Remember?
I remember last year’s November.

Reflecting on some moments captured in photos I took during the first autumn of the Covid-19 pandemic: The value of the sentiments I expressed then about keeping things in perspective staying positive and ‘Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness’ still ring true.

Beyond this, however, we know that so much has been achieved since November 2020 and in 2021 we are equipping ourselves with wider learning, deeper understanding, and many tools to tackle adversity and future threats. 

At times it feels such an angry world out there and sometimes perhaps with good reason. There is also hope and kindness, curiosity, and creativity. 

I think it is still better to shine a light rather than curse the darkness.
We have a lot to be thankful for. 
Take care.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 26/11/21

Booster time early this morning – using ‘Grab a Jab’ the NHS walk-in service.

I am thankful to receive this third dose as soon as I became eligible. (I want to keep myself and others as safe as possible particularly for some special occasions towards the end of November and December.)

It was again a very good experience although on this occasion it was at a different location and with different ‘jab’ this time …

‘Hundreds of walk-in sites across the country are now offering booster vaccines as the NHS ‘Grab-a-Jab’ campaign returns, making it even easier for people who are eligible to get their top-up jab.’

Take care, stay safe.

Thank you to everyone involved!

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 06/11/21

What a great time to be involved in research and communications! Life sciences are contributing to our understanding of the world and providing solutions and hope for the future. I am grateful for the opportunities which have enabled me to contribute.

It felt timely to take a moment for reflection about when I set up A Tree of Life Sciences Ltd.

I am thankful to all those who have supported me over the years.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 29/10/21

If the world currently feels angry and unsettled to you, maybe it’s a good time for some home comforts and humour this weekend. I pause to think about my roots (very down to earth). The rhubarb growing in my garden has special significance for me. This was the third crop this year from a few roots transferred from my dad’s garden (he died many years ago). This Yorkshire rhubarb is still thriving in Cheshire year after year! I am ready for some home comforts and humour.

Oops! I forgot to photo the pudding before it was shared out and devoured 😉.

‘The proof of the pudding is in the eating’.

Take care.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 20/10/21

[P.S. It was a delicious rhubarb crumble 😊.]

I took the photos when ‘harvesting’ my third crop of rhubarb in the garden this year.

Two years ago (before covid-19) I co-authored two papers on population health intervention with experts from France, Canada, and the UK. The two publications have proved to be well-received, very relevant, and timely.

I have also written about them here (a short blog post with links to the
publications).

Open access publications are increasingly important to disseminate information for researchers and others. They are the way forward.

International collaboration and interdisciplinary approaches are increasingly important in research.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 10/10/21

There is a buzz on the airwaves and so it seems life is bustling again out and about. And day and night.

I took these photos from a favourite place of mine in Nice to illustrate my point.

To global, international, and local outlooks.
A few days later it feels good to be back home again, come rain 🌧 or shine ⛅️, up North in the UK. The glorious autumnal colours will be here soon. Today, I take a deep intake of breath to enjoy the petrichor, the earthy smell of the rain and to keep life in perspective.

[Petrichor ‘The word comes from the Greek words ‘petra’, meaning stone, and ‘ichor’, which in Greek mythology refers to the golden fluid that flows in the veins of the immortals’]

We proceed from September surprises and hopefully to some autumnal delights.
Stay strong. Take care.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 30/9/21

A thank you message can be a tonic in tough times.

Here is the message I received at the end of last week from SPRINGER NATURE:
‘Thank you for your dedication to peer review. Reviewing papers takes time and dedication. We appreciate your part in the publication process. Without the work of experts like you, we would not be able to help advance research each day’

I am feeling very humbled to receive this message.

It is important that we continue to have a global outlook in research and publishing.

I very much appreciate this message, particularly at the moment.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 27/9/21

Nurturing. Spring, Summer, and now, through to Autumn. ‘Keep feeding and watering, and they flower ‘til the first frost.’ There’s a lot to be said for clarity and freshness in communications too.

When communicating, sometimes less is more and can be a refreshing change.

(A close-up snap I took of some begonias in a pot in the garden.)

Take care.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 16/9/21

.

AND SO, WE ARE HERE ©

And so, we are here.
We survived thus far.
You and I
And others too.

Everyone has their own stories,
In these strangest of times.
Some will hold them close.
Some will be shared in rhymes.

Out and about more now.
We are the same
But not the same.

We can shout it
Or quietly contemplate
Our fate.
No doubt about it
Things are not the same.

It’s not all over
But it feels different.
And so, it should be.
If not,
Then what did we learn?

It is time for unity.
Some will engage.
Maybe in different ways
But in a common purpose.
And that is
– To change.

©Julie Charlesworth, 2021

…

It felt like time for a poem and this is the one I have just written. (There are lots where this came from – Maybe to share.) I find that poetry flows naturally from within, and it finds its own way of expressing and communicating feelings. At the risk of sounding or being pretentious – I’ll stop there. I simply hope it strikes a note for you to enjoy.

Take care.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 8/9/21

SUNNY SURPRISES
Hello!
Look what turned up in the garden
over the summer;
presumably a sunflower seed
from the bird feeders
was accidentally spilled
or dropped
by one of our feathered friends.
With a little added human support,
it stands tall
with its head held high.
Brings a sunny smile 😊 ☀️ 🌞

To unexpected findings and sunny surprises.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 2/9/21