the county.

3. Post-lockdown, to attend walks, talks and coffee meetings with experienced birders and writers in the area.

4. Strike a balance between university work, writing and painting, so that I can put more time into my Etsy shop (https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/LarkingUp)

5. Keep a consistent nature diary throughout the year.

6. Submit work, be it writing, art, photography or citizen science, whenever possible to the relevant groups/persons.

7. Most importantly, I want to use this move, my learning curves and the consequent emotional shifts as a basis for my writing. As I've stated, I want to publish a book in the future, and I feel drawn to share this experience and the ways I'm healing deep emotional wounds through the nature around me here. Therefore, I want to spend the year meditating on ideas for my book; practicing my writing; and gaining advice and criticism.
   

That's all for now, the nuthatches are chirping loudly outside which normally means that peanut feeder is empty, so I must don my wellies and attend to them. Take care and check back soon!