The secret nature keeps 🌿 | Discovering an abandoned forest, slow living & our French cottage life

As I was walking through the fields towards the forest, I stumbled upon some catchweed and remembered this plant's funny habit to stick to your clothes if you don't pay attention. Did you know that? Then I saw how quickly the herbs and plants had grown in just a few weeks and I was reminded once again of the cyclical nature of things. From seeds to plants and from flowers to fruits, the orchard behind our valley is blooming with vibrant pink and white shades. In just a few weeks, tiny apples will make their appearance. Nourished by the sun, the soil and the rain, they will grow to become food. Nature gives freely. I wonder, what do we give it in return? This elder tree has grown in one of our farm's abandoned buildings. The first flowers have just started blooming and I couldn't help but take a few to make a little homemade lemonade. To the Celts, this tree was a symbol of good luck for the household, if it was planted near our house. I like to think that it protects us still. We are just one link in the big food chain of nature. I think it's important to only take what we need and leave the rest for other species like animals and insects. We recently got rid of a huge amount of brambles that were blocking the entrance to a part of the forest surrounding the farm and we made a strange and disconcerting discovery. Abandoned old farm machinery, plastics and cans. Nature has started taking over. It's quite disconcerting and disheartening to be honest, to see that some people use nature as a dump. But when you think about it, actually a long time ago, a lot of people did use nature as a dump because there was no real dump. So they did not really have a choice and yet it hurts to see that, to see plastic, especially plastic, abandoned in nature. The beauty of this wide place almost makes us forget. A healthy forest loves diversity. It needs diversity. No plant is more important than another one. They accept each other. Just like we need bees in order to pollinate plants to give us food, we need for nature to be healthy and ready to give. Which makes me wonder about our own ability to be humble and generous and respectful. Making space for everything and everyone, giving in order to thrive. Is that what we do? Nature thrives by giving again and again, never asking for anything in return. Isn't it the secret to abundance? Just a little bit of humbleness and generosity. And if there must be thorns here, then I want to see roses too. I had this rose bush that I wasn't using, so I decided to plant it at the entrance of the forest. Who knows, maybe it would help this place attract more generosity and kindness. Did you know that oak trees and ash trees have edible leaves? They are delicious when served with a salad or a soup. On our farm, I can't even count the number of edible plants that are naturally occurring. We didn't do anything, they just grow here naturally. Over the years, I've had so much fun trying to identify plants, and especially edible ones. It's become one of my favorite hobbies, one that I hope to pass down to my daughter as she grows up. A beautiful inheritance of natural knowledge, the roots that she's going to need to love and respect nature.