It’s taken months since Cyclone Alfred (in March) to see spiders in my garden again. I’m so pleased they’re back! It’s funny but the older I get, the more I find myself by chance doing things my nonni did, like taking more notice of what’s going on in the garden.
As many will know, older Italian men and women are experts at observing their gardens each day. Noticing when the first fig tree leaves start being eaten by beetles, that the basil needs its tips pinched to stop it going to seed, 😄 or that the lemon tree craves fertiliser to produce its new crop so it’s time to dig in some kitchen scraps near its base.
Older Italians may often be seen standing or ambling along in their garden, touching different leaves, seemingly doing little but all the time looking, noticing, helping keep it all in balance. Now, early most mornings before I sit down at my desk to write, I find myself too taking a short stroll in the garden, observing, noticing. I may still be yet to get to the level of gardening of many older Italians but I’m happy to keep learning, watching and it feels nice to carry on their ways in some small way. 💚
I’m still trying to get through it and have lost being able to taste and smell, (devastating to someone who loves cooking!) but I’m hoping these will return in time – fingers crossed. And I also still hold hope for this fresh, new year.
With much going on with the book coming out, I haven’t been able to get into the garden for a while and suddenly noticed out the window that the hippeastrum (centre) has flowered (exciting to me as it’s looked half-dead for a long while and I didn’t expect a recovery, especially with my past bad experiences trying to grow flowers!)
Zoë Boccabella 