Rainy walks

in a garden

Just sit and absorb the sun I tell myself. I close my eyes as I sit on the front door step and listen to the sounds around me. Birds are chorusing their end of day song. The sun, it feels magical. I cherish it’s warmth more so because we had days where it was absent. We’ve had days of rain. Months of rain in days. Rain that fell and filled, rose and swelled. It spilled over, causing man holes in the road to disco dance. Our area of is fine. A bit soggy but not damaged or cut off or changed. I am grateful for that and my thoughts go to those who are navigating a new chapter in their story that they didn’t know was coming.

After a couple of days of rain I escape from the house. The rain has lightened enough to go for a walk so I take my camera and head for the botanical gardens. I need some time myself. I need some time to fill my creative bucket, it feels a bit empty which always makes me feel low. Work work, or muggle work as one artist calls it, is spilling over much like the banks of streams that became rivers over the last few days, into my home life. I am taking work thoughts home with me, something I try hard to avoid. I need space to clear my head, to find patience after two days stuck inside with three dogs, one who is definitely a teenager and needs time in the garden to run around. I relate to his pent up frustrations. I too need time in a garden. As I walk along the road everything looks normal. The roads have cleared and the traffic moves along at a normal pace. The rivers that rose have fallen. Moving along as if nothing had happened. Innocent once again.

When I arrive at the gardens there are people are about. Parents with children who splash in mud puddles. A bit like me, everyone is escaping for some air and some time to collect thoughts. A few of us acknowledge each other with a smile that says, I understand how you feel. Before long I am lost in what I can see behind the camera. My eye spots colour and shapes that fill my slightly exhausted heart with much needed energy. Time is forgotten. Chores are forgotten. Work is forgotten. I led by my curious eye.

I’m in the gardens for about an hour, just strolling, moving slowly, without direction. It is a wander in the best sense of the word. I follow routes of flowers I know will be on show. I head to the orange poppy, it has been flowering on and off for the past month. Today two blooms are on show with many buds about to reveal more. The peonies, which I have walked past each day on my way to work are flowering, slightly soggy. I still find them beautiful. The tree peony near by is starting to bud up. I head to the rock garden in search for things to photograph but find I am both too late and too early. It is in a scene change, with few blooms of interest. I sweep down to the play ground where children test out the newly created space. I walk past the dormant roses which are starting to think about flowering. I then walk under the massive trees towards the bridge to exit the gardens. This is one of my favourite places to stroll. There has been so much for my eyes to feast on. I leave with a full camera and full heart. Once again a garden has given me what I need.