Reasons to be cheerful 1, 2, 3

After a long, hard winter in lockdown things really feel like they are getting better don’t they? The birds are singing, spring flowers are blooming, and lockdown is starting to ease. These are my 3 reasons to be cheerful and if you’ll indulge me I’ll explain a little more about each one and why they bring me so much pleasure.

Morning birdsong

We’ve had an amazing dawn chorus for several weeks now with the gorgeous sounds of blackbirds, robins et al belting out their beautiful melodies. This year we’ve been treated to a couple of woodpeckers as well – I think we can all relate to them after the last year, banging their heads against tree trunks!

But while that is amazing and uplifting, it was the arrival of the chiff chaffs last week that gave me the most joy. To me this really does signal the arrival of spring, and their monotonous but sweet sounding chirping always makes me smile.

Freshly arrived from their winter hideaways in North Africa and Southern Asia, they are going bonkers in the woods behind our garden. Gorgeous! Long may it continue.

The chiff chaff is not the most glamorous looking bird but what it lacks in colour it makes up for in chirpiness. I always imagine them as the plucky underdog who fights their corner to the last, and never lets you down.

Spring flowers

I love spring, it’s my favourite season by a mile. Is there a more refreshing and heartening sight than that first clump of vibrant daffodils in the garden or on a woodland walk, even when set against the leafless trees that haven’t woken up yet?

Each flower doesn’t last long but that doesn’t matter because they are soon followed by the striking colours of tulips, then the beautiful tulip shaped flowers of magnolias and of course the magnificent camelias stealing a march on their ericaceous friends the azaleas and rhododendrons that will have to wait a few more weeks before bringing us joy just as the early spring flowers fade.

Not to be outdone, the winter pansies that brightened up our lives through the barren winter months always seem to gain a new lease of life at this time of year, perfectly complimenting the beautiful newcomers.

In autumn I normally swap the bedding plants in my baskets and wall pots for winter pansies and spring bulbs. It adds a little interest to the garden over the winter which is nice, but the explosion of colour in spring is a sheer delight.

And as if the daffs, tulips, magnolias etc weren’t enough, early spring isn’t done with its spectacular show yet, as in the background you have the shrub showoffs – the pieris and red robins that give great structure to the garden year round with their lovely mix of green leaves but at this time of year they shoot out new growth in the form of flamboyant bright red leaves as gorgeous as any sunset.

A glass of wine in the garden with my lovely wife, looking at the explosion of spring’s vibrant colours and listening to that wonderful birdsong –  what a treat!

Easing of lockdown

Whereas the seemingly never-ending toll and awfulness of the pandemic has been so tragic, and most sane people appreciate why there was a need for lockdown, we really have had enough now haven’t we? It is so exciting to start getting our freedoms back, and with the daily death toll below 40 now, moving on from feeling guilty about having such thoughts to excitement about what we’ll be able to do in the weeks and months ahead.

I daren’t talk about holidays just yet in case our hopes are dashed. But how fabulous is it that from next week we’ll be able to sit outside a pub with a drink, chatting away and talking nonsense with our friends and neighbours? I can’t wait for that first (and second, and third …..) hand pulled pint of cask ale sat outside our local.

Although raucous times as depicted in the picture may have to wait for a few more weeks that really doesn’t matter, a quiet pint outside the pub will be a great start and will do very nicely for now. Actually I cheated a little with this photo as it’s not a UK pub – this is from 2019 when me and my son went to Madrid for the Champions League final, we literally sang all night. Great times!

However, despite the great news of lockdown easing, next week I have a bit of a dilemma – do I rush to the pub still resembling some kind of Frankenstein creation of a cross between Mrs Brown and Mrs Doubtfire, or do I get a haircut first and avoid the ridicule?

I have never looked forward more to a haircut and losing this awful mop. I’m thinking of having a duvet made from the mountain of clippings!

And of course, if I’m talking about my favourite things in life I must include Mila, our amazing cocker poo. Taking her for a walk in the spring sunshine past fields full of daffodils and sheep with their newborn lambs is just wonderful.

I wrote an article at Christmas about Mila, which has actually been my most liked post – bizarrely more popular even than my articles about HR theory. She is amazing and has added so much to our lives both before and during lockdown. If you’d like to read the article please press this link https://186hr.co.uk/mila-the-perfect-antidote-for-a-terrible-year/

Finally, the lifting of restrictions allowed us to have a family barbecue in the sunshine last week, brilliant! Good job we didn’t wait though as we seem to have travelled back in time to winter today. Luckily I gained a couple of pounds of easter egg fat yesterday that will keep me warm through this icy blast.

I really hope that your business is starting to improve and the future is bright. If you’ve any HR issues or queries please don’t hesitate to contact us.