Day Nine

Today I discovered a place of true tranquility and for the first time in a long while,I felt able to take a deep, shuddering breath and to breathe out all of my problems. I watched them twirl through the wind alongside pollen and grass seeds, a smile spreading up my cheeks then rushing back to the centre of my face to open wide as I sneezed. Pollen and grass seeds are an awful combination, even in a place so peaceful and mellow my body seems to find faults.


This beautiful place I am speaking of is one which is often overlooked by the average passer-by. A place folded into the corner of fields or crouching in long grass or behind fences, attempting to keep out of sight. A place younger generations fail to see behind its stereotype of 'old fashioned' and adults fail to make time for in their busy schedule of a day. Yes, dear reader. I am talking about allotments.


For those who don't know, though I don't doubt your intelligence, an allotment is a small plot of land which can be rented by a wonderful, caring member of the human race and tended for. The owner will create a rainbow, a stunning rainbow of vegetables, flowers, fruits, right inside that allotment. The owner will spend day after day in the rain, sunshine, snow, hail, caring for their plants as they would care for children. 


Allotments are proof that love doesn't have to be limited to just people. Love is universal; it is poured into allotments by its owners as they water their plants, the mixture of affection, hydrogen and oxygen coaxes the crops to turn to the sun with a smile as they grow.


It isn't the care and tenderness owners display as they grow their vegetation which stuns me into silence, it's just how breathtaking the place is. I was stood in the middle of a field of allotments today, my shadow cast over a forgiving row of cabbages who didn't mind my covering of the sun for the moments I was there. I guess even the cabbages could tell how in awe I was. The watery suns rays tickled the plants below and they rustled in the wind in appreciation. I turned on my heel slowly, absorbing the colours of each plant.


The raspberries had a rosy blush to them which made me want to turn away, frightened that they were too shy for my stares. The runner beans were a crisp green, a colour reminding me of sipping cool lemonade at a picnic in the park on a stifling hot day. The dandelions, frowned upon by the allotment owners, and most people for that matter, held the strongest yellow colour which the sun itself seemed jealous of. The dandelions stood out menacingly among the greens, its pretense of fluffy petals and cheery colours not hiding well enough how deadly it was. I mean, even the sun seemed upset. Every time I spared a glance towards the dandelions the sun would hide behind a cloud in annoyance.


I noticed a woman sat on a bench next to her allotment, her hands curled around a small flask, breathing in the scent of tea and compost. She appeared to be almost sleeping, her eyes fluttering between open and closed, butterflies flying past mirroring the motions of her eyelids. Tranquil. In that moment I decided I wanted to be like her. I wanted my own allotment which I could tend to and care for. I wanted to be able to sit beside it, delve deep into a book and look up every few moments to capture the rainbow of colours behind my eyes.


I haven't much else to say today, except that I would really like an allotment, and that tomorrow may just give me better inspiration than I had today. I really hope you are all enjoying my blog, I would love to find out what you think. I am utterly shocked at how quickly I have reached over 1000 views and it means an awful lot to me.


Thank you, and good night.


Ayesha x