For The Love Of Green

I come from the Emerald Isle, so you could say that green runs through my veins. Well, at the very least, I do have green eyes. I grew up, surrounded by so many different shades of green and to this day, it my favourite colour.

Surrounded by nature, I can breathe. I can finally, feel the air that is sustaining me. Nature, is the creator for me and green is her colour. To me, it is home.

So when I read the latest Weekend Engagement challenge, I had to go for green, probably a bit obvious for some, but I swear, my heart is green!

I have to pick two pictures and Ireland is one of the greenest Countries I know, but I did not pick photos from my homeland. Instead, I pick two, from the country that I currently live in. Spain.

It's funny, cos I have written a lot about how dry it is here. But this photo above is so lush and it fills my heart with so much joy, when I look at it. It is from a very special time of my life, when I went trekking for close on two months, in the mountains not far from where I now live.

The horse, in the picture above is called Solas and I had the pleasure and honour of walking with her everyday. She carried my tent and the clothes that me and my then 2 daughters needed, as well as one of them if they got tired.

Previous to the trek, she had been found in a very small shed. Taken in by a Spanish man, who was then happy to let her walk with me. It meant exercise for her and one less animal for him to feed.

To get to see her out in nature, where we never needed to tie her up, she always stayed by our tents and she developed a very strong bond, with the horse that my friend was walking with.

To see Solas free, surrounded by all that green, made me very emotional. After everything she had been through. Locked in such a tiny space and neglected for such a long time.

This, beautiful spot that where we camped, towards the end of our trip, this is where she was meant to be.

This photo above, is another wonderful spot that we camped at. If you look closely at the centre of the photo, you should see two white horses, a green tent (which I wish, I could say was mine, but no mine was orange, that's my friends.)

In the top left of the photo, you can hopefully make out the waterfall. Water that we bathe in and played in. We were about a week into our trek. Two mama's, with their kids, in the wild. Miles away from civilisation.

I never felt so free and healthy, in all my life.

I learnt so much about myself, it really empowered me and it was amazing, that I got to share it with my children.

There is nothing, like going to sleep, to the sound of nature. To the insects, the animals, the wind. Nothing like, lying so close to the earth, with only the thin materiel of the tent and our sleeping bags between us. I have never slept so well. So peacefully.

I crave this so often. Oh how I wish to be transported back, to sleep out in the wild, once again. I know that I will return, not to this same spot.But I have plans to travel like this again. For now, well for now I have these pictures and my wonderful memories.