Taking A Break II

I now have no excuse not to clean out the third bedroom which is to act as the writer’s nook. In the midst of this, I found a fabric bag that my mother had made so it could contain all the birthday cards given to me at my 18th.

I came across one with a photograph on its cover, it has an English country-side in the background, and there are hundreds of sunflowers in full bloom alongside a dirt-road in the foreground. Breath-taking. The card was from my parents, and inside my mum included a quote (as she often does) that read:

“If a Woman does not work passionately (even furiously) at being the best in the world at what she does, she fails her talent, her destiny and her god.”

It got me thinking. There’s another point scored for the force that is trying to bring about a career change. I hear ya, alright. Geez.

Wherever Your Garden May Grow

Today I learnt that even the smallest of spaces can show off the most magnificent of gardens, and although my grandmother may argue the point – there really isn’t such a thing as having “no room for a garden”.

My latest work assignment has allowed me to check out the terrace homes on the eastern streets of Adelaide (particularly those neighbouring Hutt street), and the concentrated garden spots in their tiny front yards. Whether it’s a cottage-garden look, luscious greenery, exotic flowers, natives – or even a mixture – it’s a treat for me to see the plants packed in next to each other as if ground space has never been so precious…

I was first hit with a pang of jealousy, and then disappointment – as I have oodles of room back home but not one corner of my yard matched up to the garden art I was seeing.

Then my thumb went green again and I was determined…