My Dearest Island fam, It’s been a while! I’m sorry for not writing to you in the last couple of issues. So much has been going on and there is a lot to tell you. So let’s begin… First of all, I’ve had a bit of a job change recently which has been super exciting and captivating. The hotel where I work has some magnificent gardens that I very much admire.
Often while I’m on my shift I’ll take moments to absorb the views and the singing flowers. Does the heart good. The gardens are kept beautiful, though, only through the love and care of Natacha our gardener. And boy does she put a dozen wheelbarrows full of love and care into her plants. It’s a lot of responsibility looking after living things that respond to even just the slightest changes in their routine, so when one afternoon Natacha asked if I would like the opportunity to take care of her plant babies while she goes away I was immediately both excited and scared.
Of course! “I would love that opportunity; it would be an honour!” I exclaimed in response. But my heart and thoughts were racing with doubt too. I knew I wanted to do it because I have a deep love for gardens, however taking on a job that big is a whole new level of green thumb. Nevertheless, I agreed to take on this responsibility and got the training. I really wanted to impress our gardener with my attention to the plants and show that I care. Which made me worry a lot about if I was doing a good job or not.
I even did homework at night revising certain elements to plant care. As well as learning this new skill and taking on this responsibility my family and I were also preparing for my sister’s wedding in Cairns which would happen just when my plant sitting finalised. So a lot of my emotions have been put into important things of late, hence not getting to talk to you all much. Which makes me sad.
I’m sorry! Anyway, all in all, I’m here to say it went better than well and the garden is looking happy. But I’m sure all the plants and flowers will be glad to have their Mumma back home! Only thing is, I’m not sure I want to go back to what I was doing before! Oops. I mean, I had a passion for nature before, but now I have a taste of doing it as a profession and I want more!
So there’s a certain path unfolding there… So now it is a cruisy Monday-on-Bribie night, and my parents and I just got back from Cairns: much wedding festivity has been had! We all stayed at a northern beach called Palm Cove. Yes, it is true. I traded Bribie for Palm Cove for a while and thoroughly enjoyed it. Please don’t think I’m a trader!! It feels weird to be in two different places in one day separated by a flight, but a privilege is all the same. It’s definitely a tropical paradise, Australia showing off or something I think. Different from Bribie in its atmosphere and mountains close by the sea.
The water is not as nice as ours and there is the potential for scaly and stingy things in the brackish water. But the palms and soft grass landing right upon the sandy shore is divine. Lots of places to eat and live music is everywhere. One thing I wish Bribie had is more live music flooding the streets, especially at night. But you know what they say, there’s no place like home. I hope that I have planted seeds from Bribie Island (spiritually speaking of course) on the Esplanade of Palm Cove and brought back something from the Cove to plant on Bribie so we can all share in the goodness of the two different places.
Cross-pollination of cultures I suppose you could call it. Travelling has made me fall in love with the land of Australia all over again and makes me hungry to see more of its rugged and varied beauty. We live in a sacred place and our people are as unique as the land. We must nurture each other like a gardener nurture’s her plants and share our territory with those willing to respect it. So much more to catch up on Islanders, I’ll do my best to make our writings not as far apart anymore!
All the best Nikita P.s Make some happy memories with your loved ones this coming weekend. I’ve realised how much memories are important; for they give life to, well, new life. Stay safe!
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