My friend Kari lives by the sea and creates beautiful arrangements of flowers that she sells at markets and shops. We recently spent a warm April day together where she lives by the sea, taking in the fresh air, browsing along the lanes lined with antique shops, and eyeing up the floral competition (Kari’s petals are prettier).

I left with anemones and tulips in arm, their heads bobbing and swaying on the train journey home. The colours, pink and bright red and ultramarine blue, were beautiful partners to live with for a time.

BDW

Earthquake housekeeping consists of picking up shards of glass and china, bricks, wood and anything else broken in the turmoil; washing floors, walls and ceilings covered in kitchen condiments; gathering up books that once again have spread themselves around the room; checking the furniture for splits and broken legs; mopping up the mats from the broken vases; picking up the pots in the garden……

I am now an expert at earthquake housekeeping and I want to change my career. Could someone please ask the Universal Gardener to go plough up some other field and leave us to plant some flowers in our broken garden.

MBW

It is 13 June, 2011.

Over 7000 quakes since September 4 and they are not abating. Today we have experienced more than 50 shocks, some strong enough to throw things across a room and tumble a person to the ground. We are weary.

We thought the big ones were over as the numbers appeared to be lessening, but, no, they have given us a day to remember that we would rather forget.

MBW