Monique and I can’t help ourselves when it comes to flowers, and I hope you’re not bored that we’re bringing more of them today. But they are beautiful, and it is Spring …

Long-term readers of this blog know I’m firmly in the Margaret Olley trenches when it comes to housework:

I’ve never liked housework. I get by doing little chores when I feel like them, in between paintings. Who wants to chase dust all their life? You can spend your whole lifetime cleaning the house. I like watching the patina grow. If the house looks dirty, buy another bunch of flowers is my advice. (Margaret Olley)

I must say, I don’t like watching the patina grow, but I don’t see the point in cleaning every five minutes either—which, with two dogs and three teenagers, is what it would take to keep this house clean. So, I turn a blind eye to as much as I can, and bring in the fresh flowers.

Our garden’s blooming at the moment—roses, lemon blossom, daisies—but these tangerine ranunculus are from my weekly treat of fresh flowers from a local florist.

This fortnight Monique’s been buffeted by crowds of people at her work, sapping her energy and draining her desire to do anything but the necessary. During the day, she’s been up and down like a yo-yo, attending to multiple demands for tickets, food, explaining the same things over and over. Each night, sleep’s eluded her and she’s wondered how she’d stand up the next day and do it all again.

And then this morning, as she embraced a day at home and the promise of nearly three weeks’ break, she took time out to breathe the fresh air, feel the warm wind on her skin, and look at how Spring has dressed her garden.

These Californian poppies were standing tall despite the wind—and there’s been plenty of that lately. Today, they were her inspiration to dig deeper for energy and keep on going.

These poppies are striking and bold and beautiful—especially against the vibrant green and the soft blue of the sky. Nature’s pick-me-up.

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As Monique will be away next week, we won’t be posting our usual Midweek Moment.

If you’d like to look back on some of our past moments, click here, and please visit Monique’s website, too, if you want to see more of her writing and photography.

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