A tiny message with boots on.

Deep in the ancient woodland near our home is a fallen tree.

Once an awe inspiring giant standing tall and majestic amongst the forest of other mighty souls and a home for birds, squirrels, butterflies and buzzards.

One of those spectacularly tall trees that have ferns growing from the highest  branches, as if theres a miniature Jurassic world out of reach to us in its canopy.

Now it lies  broken on the forest floor, wedged amongst the branches and trunks of the surrounding trees.

A dramatic moment in time captured in its devastation as the giant fell and broke branches and trunks of innocent, unsuspecting neighbours and remained there motionless whilst the surrounding woodland continue to grow and accommodate its huge heavy hulk.

This is ‘our’ tree.

It fell in the winter of 2019.

During the spring and summer of 2020 it became our place.

We would pack a flask of tea and some cake and set out from home for the short uphill wander through the footpaths and trails past pine tees and ancient oaks to ‘our tree’.

We never named it…

it seemed disrespectful to give it a name when it had stood for so long without the need for a human label ..

maybe it already had a name, spoken in a wind breath language we couldn’t understand?

This magical place, now teeming with ground level wildlife became our neutral space where we could discuss and decide how life was going to be from here.

Huge decisions, quietly talked about,

Sometimes with tears, sometimes with excited anticipation, trepidation, fear and always with cake.

This is the place, hidden in the woods that A Wolf and I became our world…

the place we realised that this was the moment we had been waiting for, working towards, dreaming of for so many years.

Terrifyingly exhilarating.

For nearly two decades we had been juggling two businesses.

We were running and teaching  silversmithing at our own independent jewellery school, a full time job on its own whilst in the background working hard to create a magical world of creatures, talismen, silver jewellery hand made with love and magic to send out into the world.

We were working to commission, creating collections and exhibiting at trade fairs. We approached shops and galleries to stock our work and took stands at international jewellery shows. We made metal artwork for  international fashion magazines and jewellery for Royal palaces …

All while teaching over 50 students a week at our school.

It was a lot.

And worth every moment.

Every tired, sore eyed, sore handed, late night and early morning…. weekend worked and holiday cancelled led us to this tree in the woods surrounded by bluebells and gangs of excitable long tailed tits.

This breathless moment.

Yesterday, nearly four years on from this momentous decision we went to visit our tree.

The warm March sunshine was streaming through the canopy causing the chaos of birds to sing their hearts out and welcome the Spring air.

Our singular magical cherry tree, hidden in amongst oak, brown ferns and silver birch was covered in pale pink Pom Poms of flowers … a surprising shock of delicate beauty against the still awakening woodland behind.

Now, covered in a beautiful thick blanket of lush green moss, our tree lay there as if sleeping on the forest floor. Home to the ground dwellers, the fungi, the insects that will eventually reduce this giant back to the soil.

Echoes of our conversations played out around us as we sat and remembered this tumultuous time.

The mixed emotions, the excited disbelief that we were about to walk away from a business that had been so all consuming for such a big part of our lives together.

The realisation that as a couple we had barely lived three years together before embarking on creating our school….

who we are if we don’t show up to teach anymore?

We sat for moments listening to the chatter of birds around us.

Al took my hand and grinned …

This place, hidden in the woods… feels like the place where the magic began. Where A Wolf and I was reborn to become our entire, complete, weird, wonderful world.

Where we truly began to find our beautiful tribe and share the immense magical energy we feel flowing through everything.

It’s been a ride, with ups and downs, moments of exhaustion, elation, anxiety, exhilaration and always a deep gratitude. We learn more each day, always feeling an immense sense of support from the community around us .. most of whom we’ve never met.

As we sat there hand in hand quietly chatting about our journey I noticed a little dot of bright red against the vivid green moss…

Moving clumsily toward us…

A native, Seven Spotted Ladybird.

An unusual visitor this deep in the woods and yet there she was stumbling over the enormous (to her) miniature landscape of moss. A bright, spotted beacon of colour in an ocean of green.

It is said that ladybirds are reminders to stay calm in your quest for your true path.

They say that to see a ladybird is a sign that whatever you’re doing at the moment or whatever you’re planning for your future is the proper path for you…

She’s a symbol of protection and guidance.

And there she was …on our tree… making her way toward us in her little black boots.

At this moment I put my ridiculous fear of ladybirds aside (I know…. 🙄) and we welcomed her and her positive, encouraging message.

A true sign from these ancient woods, these wise souls surrounding us who heard every conversation we had then and still have now in this beautiful place.

Our life has changed beyond recognition in these last four years and we love every moment.

Thank you little ladybird, your timing was impeccable.

Magic really is everywhere if you take a moment of stillness.

Listen.

Watch carefully and it will show itself.