At the intersection of heart and habitat.

This is an unfolding space.

Part bookshelf, part workshop, part journal. To discover, to repair and to be.

How do we find balance between the Earth we belong to and the Selves we are building within us?

This space explores the in-betweens, where Earth’s quiet wisdom meets the restless pursuit of Self.

Between Earth and Self invites you to pause:

To listen and to witness the perfection of nature;

To find hope in its extraordinary power to destroy and its quiet will to begin again.

To seek and to live from the truth within us;

To gently return to ourselves and to just be.

Because the most powerful thing we can do - for others and for ourselves - is to live from that place.

Here, every other week, I share glimpses of

What brings hope - Naturing- ideas, stories, or breakthroughs of sustainability in action

and

What's worth holding - Being - thoughts that linger in the in-betweens of seeking, becoming and being.

Hello, I am Annes Elsa Francis. I am a human being. I like good stories. You can read more about me here.

I hope you find something here that stays with you.

Naturing

Ideas for Hope. Actions for Resilience

Humanity thrives on polarity, just like nature. The greater the problems we create, the stronger the solutions we build. The larger our destruction, the fiercer our desire to renew. The bigger our stupidity, the wiser our brilliance. The deeper our ignorance, the stronger our care. We stumble in extremes, yet it is there that our genius begins. From ruin rises our restless longing to restore!

It’s that longing that ‘Naturing’ seeks to honour - a space to get to know nature a little more deeply and to be inspired by its intricate behind-the-scenes, where everything is a wonder and strives in fine balance. A space to discover some of the many astonishing things people across the world are doing to give nature a chance to survive, so it can continue giving us one.

From big ideas and breakthrough technologies to little adventures and everyday acts of care, each reminds us that even the smallest effort matters, and each of us matters. Not just for our survival, but to pass on the countless wonders and joys of this Earth to our children.

The wonders of hiking the sacred Himalayas and wandering through the ancient forests of Yakushima, the Everglades of Florida and Queensland and the endless landscapes of Patagonia…

The wonders of the glowing corals of the Great Barrier Reef, of the majestic elephants of Africa, of the powerful tigers of India and the teamwork of tiny ants…

The joy of a first kiss beside a serene lake in Italy, of playing with snow atop the summit of the Jungfrau and a honeymoon in a gondola in Venice or a houseboat in the backwaters of Kerala..

The joy of kicking a football through the streets of Maracana and witnessing the Ashes at Lord’s on an afternoon untouched by heat waves…

So that their stories may begin where our love for the Earth never ends.

And to remind ourselves that not all is lost. Not yet!

Being

Thoughts - Searching. Finding - Becoming

The world has changed, and with it the meaning and purpose we once gave to life. Today, we are all running - faster and louder, hoping the noise will quiet what we don’t want to face.

But if success means something different to each of us, have we paused long enough to see what it truly means for us?

Being is a much quieter, but deeply alive corner of my heart. A place where I let myself spiral gently through the loops of my thoughts and feelings to catch a glimpse of light that often follows the devastating journey. It is where life teaches me what is mine to learn.

In a world that rarely stops, Being is a quiet invitation to just be. To slow down and savour life’s details. To experience what is. To listen for the wisdom that arrives as whispers from a heart we forgot we had. To nurture the silent spaces that make our actions more meaningful and more powerful.

Here, you will find small stories from my own life, drawn from everyday experiences and the inevitable transitions of life.

Some may resonate with you, and some may not. The in-betweens of feelings and seeking, discovering and becoming are unique to each of us. You are welcome to know mine, share yours if you wish, and shape your own version of the story as we go.