Space

 Apart from Tuesday, which was mega-busy with three things in my diary, I’ve had a wonderfully empty week. Or perhaps that should be “clear week.” 

The older I get (currently 74) the more heavily things to be done weigh on my mind, even if I’m not worrying about them. I mean they take up mental and emotional space in my head, so my almost empty diary this week has felt like a relief. It’s felt spacious. I’ve been able to think more about my painting; I’ve been able to do more painting. And between the showers I’ve been able to dig over the patch of garden I’ve donated to Dave for his sunflowers. 

Dave did the heavy work with a spade and a mattock. And I’ve been clearing the roots that remained of the tall yellow daisies, the golden rod and the crocosmia lucifer that have flowered every summer for possibly 20 years.

He doesn’t realise what a sacrifice this was. He doesn’t know what takes up space in the garden unless it’s actually flowering at the time, and even then he doesn't notice it unless it's pointed out. But since he started growing sunflowers three years ago, it’s become an obsession. Last year he was disappointed because they didn’t do well. 

He was also disappointed because he couldn’t see them from the house. They were positioned in the top right hand corner of the back garden near the shed. There were 20 or so, but my painting shows only two, because it was the shadows on the shed I was interested in, and the blue and the yellow.

So I sacrificed my tall yellow daisies and we will have sunflowers this year instead, as long as it warms up. It is almost May and the temperature outside is 5° C. The leaves on the trees are not out yet, though our silver birch and rowan are leading the way.

I was so desperate to see some new beech leaves this week that I went to find some on a sheltered lane under the edge above the village. 

But our clematis is flowering.

My sweet peas are ready to be put outside to harden off, 

but it would be cruel to do it with the temperatures we’ve got. I can’t remember a colder spring.

I’ve just found this in my copy of KEEP MOVING which ties in nicely.

Forgive the wavy text - it’s a photo of an open page.

Wishing you a warm sunny day full of hope.

Please don’t forget the needs of Gaza.

You can donate to the UNICEF appeal for the children of GAZA here.

You can donate to MEDICAL AID FOR PALESTINIANS  here.

You can donate to MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES  here.