samedi 26 mars 2011

My Mothers Garden












It has been almost a year since I wanted to write about my Mother's Garden. It is a magic place that always is in my heart no matter were the world wind blows my curiosity. The Garden is full of local and foreign plants, wild but contained, surprisingly interesting without trying too hard to create an elaborate landscape - is such my Mom's garden. The signature plant for Polish country side - the malves in front of the white wall, front windows of the house driveway. I love them as they always remind me home.
The house I grew up in is also a B&B run my my Mother alone now. It has been over 20 years we have been opened.

The front of the house is on a lovely lake called Swiecajty, the lake that is still quite clean with plenty of fish. Unfortunately "new money" brought to the village Kal jets and water scooters which guarantees the end of bliss and the pure water.

The back of the property has grill area as well as valley ball field, bushes with aronia berries known in Siberia, rich in vitamins and antioxidants, small vegetable garden, huge walnut trees and few apple trees. My mother with her magic green thumb managed to grow few ginkgo trees close to my Father memory stone. There is some very mysterious other treas that I do not know but I think also come from the orient. There is some strange fascination of the orient that goes through generations on my father side. My grandfather could read and write something about two thousand Chinese Characters without ever going to China. My father studied for himself the green tea preparation in Moscow and drank it for over 20 years almost every morning... And me...you probably know, become a TCMer. Magic synchronicity at the same time I think. I would love to write Kanji, but for now I think Arabic would be easier!

Well oasis of plants, waters, bliss that might come to end one day. I am not ready to move back there, I hope I will one day but not ready not willing yet. My mom is getting overwhelmed with the work the property demands. I say rent it let someone run it for you, she looks at me helpless: why not you guys? Very difficult.

The village is growing wild with new developments and more and more inventive and interesting venues to attract the tourists. As the summers are very warm and the lake is perfect for swimming, fishing and sailing the peninsula Kal is buzzing like a beehive. In the summer you can smell camp fire, hear people singing songs and playing guitar, mostly tipsy on good or not beer and lazy a bit from eating polish sausage and fresh fish. Many aromas dance in the night sky absolutely brilliant from the stars shining so brightly in the country. The big dipper is just over the roof, hanging like is going to touch the chimney. Dogs bark is breaking the silence every now and that in the deep night.  The truth is it is mine too. Rich history of the area is overwhelming in stories of war, victories, and falls, architecture of mix origin, nostalgia and beauty.