“Buy flowers – or if you are poor, steal one from someone’s garden; the world owes you that much at least: blossom – and put them at the end of the bed. When you wake, look at it, and tell yourself you are the kind of person who wakes up and sees flowers. This stops your first thought being, “I fear today. Today is the day maybe I cannot survive any more,” which I know is what you would otherwise think. Thinking about blossom before you think about terror is what girls must always do, in the Bad Years.” Caitlin Moran
She’s only a girl herself. A slip of a thing. The young hen pheasant that lives in our patch. A young mother with one precious offspring.
They are so well camouflaged that I almost stepped on the chick when I was gathering up some herbs for a frittata. (Italian omelette don’t you know. ) There they were curled up in the oregano and the fennel, crouched so low that they blended with the garden soil.
She’s not canny enough to flee. She walks away from me and my camera and the chick, so light and flimsy, sort of cycles in mid air.
She maybe young and lacking in the skill of alarm raising. But she protects and teaches the chick as well as any mother. She makes sure that the chick is heading in the direction of tree cover and then she gives me one final glance over her shoulder.
Do we trust each other? To share each other’s mutual space? I think so.
Later I was listening to Caitlin Moran. I’ve heard it before, but every time it’s like new. Flowers might be one way to ease up on ourselves. To lessen expectations. To open to possibilities.
I’m studying flowers in intense detail. Each petal seems to say, I am enough. I can’t even choose between the wild daisies and the cultivates irises. And I see, close up, how it doesn’t even matter.
Later my pheasant girl re-appears on the lane. I am trying to drive out the gate. The chick hangs out in a leisurely stroll. Again the mother tries to lead her to safety, jumping up on the stone wall. I wait.
As Caitlin says, sometimes we have to mother ourselves. We have to learn how to think about blossom before any other thought. In the Bad Years, and any time.
A bit of cultivation and a lot of wildness gets me through the day… You spoke right to heart of me there girl (and wise woman) x
Ah, lovely to hear that….xx
I’ve always loved Saadi’s poem about buying hyacinths to feed the soul. Me? I’m greedy… I need to see flowers and enjoy birds. Your blog feeds my soul. Glad you’re back.
I just looked it up! Thank you it’s beautiful and right up my alley!! Yes to flowers and bird…xxx
If of thy mortal goods thou art bereft
And from thy slender store
Two loaves alone to thee are left,
Sell one, and with the dole,
Buy hyacinths to feed thy soul.
~ Saadi (1184-?1283), Persian poet
Yeah great to have you back… love it!!
Ah thanks you Anonymous one! I see it’s you Molly xxx
Catherine. Great to have back.
When I read your post ..I aways think the words are coming from youand then I realize it a ” quote
From someone . It’s an education for me. Your post today quowed.
“CAITLIN MORAN” I HAVE TO ADMIT DIDN’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT HER.
BUT I UNEARTHED THIS QUOTE FROM HER, WHICH IMMEDIATELY APPLED TO ME.” POLITICS IS SO DATED .
IT’S L8KE WERE STUCK WITH ‘ SKITTLE
WHILE WAITING FOR THE ” BEATLES.
REGARDS.
Hi there Jimmy! She’s a fascinating writer, one of 8 kids, homeschooled and a new age feminist. Love that quote too! She’s a clever one!!
We have a pair of dikkop in our street. Active at night with H U G E eyes.
And yelling ferocious imprecations at anyone who dares interfere with their chick, pedestrian or car they scream blue murder. I hear them as I write.
Haha! I love their name dikkop…I presume the name reflects the screaming blue murder! Some mother’s are more ferocious than others…
Oh Catherine they are such sweet birds. I don’t think I have ever seen a hen. I love watching new mothers teaching their young ones. That quote is amazing too…I love the idea of mothering ourselves….it is what I have been doing this last year. And thinking about blossoms. Nature always heals me!
Ah lovely to hear from you Donna. The self mothering must be paying off all round. These two are very sweet and surviving in spite of circling buzzards! x