Bouquet #2 - Winter Flowers

In praise of flowers and mindful walking

In March last year, I did not even have a website. By August, I had a website with a journal section. Today I have a newsletter! Who knows what else I’m going to achieve by the end of the pandemic?

I will start by sending a monthly bouquet (proud of this name) where I will be sharing updates on my work, snapshots from daily life, but also some thoughts and stories. Whatever happens, I’ll keep it fun. Promise.

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Where I walk, June 2019

I don’t go out for walks as much as I should, but it’s one of my favourite things in the world to do. I listened to an episode on the 99% Invisible podcast (speaking of favourite things), where one woman shared a little game she plays with her son each time they go out for a walk. By the time they get home, they must pick one object for each colour of the rainbow. It stuck with me as an example of mindful walking.

I thought about it on my walks.

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Winters can be difficult. Winter in lockdown is a special kind of depressing. Going out with the sole intent of taking photos is in itself a mindful act — no wonder it makes me feel so much better. I began paying attention to flowers, or whatever is left of them in the cold season.

Hydrangea, Winter Flowers

I was seeking flowers for the therapeutic effect they have on me — perhaps on you as well — so I expanded my definition of them: the spoiled branches of trees covered in snow will have to make do until spring.

Winter Flowers is an ongoing series, you can see the rest of the photos here. I will come back to it every year, this way I have something to look forward to each winter.

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When I can’t be out in Sheffield (say, in case of a lockdown. Let’s just say!), I’m location scouting on Google Maps. Here’s what I’ve found:

I miss Italy.

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WHERE LINKS GO:

• Flowers by photographer Lina Scheynius. A constant source of inspiration.

• Hayley Williams - My Limb. New song (a demo?) by Hayley Williams , who hand-delivered a copy of the file to one of her fans and gave her permission to “leak” it. The new album is going to be called Flowers for Vases. A mood I can get behind.

• Hayao Miyazaki, creativity, and selfishness by Mason Currey (also a newsletter on Substack!). I don’t agree with the statement artist = selfish, but I fully recognise myself in Miyazaki’s creative process. I, too, feel like a comb with teeth missing sometimes.

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That is all for this first newsletter! You can always leave a comment or say hi. Consider sharing Bouquet with someone you think might enjoy it.

Bouquet is a newsletter from Alina Trifan, who you can also follow on @_alinatrifan.