Introduction

Hello, and a warm welcome from the edge of the wild. My name is Diane Duckworth.

One year ago, my life took a magical turn when I moved from the majestic peaks of Colorado to a castle in Cumbria, back to my husband's hometown of Whitehaven. Here we are blessed with a landscape that feels like a fairytale: the constantly changing Irish sea at our front, and the deep, quiet embrace of the woods at our back.

Though I've lived in England before, this time is different. It's more wonderful, more enchanted even than it was before. It may be the gentle changing of the seasons here, or maybe it's the season of my own life - but I feel a connection that resonates in my very soul. The trees seem to whisper my name. The earth welcomes my footsteps.

This blog, The Woodland Apothecary, is my way of sharing that connection with you. I want to share my experiences and understanding of the benefits of nature. We will examine how connecting to the trees in the woods, in a park, or in our own back garden can heal our bodies and calm our minds.

So, come join me on this journey. We will walk the path of science to understand the 'how' and we'll sprinkle a few breadcrumbs of forest folklore along the way, to understand the 'why'.

Come with me. The trees are calling.