Laura van Cutsem

Hello my dear readers,

this blog post is different from usual (photography updates) since I wanted to sketch how ( a part of) my life looks when nature comes back alive.

It all began at the end of February when the first flower buds appeared. Every year I forget the feeling of new fresh life. And then, when nature finally revives, it feels like a rebirth as if life has been dim, as if it missed something. And every year, it has been a joy to discover how it feels living with the new luxuries Spring offers. And by the luxuries I mean the abundance of new growth, the scent of flowers, the warmth of the sun and the possibilities good weather brings: walks in the park, sowing seeds, meeting people outside, noticing the bees doing their thing and so much more.

However, the changing of the seasons has been a different experience for me this year. I noticed more, and I appreciated it more than last year, even though last year I already acknowledged it more than the year before. It’s safe to say that over time I have grown closer and closer to nature, and I really love that journey.

This Spring has already been pure joy, both by being in the moment and collecting memories with my camera. For the first time, I experienced what it is like to take proper pictures of bees with my camera, or at least, I experienced how it was to try doing so because they’re really fast. Going outside, even when it’s in the neighbourhood, is an adventure. I never know what little thing I will come across.

When Spring became more present, I memorized places of which I knew they had flowers last year. In my head, I have a list of places I can visit to check how the flowers are growing. And I did check them regularly.

As you may remember from last year, I have a little balcony garden. Even though most of my plants died, my blueberry plant survived. I am really grateful for that because it means I’ll have blueberries over a few months! This year, I will sow some pollinator-friendly flowers, my little bee hotel is already welcoming guests! Which, by the way, is so endearing! I can watch bees for hours and hours on end.

My intention goes further than “just” taking photos of nature. Even though I strive to tell stories and evoke feelings with my photographs, I like to take action as well. It’s no secret that pollinators need our help. Each year, I do my best to learn more about nature, gardening and our ecosystem. In the last months, my focus has been on bees. They’re not only cute – I mean did you see their tiny wings and fuzzy body? – but they also play a tremendously important role in our ecosystem.

Personally, it’s an incredible opportunity to learn how to cultivate the earth, sow flowers, and learn to maintain them. I have so many reasons to give you for what I do, but that’s not for this post. In the next coming months, I am going to sow flowers, maybe some vegetables too so we will attract many bees and butterflies. Of course, I will document this journey because I am sure it will be beautiful, filled with curiosity and amazement. Maybe I’ll suck at it, I sure am going to make mistakes but I hope when the academic year is reaching an end, I’ll have learnt something, grown something and hopefully made a few friends amongst the other gardeners.

Enjoy Springtime

Laura

Extra: Soft heroes