This project began when I was struggling to leave the house last winter, I’m a fair weather gal and SAD (seasonal affected disorder) hits me hard. But being a movement for mental heath specialist I knew I needed to find a way to get on with the great outdoors, I needed to be moving, breathing fresh air and soaking up what vitamin D was available.

 

It started with a windy and wet walk I was forcing myself though, I ducked into a shop and was waiting out the shower miserably (see the top photo). Then wallowing in self pity, I smelt fresh lemons, a bag had broken and somebody had stood on one, it smelled fresh and bright and sharp and brought me a startling sense of joy, I could somehow feel summer.

But it was very much not summer and I knew I needed to walk home. I set off, the rain wasn’t letting up, but I held on to that smell of lemons and because I was suddenly so present, so aware of my nose I began to smell other things; the sent of the rain on the pavement, (petrichor is the word for it if your’e interested) a passer-by’s perfume, the rotting of sodden leaves, sugar from a churros van and I felt so alive, so full of the world around me that the walk home was actually delightful.

 

I wondered if this was the key, would it work again? 

So next time I needed to drag myself from the house I chose a colour, yellow and I looked for everything and anything I could see that was yellow, I made notes in a book describing my found things in a much detail as my poor poetry allowed, before I knew it I’d walked for well over an hour. 

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So yes having a quest on a walk makes it more fun in bad weather but it also put me in a headspace of wonder and delight, marvelling at the world around me.

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So I decided to up it a notch and create a hunt around Brighton lanes for when my family visited next, I wanted to share this feeling of connection I was revelling in and writing it had me out multiple days, exploring my city with new eyes. I’m pleased to say they loved it and suggested I share it with more people, so here we are. 

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I have so many ideas so stay tuned and come quest for whimsy with me