I’ve been feeling weighed down lately with too much complicated life going on here and world-weary and thoroughly aghast at the behaviour of the people in power. Even David, who, for as long as I’ve known him, has always kept up-to-the-minute with current affairs, switched off the news earlier in the week Before It Had Finished and said, “The world is going mad”. There’s just only so much one can take, isn’t there? More and more, I’ve felt the need to ignore what’s going on outside my little patch of land and instead think only about what needs watering and who needs feeding. (And even the ‘who needs feeding’ can seem like a massive chore sometimes.) I quite fancy switching off all the devices and cutting myself off from the world for a year or so. I might then have a peep to find out if it all really did go Pete Tong (wrong) but I suspect I’d be quite happy not to.
But as that’s not terribly practical, I’ve been focusing on simple tasks like hanging out washing – listening to the birds and feeling the sun on my skin as I peg laundry on the line – and spending as much time as possible looking at plants. Rather than completely sink into a pit of despondency, easy though that would be, I am sitting quietly on the clifftop and looking out for all the slivers of hope and beauty and optimism that I can.
In the spirit of carving out some pleasure, today I took the day off and drove to Sissinghurst Castle with two good friends. We’re all women who juggle work and family life – we have 10 teenagers between us – and we kept commenting on how wonderful it was to be out, to be away from the everyday and to be in such a beautiful place. We had coffee and cake and lunch and coffee and cake. We ooh-ed and ah-ed at the planting and the architecture and the arrangement of the place. On the way home, we stopped and bought Kentish cherries from a roadside stall. We returned happy, recharged and ready to turn our sunned faces to the onwards march again.
Happy weekend, friends.
acoastalplot 
I know what you mean about it all. A bit overwhelming at times I think. And, ugh, the people in power. Shocking. Sissinghurst looks utterly blissful. I am so glad you had the chance to escape there for a day, it was a very well deserved break. I have just watched Gardener’s World and I am contemplating throwing a few handfuls of wildflower seeds out the back door and leaving it to do its thing. Wishing you a good weekend, at least one with a few peaceful outdoor moments. Sending you a cyber hug my friend. CJ xx
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Lovely to read your post and glad you had a good day out to restore the balance. Tea, cake and friends always does it for me! I’m glad to be away from hearing about the political bickering for a couple of weeks. Just arrived in NY and about to go exploring. Take care x
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Think of all that Sissinghurst has seen in its day. It puts our present turmoils in perspective a bit.
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I am with you on all of the above! What a world, and my heart sinks every day with the news. I do try and keep up with what’s going on, but it is not heart warming in any way whatsoever. Did you see Gardener’s World last night. I missed the first half but have it recorded, but as a longstanding member of Plantlife, it was brilliant to see Trevor Dines on the programme, and to see all those glorious wildflowers and especially the cowslips across the wildflower meadow in Lincolnshire. Now that was heartwarming! Have a good weekend, and hold Sissinghurst in mind! Amanda
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Sissinghurst looks lovely. As for the rest of the world: worrying about what you can’t influence leads to illness. Stay safe!
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Your photos are beautiful, although it looks a little dry there, and not as lush and green as one would expect.
I thoroughly understand your need to escape the world for awhile. I stopped listening to the news here over a year ago. So tired of the Democrats and Republican fighting and with elections on the horizon, it will only get worse.
When I had my emergency appendicitis, and I was so sick, it didn’t seem like anything mattered. So many things I thought important, suddenly didn’t. These past few weeks being home, off of work resting and recovering, have made me realize I do not want to go back to that maddening pace of living. I am determined not to let myself get caught up in all the unnecessary things that life tempts us with. Just happy to be listening to the birds, locusts, and tree frogs singing at night. Those are pure joys! Hang in there.
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What fabulous views! I’d happily look out over those beautiful gardens though I’d rather leave someone else to do the hard work. I’ve taken to watching the news headlines, mutter like Victor Meldrew, switch off the TV and retreat to read a novel. Am also finding it extremely tiresome to put proper meals on the table.Would far rather just sit with a bowl of Kentish cherries.
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Garden therapy 🌻
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Sounds like a perfect thing to do; look for all the good things and turn your back on the depressing. Love Sissinghurst Castle, a perfect place to lift your spirits. I’m off round my garden in a minute to look for the good 🙂 B x
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It looks beautiful there Sam. Glad you could have a day off and thanks for sharing those wonderful photos. 🙂
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That’s a great way to recharge, Sam, and I hope the after-effect lingers for a while. Great photos of Sissnghurst!
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I share your reaction to the news of the day. I just want to vote on election day and pray for the best – and otherwise ignore the news entirely. We were able to visit Sissinghurst once in very late summer – would love to go back.
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The World has indeed gone Mad and those in Power in so many places make watching the News very difficult, the onslaught of the Madness often being just too much to bear and witness! Your getaway and Images are sublime, I Wish we had Castles here! But I do have the Desert to retreat to when the Madness needs to melt away for a minute.
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