Astonishing Encounters and the Compost Pot

Sometimes I think it would be quite reassuring to be in charge of life, but as it turns out I'm not actually in charge of anything much at all... most likely a jolly good thing!! My job this year, is to do all that I can to...bloom. That's going to keep me busy enough!
So imagine my astonishment when lurking at the Farmer's Market last week (buying greens), I heard a quiet voice say to me "Excuse me, you don't know me but my name is Pip & I'm from Dunedin & I follow your blog. I lost my husband last March & reading it has really helped me"!!!
I was totally blown away! I am so humbled & amazed!
Pip & I managed to sidle past the bins of courgettes & the hoards of visitors & find a space to chat a minute. Wonderfully, she agreed to come to our house, just around the corner & bring her lovely daughters Grace

and Ruby.

We were so thrilled to meet you...lovely ladies. Thanks so much for coming!

That same afternoon, Margaret (from next door) & I were standing out at the gate when a car pulled up containing a frazzled & bamboozled older couple who were desperately lost & trying to find their way to a wedding reception.They were actually miles out of the way & would most likely have remained lost had they not stopped & asked for help. We eventually figured it out & sorted out some directions & sent them ever so gratefully on their way.
I've since had a charming retired Dutch gentleman from down the road visit & bring me delicious fresh figs! And sold some for him too.
And been scammed by a woman in great distress saying she'd left two children in the car just down the road & she'd run out of petrol could I help her? I did & then realised the details that she'd written down for me were bogus...but more about that in a minute.

I've been keeping my eyes peeled for a pixie or two (well you never know with all that's been going on just who you might come across!) I like him a lot.

We've been busy painting walls, replacing old fireplaces & securing the bookcase to the wall in the living room...it's only sat like that for 25 years & not fallen on anybody yet! We had to move stuff around a bit & ahem, clean..a lot! The ornamental birdcage got hung outside & suddenly I saw it differently in the light.

Sometimes we don't really need huge change, just a different perspective of the same things, don't you reckon?

Our old ancient plum tree has grown absolutely mentally the past few months. We left this plum to ripen but it kept hitting us on the head as we went passed, now it's nearly down to my elbow with the weight of it. I wonder who will get to eat it, us or the birds?

Maybe Burt will scoff it. He is so craggy & mangy looking & adores fruit & most especially cat biscuits. He's forever on the back porch pinching some more of them after Charlie's wandered off!

After mowing & painting & selling fruit on Tuesday we headed out to Tainui Reserve for a little late afternoon picnic. A perfect hot summer's day.

I found this spot overlooking the valley when I was hunting for banana passionfruit for Audrey for Christmas.

It was so still & so beautiful.

The valley was filled with the song of tui & the woosh of the wood pidgeons gliding by.

We lay on our backs & watched the clouds go by.

Later I looked down & realised I'd placed my glass beside a baby loquat tree.

Wonderful crab apples along the way & an azure summer sky.

My hyacinth beans have "beaned" this week.

I find them entirely fascinating.

Such an unusual colour.

 Today I am deeply mindful of the joy of having flowers in my garden.

Little hydrangeas like this "You & Me Together"..

 and sweet blooms to pick through every season. Truly, truly "earth laughs in flowers".

The purple koromiko is not only pretty & pickable but also medicinal as the leaves are used in traditional Maori medicine to treat upset tummies & other complaints.

When an agapanthus flower got knocked off in the driveway it suddenly dawned on me that the flower head didn't really need a stem to be enjoyed, so I "knocked off" a few more to keep it company.

Now back to the Goodness jar & to Compost. Compost (has she gone mad?!!) After seeing the lovely film "Gardening with Soul" recently & watching Sister Loyola giving very clear instructions in the art of compost making to the community garden workers, it occurred to me that I too needed to be making compost; of a different kind! Through the years I have chosen & leaned towards goodness, kindness & floral loveliness & life should have been good indeed (most excellent even), but it wasn't...so much crappity crap got in the way & was dished out to me continuously.
 To get really good blooms & grand vegetables, plants need to be watered & fed regularly & so do people. So I have decided that I need more than just a "Goodness" jar, I need to do something with all the rubbish & the trimmings too. I am layering my "Compost" pot with the dumb stuff, the sadness & the rudeness & the being "scammed" moments. My pot may get quite full but at least I will be acknowledging the challenges & doing something with them. At the end of this year I will feed the lot to my tiger worms & in turn feed my garden with nutrients for best blooming.
And "Vanessa" my woman in distress, well I rang the Police about her & then decided to be ever so grateful for all that I have & for an open heart to the needs of others. I am deeply grateful that my desperations are not like hers & I've let the encounter go...released it to the compost pot!
I've never made such Compost before so please do pipe up if you think of any other interesting ingredients for my pot or perhaps you might like to make one too. Let me know if you do!

Thank you so much for visiting me. A special warm hug to my friends in chilly parts.
Wishing you all a lovely week with way more Goodness in it than Compost!
MUCH

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