Day Two: From little things big things grow

August 06, 2022

Day Two: From little things big things grow

From little things big things grow

1. Arriving new homecoming
Arrived my new home at 2pm, 4.8.22. Since the admin was locked, we saw one of the senior staff at the clinic for covid protocols as per our permit to enter the community. Chris pulled the trailer perfectly through the gate. We unloaded it in no time. Chief Dr arranged the plants, placing them in perfect locations at the back of the house in alignment with the wind and sun. She is the go to wisdom and insight for gardening needs in all landscapes. They both helped me plan the interior design, giving me hints as to where each furniture should be positioned. We left the gardening supplies in the shed and all the bags and furniture into the house. I couldn't find the sugar and anything else to eat with cuppa due to so much clutter with stuff. That didnt matter. We chatted over coffee for the next 20 minutes. Chief Dr whispered into my ears as she opened the fridge door and placed a dark chocolate bar and said 'stress therapy, its a secret'. I joined them through the gate. We hugged and farewelled. They drove off into the sunset for their first lap return home journey.
2. Creating the mood
I had no time to feel said or lonely. I started with the furniture and the living room. The study desk near the door looking out the window as advised by the Murrays. The TV unit against the main wall next to the camera. All the cords hanging from the camera were covered with colorful materials with PNG designs.The 2 sitter coach against the study desk. The mini dinning table near the kitchen and my bamboo display cabinet fitted perfectly well on the wall near my room door. This arrangement made the living/dinning area more spacious and friendly. Next I moved into my bedroom. Clothes on hangers and draws. Jewelry, shoes bedding in their perfect places. Made my bed with colorful fabric with PNG designs I had for many years. The bed stood out with so much color. I loved it. Two of my big teddy bears on both bedside tables. My children's photo and my bible on my right.
Next onto the bathroom, laundry and spare bedroom. These were easy. Not a lot of stuff to unpack. I just rearranged storage. The kitchen was the most laborious and time consuming task. Surprisingly, only one drinking glass was chattered. All things fragile were intact. I stored everything neatly into their perfect cupboards. And my food in the fridge and pantry. All sorted, neat and tidy. Onto the garden, but by then it had gone dusk. I quickly brought my favorite indoor plants and positioned them where I wanted them. The rest for tomorrow. I felt satisfied and very tired. But couldnt sleep too well on my new colorful bed.
3. From little things big things grow

The loss of sleep didnt stop me. I was up and ready for the day at 5am. After my routine meditation, got into my gardening gear and headed to the shed. The right side of the front yard was covered in outgrown weed.The earth was filled with rocks and gravels. Digging was an impossible job. So it took me almost 2 hours to clear out the weed and to dig the earth for planting. I sorted all the cuttings of succulents and deraniums from Chief Dr and my friend Liz. I used some of the potting mix that Chris had bought me. And there was enough cuttings to cover the cleared area. I mixed some of the Sesol that I brought and watered my new block. I potted some of the other fragile plants into pots. And I displayed them on the black tv unit which I rearranged on the front veranda which I replaced with my own wooden unit. I used three of my Norfolk Pines stumps that my deceased friend Wayne made me for my favorite plants and displayed them alongside the potted succulents on the black tv unit. My friend Liz had bought me a good size chillie plant which became the centerpiece of my display on the front veranda. I sat down and admired my handiwork and it made sense and gave me peace.
It had taken me to lunch time on this project. I didnt feel hungry. So I took my gardening tools and a plastic bag and headed out the gate to stroll down the tracks to find anything I can find to bring back for planting. At the gate I was met by Benny my neighbor who lives in the donga opposite the road. He asked if that was my trailer and my people that came yesterday. A young man drove by on a blue land cruiser and stopped briefly. He spoke with Benny in their language briefly and drove off. At the same time, the handyman was doing work in the unit next door to me. I greeted him and introduced myself. Nathan was friendly and approachable. He spoke to me about a young boy of about 16 years old that just passed yesterday morning and that the community was in sorry camp. He told me general activities of the community. He returned to work and I headed my way. I found pig face on my track. A plastic bag was filled and I returned quickly to start my next project. I cleared the left side of the front yard which is larger, wider and longer than the right side. I planted pig face where I could dig as it was very rocky too.
By the time I had finished planting, my fingers were stinging with pricks from the sharp prickles of the weeds. That was done for the day. I turned to the kitchen and gathered all my ingredients for a vegetable soup. It was flavor packed. I had a bowl and preserved 3 packs for later. That was a fitting hearty meal for the accomplishment of the first day of real settling in. This time I went to bed with a book over my chest. I had a great sleep and was up by 5am again!
4. Please live with me
As I was sorting out those cuttings, I wondered about life itself. I wondered about the magic of how life even begins from such fragile and impossible cuttings. I wondered how they would even survive let alone thrive. On one hand, I thought I was doing them harm by removing them from they belong. Only for my pleasure and peace. But I needed them. I spoke gently to each cutting as I placed them into the ground, 'please live with me here'. And I felt like they were telling me, we hear you.
We know the famous saying that time teaches us wisdom of life and of solving problems. Oh well, physical time certainly passed for me and I have made many mistakes, errors, and failures along the way of life journey. But I try to pick up, focus on the present and move on with a positive outlook. In this case, the plants are telling me that we all relocated from our comfort zone into a new, more harder ground. We need each other to be resilient, to survive and to thrive.