Spring has sprung here, and it's glorious getting outside, enjoying the sunshine and melting off the cobwebs. Particularly since all my anniversaries fall over the middle of winter and I coop myself up more than ever over the grey season.
After I joined the ranks, some of my before interests didn't satisfy me, didn't provide the enjoyment they had before. Interests just got left alone. However I'm finding each passing season I'm more and more able to tap back into what gives me joy, brings me peace and feeds my soul.
I've always enjoyed gardening, getting my hands in the soil and connecting to the earth. It's one of those things that feed my soul. But it is an interest that got left alone, leaving parts of my front and back gardens to get over run with weeds and become unkempt. There's been the occasional spurt of activity, but not the level there was before.
It's a bit like how I've presented myself to the outside world in my after - I've not been interested in how I present myself (not that I particularly cared before, either), and my insides, both physically and emotionally, were a bit of a mess.
In the last couple of weeks I've been getting great satisfaction ripping out some of my ornamental plants in the back garden (taking to a mass of clumping reeds/grass with a mattock is a great stress relief!!) and spent the weekend planting a variety of veg, in addition to the berries and herbs and perennial veg that I already had in place from earlier in the year. In warmer weather, I love heading out first thing with my cup of coffee and seeing how much plants have grown (or how much is left after the bugs have chomped away at my poor little seedlings - but I don't so much love that bit). This is
Part of this is based in acceptance that John and I will be in this house for a while - Ian and I had plans to move for lifestyle and school options, but since I'm in the fortunate position that the house is paid off and John's schooling is settled, I'm nuts to be thinking of moving in the near future. If I did, it would be for a bigger yard so I could plant an orchard and potentially have chooks.
So the back yard is back on track, looking neater and I feel like it's doing something. I've been slowly getting my physical health back in shape and have been working with a counsellor on my grief experience too.
But the street appeal - my front yard and outward physical care/appearance probably needs work.
I'm sure the neighbours are sick of the weeds and plants running rampant from lack of attention, and the weeds are going to seed, which will only result in more work in the future. Personally, moving back into wearing ever so slightly more stylish clothes may be on the cards.
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