Monday 14 January 2013

Day 365-368-When Nature Takes Over


That week went by in a blur. I knew I was as enthusiastic and energetic as a cheerleader when I started. How on the first day, I felt like I could do so much in 1 week, 7 days , a whole 168 hours.  There was no doubt in my mind that I could finish project Housing The Homeless in that time. Having set myself what I know now to be an impossible goal, I pushed myself, working days and even nights with the help of a portable searchlight. I stopped only to eat and I camped at the House, sleeping an average of 3-4 hours a day. After about 4 days, Project House was nowhere near completion and all I had to show for for all that hard work was a terrible ache everywhere. I fell ill and then there were other demands and always, that perpetual, torrential, December rain. There was just no going back to the House.


I no longer remember exactly what I did those few days, least of all, what flowers I planted and where. I thought I was only working with the abandoned pots of plants I found. It was only when I went through my gardening basket looking for my scissors that I realised all my old packets of flower seeds were opened. I was confused at first, wondering why in the world they were opened. These seeds were bought so long ago, it felt like another lifetime. It was a time when I was not so consumed with this rat race, a time when  I actually dreamt of building a Sanctuary by Sans! A sanctuary with all the pretty flowers I love. I still remember that afternoon , 20 years ago, when I bought those seeds from an old gardener. He had joked about how these were magic seeds that would bring me happiness. When I laughed, he told me : Well, when you finished planting them and they grew into the flowers you love, wouldn't that make you happy? 


That was an incredible afternoon. I had tea with the old man at his shop, him in his rocker and I on a small bench covered in century old kilim. I had walked into the shop not knowing that he was selling flower seeds. I had thought it was an antique shop because it housed some really unusual and unique pieces of furniture. They were old but really beautiful. We started talking and I found out that the old man was in fact a gardener. He showed me pictures of a most amazing garden house that he had built single-handedly and we chatted till dusk fell. I think it was that day that I thought of the sanctuary. It would be like the house that the old man had built. 

20 years later and there was no sanctuary by Sans! Nor did I ever meet the old man again. For some reasons though,  I never threw the seeds away. I realised now that I must have used them at the House but what was I thinking? 20 year old seeds? Oh yes, I wasn't thinking, was I? I decided I had to go back to the House. So I packed my basket and set forth.


Imagine my surprise when I saw what I saw. 


Sunflowers! ? ! They were the first flowers I spotted as I was walking in because these flowers were huge! They were also my absolute favourite flowers. 


How in the world did they grow so fast? Every single stalk, so majestic and proud! Even the wilting one looked like it was bowing bashfully instead of dying.


I could not believe my eyes when I saw wisteria at the window! Just like how I had always visualised my sanctuary. More than anything else, I had wanted wisteria at my window. But how did I climb that far up?  

Of course I could not explain the flowers in the birdcage too. Or the white grape hyacinth.


And definitely not the rambling roses!


Oh my, those roses!


They were on the roof!


A roof that has turned from harsh, dry streaks to a lush moss green!  


There were only two things I was sure of. Every single one of those flowers were flowers I love and I had bought the seeds of these flowers from that old man. I definitely didn't remember planting them though or how. 

Bewildered, amazed and overwhelmed, I was walking around the house, trying to let everything sink in when I saw 


the ladder.

And that was when I remember.

26 comments:

Ascension said...

Leer tus entradas es como leer un cuento en el que la realidad y la ficcion se mezclan y eso te hace soñar e inventar tus sueños.
El traductor no siempre me ayuda, pero las imagenes son tan hermosas y dicen tanto que pasear por esa casita llena de flores y de girasoles(tus preferidos) hacen que te sienta mas cerquita.
besitos ascension

Sans! said...

Ascensión, creo que he encontrado en ti, mi lector perfecto :) :). Mi estilo de escritura no es una recta narración. Lo siento. Incluso si usted lee Inglés, usted no puede entender lo que estoy pasando alrededor. :) :) Pero a partir de sus comentarios, sé que entiende perfectamente la esencia de mi historia.

Ascensión, esta es una historia sobre una casa abandonada que el carácter (vamos a llamar a sus Sans!) Ha encontrado. Estaba muy intrigado por esta casa. Ella pensó que debía haber sido una hermosa casa hace mucho tiempo. Mirando alrededor de la casa, se encontró con muchas decoraciones de plantas y flores, como los murales en las paredes, la puerta con la flor y los postes del huso de vides pintadas. Y como ustedes saben, hay una estrecha relación entre jardines y nuestras Sans! Pensó que podría transformar esta casa en algo hermoso nuevo. Como era una casa abandonada, ella pensó en utilizar las plantas que había encontrado tirado por otros para beautfy la casa. Era como tener una casa abandonada para cultivar las plantas abandonadas. Esperaba que, al hacerlo, algo hermoso sucederá.

Creo que usted sabe las otras partes de la historia ahora :). No importa si la casa es bonita o no, siempre y cuando usted encuentra la hermosa historia :).

The Old Maid said...

Oh dear.... I am sure of one thing dearest Sam you're not only a fantastic gardener but also you SHOULD publish a book one day!!!!
And I will be the first to buy it! Promise!:):):)
Hugs and kisses!!

The Old Maid said...

Oh an I am in love with that rocking chair!!!!!:)

The Old Maid said...

Sorry to do PS once again,lol but I have just read your last comment: May you and your parents have a great and safe trip! Hope you will let me know where you're going after you come back ;)

Daydreamer said...

Oh My, Oh My OH MY!!! I am in LOVE, Sans!!! Those Roses!!! Those Sunflowers!!! The Wisteria!!! The thatch roof!!! That ROCKING CHAIR!!!
My Dear, you have taken gardening to a New Level....! And the Dream of a story.... that you STOPPED just when it was getting to the.... Cliff.... Then you knew!!! But WHAT did you know???
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the magic of your little House and that Gardener who gave you magic seeds... *Sigh* I think I am in Heaven... Don't wake me up!!!

Drora's minimundo said...

Those magical 20 years old seeds grew into the most exotic flowers. Your abandoned house is simply beautiful.
I love the blazing colors.
I simply love these photos.
Hugs, Drora

Piikko said...

Oh my Dear girl!♥ What you have done!!! The most adorable fairy house i ever seen! I love It!♥♥♥
All the colours and flowers again just in right places.
The sunflowers, my favourite flowers, are beautiful.
And what a atmosphere! I love it! Oh, I said it already,
never mind but I'am in LOVE with this house of yours.♥
I want to move in to it. BTW if you didn't know i tell you now: I am not piikko from Finland..I am a little fairy who is looking for a perfect house to live in... :-)
I think I've find my house now!
Hugs

Maria Ireland said...

Wow Sans this house is gorgeous I love it. The magic flowers from the magic seeds are so wonderful. I cant wait to read more.
Hugs Maria

Lady Jane said...

REMEMBER WHAT???? REMEMBER WHAT???? WHAT A WONDERFUL HOUSE AND FLOWERS!

BiWuBär said...

Yes, no doubt... we have a pattern here... whenever the magic rises to the highest top... *bang-bash-boom*... "to be continued"... *sigh* For sure there's not only magic in this post and in your storytelling, but there was also a lot of magic in those seeds, growing into the most wonderful flowers for Sans!' sanctuary - a "home for the homeless" - and a rest for the soul and from every-day-life. Oh, and I agree with Ewa and you can be sure there will be two very fast buyers of your hopefully one day published book... ;O)

Hugs
Birgit

rosanna said...

Teaser you are but eventually we feed us on magical stories and beautiful pics.
Love your house my dear,a perfect, abandoned,much loved little place.
Makes methinkof Dahl's novel Matilda,the house of Miss Honeysweet (if this was her name)
HAve fun on your trip,many many hugs,Ro

carmen said...

las semillas eran mágicas..

Neomig said...

This story, so full of dream and truth.Old men can be so magical- but telling the story can be more so.yours is beautiful and so is the house.
Neomi

Ana Anselmo said...

it remember me a book I read when I was a child, which title was the misterious garden....

Sans! said...

Ewalina :):), you guys are the best! I just boasted to a friend and told him how there are many encouragement on the blog for me to publish a book :). Really?, he asked. I said Ya! There will at least be 2 buyers of my book! teeheehehhehe :).

It will happen, Ewa, one day. I will do it for you and for me and Birgit ;) !

That rocking chair was a gift from Eva Tatamalu when I visited Spain. It was a Gaudi souvenir chair that I bashed by painting. Do you see a pattern here? I will reveal later on in my final post about the house.

Sans! said...

Ana, :):) The book is The Secret Garden :):). I haven't read it but I believe it also has an old gardener and a magical setting :) although it is more than just magic.

Yes, kind of like my story :).

malu2 said...

Eres tú dentro de esta casa!lo veo!
La mecedora la conozco,llego de muy lejos,de un país llamado España,celebro verla en tu relato!
Un beso de las Malus.MªLuisa.

Sans! said...

Ohhhhh Malú, la ESA silla es de ustedes! Mezclé las ofrendas y pense Que era de Eva! :) :) Espero Que Te Guste Lo Que Hice con la silla :) :)

Ahora me voy a Taiwan. Nos vemos de Nuevo en Una Semana :) :)

aarzos y besossssssssss

Cinderella Moments said...

I agree, you should write a book. You have such a way with words. And your pictures are delightful! Perfection!
hugs♥,
Caroline

Fabiola said...

Your little house is magic! I like the wonderful flowers.
Fantastic pictures.
Bye Faby

Ilona said...

Sans!.....you took us with you walking in a dream and you're the storyteller! The dream house is so fairytale-like, so lovely! That rocking chair soooo cute, I can see you sitting down, whilst telling us the story about the old gardener.
ML Ilona

Margriet said...

A magical house indeed...I love it!!

Unknown said...

Twenty year old seeds! The stories that they tell! In a way, you're telling the story of storytelling, how we pass the images and tales down through time, how they are made up the seeds of the past, but growing within our own time and adapting to our weather, our places, our walls, our gardens. The old man still exists, not just in your mind and memory, but as a living thing that makes your wall and roof glow. Beautiful.

Kikka N said...

Dear Sans: Your garden is sure to be the Loveliest Garden I have ever seen! So very Beautiful with all the colors of the flowers!
And the tiny rocking chair...Wow!
Hugs
Kikka

Kim said...

I have just had the most wonderful time catching up on your blog Sans. It is always a special treat- your blog. It is not a blog that you can quickly read before you start your morning work. It is a blog that you have to slow down and savor. The entries must be read slowly as they take you to a special magical place. You are truly gifted my friend- thank you for a wonderful read this morning ♥

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