You know me. I love me some autumn. But these past few days while walking out daily, I’ve been enjoying the last blooms of summer.
Especially those hydrangeas. I love me some hydrangeas.
The blousy bouncy full blooms of these flowers make my heart sing. So much beauty in such a compact space makes me swoon.
What’s your favourite flower?
Ramble. I’m looking at the dictionary, it means to walk for pleasure in the countryside. Or to talk at length in a confused, inconsequential way. Or in the case of plants for them to send out long shoots in all directions and take over the place.
For me, all three definitions makes me think of aimlessly wandering with no direction or objective or task in mind. Just moving, and taking joy in that simple pleasure.
As I notice the slow and subtle changes in the seasons, as the dregs of summer linger and yet the nights are drawing in with a chill, I take the time to get outdoors and ramble. Yes in nature if I can get it, through a park, forest or along the shoreline. Or just around my suburban streets, as there are still plenty gardens in bloom.
Wandering without clock watching, or rushing from one place to other, is a luxury I’m in no hurry to give up or compromise on because it always lifts my spirits, reminds me I’m alive and what a beautiful gift life is.
Adrift in the wonderness, adrift in that carefree feeling and breathing of a ramble is so much more bountiful at this time of year, my favourite time of year, autumn. Blink and I’m afraid I could miss the glorious display of colours; golds, oranges and reds, and textures; those damp silky mushrooms, to the slinky, slick wet leaves.
I tell a lie. Plants don’t ramble without a purpose. That’s me projecting. When a plant shoots out roots, shoots and branches anywhere and everywhere, it’s not the case of anywhere and everywhere, because they are seeking out light. They are bramble rambling into space and light. They are on a mission. And this I salute. Because when I ramble I’m seeking that same lightness. In spirit, in mood, in physicality. I want to be the light. I want to be light.
Hello hello. how goes it with you?
Call it the teacher still in me after all theses years, but I just love to have the six weeks summer holidays off the clock. In the past, it was easier to make it so what with having the kids off school and everything. And now, well I just love the feeling of freedom the summer holidays give me.
I let go of trying to do everything for everyone and I allow myself the time and space to fill my creative pot. Things slow down, I rest a lot and eat and drink a lot. And just {BE}.
I’m truly grateful that I’m able to take this extended break and not worry too much about the bank balance. That doesn’t mean I’m rolling in it, but it does mean that I’ve made allowances for this break through my actions and behaviours throughout the year. And we just make do also. Nothing extravagant happens over the summer. We usually stay close to home but we focus on downtime, and free or low spend activities. It’s about being together that’s the important bit.
So as the summer holidays come to at end nearly, we’ve got a bit of time left to go visit family, get into some kind of water source, sea or pool, and fill our creative pots with a gallery or museum visit or two. Simple living which fills me with joy because I’m not trying to live up to some kind of ideal or perfection or keep the one kid left at home run ragged or totally occupied all of the time. I believe in allowing kids getting bored as that’s when the imagination kicks in. Hence my love of rest, downtime, and doing nothing. As in the scheme of things, on the outside it might look like ‘doing’ nothing, but inside sparks are sparking and foundations are being laid for the new season on the horizon.
Autumn, my favourite season is just around the corner. And I can feel the excitement rising already. You like my plush pumpkins in the image above? Autumn plans are afoot.
the lie in, for the peace and quiet, for the sun, for the light, for the time and space to rest and retreat – taken from this morning’s gratitude journal.
Living Wild Studios 