I'm always intrigued by the different definitions people give to the word 'staycation'. To me, it definitely means time off-work that is spent at home, taking local trips, but some people define it as going away anywhere within your own country.
We've just had what I think of as a 'proper staycation' (my partner entirely off work, while I've had some work) doing some decorating and taking local walks. We've painted walls in the living room and kitchen a different colour, then rearranged the pictures and hangings on the wall to give the rooms a slightly different look. Our local trips have included a visit to the lovely Saughton Park, which is beautifully in bloom at the moment, with these stunning poppies being the highlight for me
There were a fair number of bees in the gardens, we saw a few individuals of each of the common bumblebees (Buff Tailed Bumblebee, White Tailed Bumblebee, Tree Bumblebee, Early Bumblebee, Red Tailed Bumblebee and Common Carder) but the only bee present in high numbers was the Honey Bee. Honey Bees are domesticated and they provide important pollination services for crops, but celebrating Honey Bees as wildlife is a little like celebrating cattle as being wild animals. Honey Bees in fact can compete with bumblebees and other pollinating insects, contributing to the declines of these wild species. Of course, there are other reasons for insect decline, habitat loss and the use of pesticides being high on the list, but setting up a hive of Honey Bees isn't the great gift to nature it's sometimes presented as being.
Beekeeping in cities is harming other wildlife, study finds - Natural History Museum
The Problem with Honey Bees – Scientific American
On Saturday we visited Edinburgh’s Canal Festival, which celebrates the importance of the Union Canal, with stall from various organisations based around the canal basin area, boat trips and lots of kayakers. We also walked further along the canal, to enjoy the wildlife of this important green corridor through our city.
I love having a proper staycation, as it avoids tiring travel, it saves the cost of accommodation and allows us to spend more time in our local area, enjoying our favourite walks, discovering new walks, eating at favourite restaurants and cafes. Staycations are also good for the environment as they involve a far smaller carbon footprint due to travel.
Now, as you read this, we're enjoying a proper vacation, though some people would see it as part of our staycation. We're staying in our favourite hotel in one of our favourite holiday spots in Dumfries and Galloway in the South-west of Scotland. A beautiful area, full of wonderful places for nature, from marshlands to ancient woodlands. I wrote this post and scheduled it before we came away, so I'll share more about our trip in my next post.
But I'll leave you with the question: how do you define a staycation?
As long as time off work is paramount, it can be anything from stay at home to stay local. If I ‘go away’ somewhere else in the UK, that’s a ‘proper’ holiday for me. My ‘staycations’ involve being based at home and having localish days out doing things we enjoy like walks, picnics, outdoor swimming. This year they might also involve work that needs doing on the house though!
Enjoy your break.