365 days project 2. Day 73. Childhood memories

   Proust had a madeleine. I have a blue flower! :)  
   Today I walked to the bus station and I passed by some blue, summery flowers. And then I stopped. I turned around and I smiled. One second later the movie of my childhood was playing in my mind: the summer days in the countryside when grandma was baking delicious desserts for me and my brother, my grandpa was teaching us to play chess and later on we were all eating fresh and healthy food from the back garden. Those days will always be sunny in my mind... sunny and carefree. 

   It's so interesting how a madeleine in Proust's case or a blue flower in my case can bring back so many memories, isn't it? Mysterious are the ways of our wonderful brain! How amazing is that? Good, happy memories are always with us, hidden in forgotten drawers and ready to get out when we expect them the least. And isn't that exactly what can make our day? :)

Day 272. The perks of being brave

   Today I went the extra mile. I got out of my comfort zone and I jumped into a whole new type of experiences for photography. Today I was brave.

   I've seen a terribly beautiful house all covered in roses somewhere near where I live and I decided to go take some shots of it. After a lot of planning I got there and I struggled to mingle my camera through the fence and I actually succeeded to take a photo when I saw a man. I freaked out and I quickly went away. I wanted to leave with just that one photo I had. But my photographer instinct told me I needed more than just one photo to own a piece of art of that house that deserved to be praised. So I went back and I decided to ask the owner if I may enter the yard and take a proper photo. 

   He was an elder in his 80s dressed as a gardener. His face was kind and his voice was mild. He said photography and roses were also his passions so not only did he let me take as many photos as I wished but he also explained to me how he tended the beautiful roses covering the old house and he even invited me to follow him behind it.

    I followed him and then my eyes saw more than I could take. A huge garden full of all sorts of roses. All types, all colors, all shapes. And not only roses but also cacti and lily pads and ferns and trees of all kinds. I literaly felt like stepping into a Botanical Garden. And it was even more than that. It was a piece of heaven that made me go from surprise to ecstasy, from smiling to being in awe and saying "wow" every 2 minutes. 

   We took a long walk in the beautiful garden while the old man gently presented to me the types of roses (he had more than 40 types) and let me take photos to anything my heart desired. He even said "Here are some roses you haven't seen, enjoy yourself":) After a while we bonded so well that I felt like walking with my grandpa. I felt so much peace, happiness and amazement. I felt it all at once. 

   When I wanted to leave I took my bag and I saw a red rose inside of it. The old man gave me one of his beloved children. I guess he noticed we bonded too. Because when I left, we were both smiling like we had known each other for ages and this was just another visit I used to pay to him. 

   One thing though. He asked me not to share the photos of his house and garden on the internet so be my guests and imagine them as you please, but make sure you make them top perfection. Because that's how I felt today:)

   What a day!:) And how different might the things have been if only I didn't turn around.