Devon Maid is a story about wellbeing and life in a rural playground
Author: Devon Maid
I'm a writer, journalist and communications officer based in the South West of England. I write about wellbeing, the outdoors and life in a rural playground.
Just recently I’ve stopped geotagging locations on Instagram. Why? Undeniably beautiful places encourage us all to reach for the camera and share our images; it’s understandable. But these places are becoming more heavily visited and it is having an impact. Early one morning I headed for a coastal spot well known for its other-worldly qualities […]
It’s been quite novel, these last few weeks, exploring a quieter-than-usual Devon. Truth is, I’ve quite enjoyed being able to go to places without getting stuck in traffic and, when you get there, seeing fewer people. As the restrictions out of lockdown ease, that will change and with Devon being such a gorgeous place and […]
We started the week with International Women’s Day and (in the UK anyway) end it with Mother’s Day. What were you hoping for this week? Stories of empowerment? Change? Hoping, perhaps, for hope? I’d like to say the same but as I sit here, I cannot help but think it has been a very dark […]
‘Alright love, chill out’. I’d stopped running to give a man with a big dog a wide berth. The dog was on a long extended lead and they were approaching me. I usually err on the side of caution when passing larger dogs in case they decide to lunge or jump up. The guy stared […]
Are you thinking about having a staycation this year? It might be that you’re not able to travel abroad or are nervous about doing so given the 12 months we’ve had. I love exploring new places in the UK: staycations are my thing and while my heart lies in Devon, I enjoy the anticipation of […]
The day dawned bright and breezy and the morning hush hung in the air. A tabby cat looked decidedly nonplussed at someone being up so early on a Sunday out of choice. As I crested the hill, an easterly wind smacked me in the face vigorously enough to make my cheeks turn pink with cold. […]
Since the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve all needed to stay closer to home and for many of us that has involved exercising locally too. It has really opened my eyes up to some of the spots we have on our doorstep. When restrictions were introduced in March 2020, I made a commitment to do either a […]
So, how are you? No, really – how are you? Did you find January tough as old boots? It’s not my favourite month by any stretch. I knew it was going to be hard but didn’t realise it was going to be so rocky that my emotional track and trace would crash nearly every day. […]
This morning I woke up after dreaming about drinking alcohol. In my dream, I am with people and we are happy – euphoric, almost – and I have a glass of wine in my hand. I am drinking from it and laughing. All of a sudden, I realise I’m making a horrible mistake: I don’t […]
Little more than six months ago, I wrote about taking a break from social media. I did it for lots of reasons. The first thing I’d do in the morning with my cup of coffee was check Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn. It became a circle of scrolling/updating that saw me lose half an hour and […]