In an English Country Garden

Summertime in England

Stands the church clock at ten to three

And is there honey still for tea ?

                                             Rupert Brooke

The joyous song of the Blackbird announces the successful rearing of his fledglings. Overhead, high in the canopy of the English oaks, we hear rooks feeding their young.

“ I find the song of the Blackbird acts like

a balm at the end of a busy day.”

Simon King, Naturalist, BBCTV Springwatch

The gentle roll of thunder follows a downpour of rain. Song birds admonish the Gods for playing nine-pins. Soon, we reach the coast, where waves break on a pebble shore and a stream runs to the sea. Meanwhile, in a medieval country garden, bumblebees gather nectar to feed their brood in an old vole-hole. Above us, House Martins feed their young, reared in mud nests under the eaves. Overhead, swifts wheel before making their long journey to Africa. The young swifts will remain airborne for the next four years, roosting at 10,000 feet. With the going down of the sun, the Song Thrush orchestrates a joyful symphony to celebrate the end of day.

Here are two relaxing audio CDs to help free you from the stresses of the day: