Moments of Calm: Summer Flowers and Creativity

June 4th “Picked Yellow_Rattle, Pink and Scarlet Clover and saw some Moon Daisies in a field.  Gathered foxgloves”

– The Nature Notes of an Edwardian Lady, Edith Holden

I love this, and similar little extracts from ‘The Nature Notes of an Edwardian Lady’.  This is a book I turn to every month. The diary entries and poems are charming, and the watercolour paintings of birds and flowers are beautiful.  It is a lovely way for a city dweller to enjoy the changing of the seasons seen in the country.

I may live in a city but thankfully being amongst nature and seeing wild flowers is easy.  I am fortunate enough to live near many parks, some of which have ‘wilded’ areas where wild flowers and grasses are left to flourish. I also have a garden, which in June comes into its own with fragrant sweetpeas, self sown foxgloves and poppies in rich shades or ruby and amber.  This week, thanks to the gorgeous weather I have been spending lots of time working outside under the parasol.  When the mood takes me and I need some distraction,  I wander to the end of our garden where our sweet peas grow, bury my nose in their delicious scent and pick some to bring into the house.  I

I try to  combine my morning exercise / commute (see previous post) with  a run or walk through one of our parks.  It’s a joy to see the changes in nature as the weeks go by.  We have a community orchard just moments from our house.  There, I see the apple trees transform from gnarled bare branches in winter, to trees abundant with delicate pink blossom in spring. I know that apples will follow. This beauty and predictability of nature is always calming.

I had a lovely time of creativity this week away from the desk.  I had a ‘creativity date’ with my Goddaughter.  We both love taking pictures and creating little scenes with flowers and books.  With my collection of props, and flowers and herbs from the garden we had a happy time making and photographing images we made.  It was lovely to potter away together.  I was completely inspired by her vision and ability to see how certain colours and textures worked well together.  I love making these little scenes, but haven’t spent much time on them lately.  it was good to take some time away and focus on other aspects of creativity.  I think I realised anew how important it is to use other forms of creating to stimulate ideas and words.

Have a beautiful week XX