The Joy Of Spring
Relearning the art of allowing things to take the time they need to bloom.
I got home one afternoon in September, tired and a little grumpy, only to find myself smiling at my display of Clivias (Clivia miniata). There is something about these flowers that always makes me pause and smile. How is it possible that this one flower can evoke an array of emotions? I have no answer for you, but on that afternoon I dropped off all my goodies, grabbed my camera and spent a good amount of time capturing it all before the sun disappeared.
The Clivias I have growing in my garden were already there when I moved in. Over the years I have tended to them, each year giving them just a little more attention than the year before. Last year I was a little sad as they didn’t perform very well after giving them all the love and care throughout the year. I did a bit of reading and Youtube watching and realised that they needed to be thinned out. In December I embarked on my first clump division and planted them under the Fiddlewood Tree. It was an interesting experience which I thoroughly enjoyed, you can read it here. In February I had some maintenance done at the house and unfortunately a further clump needed to be dug up. Those babies have found themselves under the Frangipani (Plumeria). Not only did the remaining clumps bloom with incredible vigor this Spring, so did some of the transplanted Clivias. I was not expecting this at all, as it is not often that they will flower in the first year after transplanting.
They have given me a lot of joy, alongside all of my Pincushions (Leucospermum) coming into bloom. I currently have the following varieties planted in the garden: Madi Gras Tricolour, Phoenix, Ayoba Pink. I will be adding in a few more this weekend, which I am really excited about. The birds are big fans of them and I really do love the vibrancy of the colours.
The unfurling of the Leucospermum Madi Gras Tricolour.
Coming home from a month in the bush has been a bit of a bigger adjustment for me than I thought. I had to learn to get used to the noise of power tools, weed eaters and my neighbours’ dogs again. Not as calming as the symphony of birds and the calls of various animals as they went about their day. As time has gone on and my garden bloomed even more I have been blessed with a influx of different birds. They have been a life saver breaking the sounds of suburbia. I haven’t been able to identify many of them, however I have taken great pleasure in watching them enjoy the environment that I have had a hand in creating.
A big part of joining the wildlife film course was to see how my body would react in an environment like that and what adaptations I would need to make. The other side of it was to monitor my body afterwards and what would the ‘recovery’ time need to be in comparison to a normal trip. I am frustrated to say that I have needed more recovery than I had anticipated. Part of the reason is due to a low grade infection and potential deficiencies. I have had to accept that regardless of a healthy diet my body will always need a little extra help. I am already starting to feel better, less fatigued and pain management is easier. With the new information I can build a better plan going forward, making the dream of working in wildlife filmmaking seem more possible.
Living with this body has never been easy, and I am always wanting to move forward at a pace that my body cannot keep up with. It is one of the hardest things to live with mentally. One of the best things about having my garden is sitting with a cup of coffee and feeling an overwhelming sense of pride with where it is at today compared to where I started. It has taken me longer than it potentially should have. It has evolved and grown and it will keep evolving and growing. It helps on my sad days to remember that.
There is one thing that comes around every year towards the end of September and it is always a good mental boost for me. I feel like everyone gets to a slump point sometime between August and September and finding the renewed energy to finish the year off in the way one would like is not always easy. For me Strictly Come Dancing is always a good start to that boost. Outside of the sparkles, twirls and amazing dancing is what I have dubbed for myself as the ‘Strictly Method’.
Take the next twelve weeks. That project you are unsure of, the research that you need to do, the exercise you have been putting off and dedicate time to it each week. Fail. Crit yourself with grace and try again. Where you start is definitely not where you end. There will be growth. It is slow and that is the important part. Learning to be comfortable with the fact that things take time.
I am going to be focusing on building a structure for myself for 2026, in which I will be able to focus on the different avenues business wise. Trying some out of the box thinking and figuring out what I am not prepared to put on hold. For the rest, much like my linen cupboard, there needs to be a declutter. I am looking forward to the process and the potential results.
Until next time, stay well and keep growing x