Lets Get Wild, connect with nature and wildlife in support of Mental Health Awareness Week 2021

Mental Health Awareness Week, 10-16 May 2021.
This year's theme is "NATURE".

Photographer and Videographer: Rowena Castillo-Nicholls
Location: Rowena's home and garden, Truro, Cornwall

I created an event on Facebook: “Lets Get Wild, connect with nature and wildlife" in support of Mental Health Awareness Week.

Facebook Event Page: www.facebook.com/events/467936354310283

Lets Get Wild, connect with nature and wildlife because it benefits both the mental health and physical well-being. You can do this wherever you are. But you don’t have to walk and drive miles and miles to do this. You can do this in your home or in your garden.

DAY 1 – I walked around my garden and admiring the Bluebells in various shades and took photographs of them. I planted some of the herbs that I always use in my cooking: Thyme, Tarragon, Sage, Marjoram, Oregano and 3 types of Rosemary and took a video of them.

Bluebells

Herb Garden

DAY 2 – I baked a Cheese and Bacon Loaf. I cooked Red Lentil and Harissa Soup with Gremolata. I’ve used the Corianders that I picked from my herb garden. I attended a webinar on UN Perspective Series: Life Below Water by United Nations Association of Greater Boston. 

Cheese and Bacon Loaf and Red Lentil and Harissa Soup with Gremolata

UN Perspective Series: Life Below Water by United Nations Association of Greater Boston

​DAY 3 – I watched the rainbow after the rain. The colours are just stunning. The beauty and wonder of nature never seize to amaze me. I attended a webinar on Networks for Nature, Facilitating Collaborative Farming Webinar Series. ​

Rainbow after the Rain

Networks for Nature: Facilitating Collaborative Farming Webinar Series

​DAY 4 – I watched the extremely unpredictable weather: sunny, cloudy, windy and raining. It's just amazing how the weather changes in just a few seconds. I really enjoyed listening to the sound of the falling rain and the chirping of the birds. It's quite therapeutic and calming. 

Video from my bigger pond when it was Raining

Video from my smaller pond when it was Windy

​DAY 5 – I’ve been butterfly-watching in my garden. I've seen a Red Admiral, Orange Tip, Speckled Wood, Comma, Green-veined White, Large White and Small White. I took videos of the butterflies. ​

Red Admiral

Orange Tip

Speckled Wood

Comma

Green-veined White

DAY 6 – I’ve been bird-watching in my garden. I've seen Sparrowhawk, Great-spotted Woodpecker, House Sparrow, Wood Pigeon, Blackbird, Siskin, Greenfinch, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Robin, Starling and others. I took videos of the birds. 

Sparrow Hawk devouring her price catch, a poor Collared Dove

Great-spotted Woodpecker lurking by the pond

House Sparrow taking a shower in my pond

Wood Pigeon devouring the Ivy Berries

Juvenile Blackbird

Siskin and Greenfinch

DAY 7 – I've read my nature and wildlife books to brush-up my knowledge on the flora and fauna of Cornwall and the rest of the UK. I'm originally from the Philippines so I am not really familiar with the flora and fauna here. But I'm learning. I already know the Garden Birds and Butterflies in Cornwall. It's time to learn more on Bees, Dragonflies, Fungi and Wildflowers. Everyday is a learning process. It's always fun and enjoyable to learn and discover new things. I chatted on Zoom with my family around the globe: Philippines, UAE and Canada.

Nature and Wildlife Books