tomatoes in a greenhouse on a rainy day

A Walk through the Cottage Garden

You're strolling along a garden path. A blackbird cries out harshly from a blossoming cherry tree, scolding you for straying so near to her nest. She swoops overhead, so close that the breeze of her passing dislodges your straw hat, and you stoop to pick it up.
Elegant trees line the paths with carefully tended beds of purple, pink, and yellow flowers beneath them. The sun shines through the leaves, dappling the worn stones of the path and catching the flash of butterfly and bee wings as the insects flit among the flowers.
You pause for a moment, taking in the fragrance of the flowers, the fresh earth, and the herbs. A little ahead there is an open section of patio surrounding a firepit with benches all around. On one of these, a gray cat lounges in the sun, tail twitching like a wary snake as she rests. You come closer and the cat raises her head, considering you, but then lies back down to sleep. You stop to pet this animal, savoring the warmth of the sun captured by her soft fur. She purrs for you, and you decide to sit and rest, enjoying the twittering of songbirds and the sunbeams on your face.
As you sit, you notice for the first time the distant burbling of water. Perhaps there is a fountain or even a stream somewhere in the garden. You decide to explore later to discover it, but for now you are happy to sit.
After a few minutes of you neither moving nor speaking, it is almost as if you have become one with the garden, and creatures who had been hiding start to emerge, casting you—and the cat—cautious glances at first. When you prove no danger to them, they continue about their business. A fat squirrel gathers acorns that have rolled across the patio from one of the larger trees, scurrying to hide them among the bushes. Birds hop about, scratching at the earth between the patio's stones, in search of seeds or insects. There is a gentle snuffling and shuffling and a hedgehog scuttles from a bed of marigolds to poke around the violets.
The cat looks up at this. Her ears twitch, and she hops down to nose at the critter. The hedgehog rolls into a ball, and the cat hops back when her nose meets with the creature's spiky exterior. You laugh, but before you can act to separate the pair, a fat drop of rain plops down upon your nose.
You look up as the last rays of sun are obscured by quick moving clouds. The animals hurry for shelter as rain begins to fall in earnest. You stand, gripping your hat to your head as the wind picks up around you. Where did your perfect day go? You fear you will be soaked before you can make it back to the cottage.
The gray cat gives a meow and rubs up against your ankles before hurrying down the path, her tail like a flag behind her. Knowing cats love comfort, you sense she might know of some shelter that you are unaware of, so you follow her.
The path winds around a grove of fruit trees and reveals a small greenhouse, choked in vines, the door open. The cat slips inside, and you follow.
You shrug off your cardigan and hang your hat upon a hook by the door. The cat finds a pile of burlap sacks in the corner and stretches out upon it, kneading them with her claws to ready her resting place.
Not quite ready for a nap, you instead stroll down the aisle of the green house, admiring the pots of seedlings, the baskets of tools, and other items stashed here. Packets of seeds sit beside and old book on gardening.
Rain patters against the roof over your head, making you sleepy. You see a box of matches and a single candle on the bench. You light the candle, combatting the gray day with the golden glow of the flame. An old rocking chair awaits, and you sit there, watching your candle flicker while you listen to the rain. It doesn't matter how long it pours. You and the cat have found your rest. You are content to stay for a good, long while.
Green Thumb is part of Mythologie Candles' expanded Cottagecore Collection.

Leave a comment

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.