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 1) Change is the constant we can count on….  

Every hour, every day, the garden changes. Every season, every year, it presents itself differently. Time to introduce you to the many new late-spring faces in Karinaland. They are looking at the world expectantly, with much joy, delight, innocence, and love – ready to play, offer nectar, be cherished, talked to, and develop capsules of seeds, be rocked in the wind. Spread their beauty. Can you see it? Waiting to be pollinated by all kind of insects, bees, hummingbirds, butterflies. What do you recognize in the flowers’ faces? Wonder fills my heart. I see my own spirit mirrored back to me, sensing kinship, as well as intriguing and mysterious otherness, feeling inspired. Often, I can’t help but erupt in sounds of admiration. Each face is utterly unique. 


Can you find the bumble bee? 

 

Plants are so inventive with their costumes and customs: colors, shapes, fragrances, textures, how they grow, climb, droop, cling, wind, hang, develop buds and then blossom. How from flower, fruit or capsules full of seeds metamorphose. How they distribute their seeds through stickiness or weightlessness, to be carried by the breeze or birds to new territory, lands and shores. For this they are willing to die. Plant beings are creative and adaptive, playful, curious and courageous. We humans just imitate. We try. At our best we are full of gratitude, praise and admiration, humbly letting ourselves be guided and nourished. In awe. Inspired. 


Because of the massive historic rains this winter, my beloved nasturtiums have only started in the recent three weeks to celebrate their coming-out. In previous years they have shown up early February. Now patches with more sun exposure are exploding in magnificent colors. Despite drizzly fog this morning, a few flowers are now daring to come out from under the green umbrellas of huge (due to the rains!) nasturtium leaves. Their faces glow. So, the cascading over the terraces down the hill, is happening again to my delight. Beneath the thinning canopies of my live oaks – brought on by the long drought – a bounty of nasturtiums has been possible in recent years. How many different dresses can my nasturtiums come up with? Each shows off in another variation. All kinds of combinations of colors, shades, and patterns – truly amazing. Sweet fragrances, music of birds singing their new and old songs, buzzing insects, new life, all mingling...


Come by and enjoy the brief and ever-changing show – I’ll introduce you to everyone:
to my meadows of lemonbalm, plantain, violets, parsley, etc...  
The lushness in Karinaland right now is astounding – it will not last long…  
Come by, it will calm and lift your spirit...



Comments

  1. FernMay 22, 2023 at 3:55 PM

    For all that Karinaland demands of you, you are rewarded with buckets and buckets of beautiful sublime nature. I had to immediately call our friend Antonie and then she requested I send it to her too. It is worth reading this piece a few times over as your words are rich and remind us all to stop and smell the roses!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Alex KMay 26, 2023 at 10:45 AM

    The first photo of the red poppy (?) reminds me of the folds and indentations of a well worn hand. Its enlivening to read your description of your garden. Your words: "We humans just imitate. We try. At our best we are full of gratitude, praise and admiration, humbly letting ourselves be guided and nourished. In awe. Inspired." Has me thinking of my own flowering this Spring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KarinaMay 26, 2023 at 6:34 PM

      The first still features one of my velvety deeper red nasturtiums :)

      Delete
  3. ayshaJune 6, 2023 at 3:27 PM

    Beautiful!!! These flowers touch my heart through your photos, softening me, helping me to be vulnerable and to smile :) So necessary now while my parents are visiting me and, as is customary, I have slipped into armoring my poor heart... I am amazed to see a red nasturtium! Like Fern suggests, I am re-reading multiple times, drinking in the colors and openness

    ReplyDelete
  4. nicole gervacioJune 7, 2023 at 12:28 PM

    each flower has such personality and energy, something small, soft and delicate can feel so fierce and strong at the same time. time slows under those oak trees and feels expansive. i love the feeling of zooming in to small places, listening, watching, witnessing, and the tiny world becomes magnified. infinite worlds blooming and dying and rebirthing on one side of a hill...

    reminds me of the secret gardens i've dreamed of, where you are in a place that looks familiar, then suddenly you realize there is a hidden space, an opening and greenery that goes further back, opening and more lush - some of my favorite dreams. i remember the first time you guiding me through the garden and it felt that way.

    ReplyDelete

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