As I get older, I find myself doing things that I either once thought were boring, or that I never thought I would be so interested in–things like spending time at museums or walking through gardens or remodeling the flat. The more I think about it, the more I realize it’s similar to the “oh my God I’m turning into my mother” realization that so many of my friends have had. Just like she sings to the cats and has a particular way of loading the dishwasher, so do I. And just like my parents had these “adult” interests and responsibilities that I never gave a second thought while I was young, as I settle into being 30 and creating a home with my husband, I too am suddenly faced with these same things. Only it turns out that I mostly enjoy them. Funny how that works out.
Now I know that “nesting” is a term that is often reserved for pregnancy, but I feel like I have been in that phase since moving into our current flat two years ago. At first it began as a quest to make M.’s “bachelor pad” into a place that reflected both of us living there, but now as we are settled in and have a new kitchen and new bed, I am thinking a lot about the little touches, of how to make things calmer and cozier. And right now, for whatever reason (springtime probably), more green around the house is what does it for me.
Green has been my favorite color since I could discern what colors were (or so my parents tell me, but I don’t remember it any differently). I’ve always loved it because it feels so natural, soothing, and familiar. Plus, there is a small sense of accomplishment that comes from caring for plants, whether it’s growing them from seed or getting them when they’re bigger and keeping them alive. Right now, our house has a mix of both. We have five succulent plants, herbs grown from seed (basil, parsley, dill, chives, sage, cress), herbs purchased as plants (mint, chives, basil), zinnias (which are growing tall but not blooming), a banana plant (that is quite good at cloning itself), and a potted tree (no idea what it is). I also have had the urge to have flowers around the house, as a pop of color in the room can brighten the dullest of days. And in the future I plan to plant spinach and beans, though I think we will need to somehow install some planter space on our outside window, as we’re running out of room…
