Mon cahier botanique

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by Arundhati Basu

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In the summer of 2019, my sister-in-law (@mydreamcanvas) came visiting us, and at the end of a few glorious days of swanning around the city, she left me with this beautiful journal that I lost my heart to at The Strand bookshop. It might have been merely a year ago, but at the present moment it seems so very far removed from the summer this year, around which hangs a haze of unreality. Yet it is an idyllic summer, which I cannot deny, of pottering in our small garden filled with cherry tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, aubergines, lemon, chillies, radishes, rosemary, oregano, thyme, parsley, mint, and basil. The fern is growing lavishly like a child borne of love and I admit I am terribly fond of it.

It is entrancing to have a ringside view of the lives of plants. Watching them sprout from seeds, transform into seedlings, shoot forth fresh green and tender saplings, and keep growing without a care in the world – it feels therapeutic. I do not mind even the tiny caterpillars and aphids that start showing up as perverse guests.

Anyway, the long and short of it is that I have started to pick fallen leaves, berries, and blossoms. I carry them home with care and proceed to press them dry within the pages of the heaviest cookbooks. When they are suitably papery in texture, I insert them into mon cahier botanique and fill in the rest with botanical notes, watercolours, and poems that refuse to fade from the mind.

P.S.: This is for Cathy with her love of journalling.

Processed with VSCO with g3 preset

Processed with VSCO with g3 preset

Processed with VSCO with g3 preset

Processed with VSCO with g3 preset

Processed with VSCO with g3 preset

Processed with VSCO with g3 preset

Witches’ weeds
Bearded Iris (Iris pallida)

Processed with VSCO with g3 preset

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Arundhati Basu

The great affair in my life is to travel. I count myself immensely fortunate that my partner shares this passion. We are a team that likes to spend time planning and plotting out places to go. Destination check, flights check, accommodation check, cheesy grins check. Off we go.

39 thoughts on “Mon cahier botanique”

    1. Ah Sheree, if only the first gets anywhere I will be doing a crazy jungle dance. Thank you for your appreciation, which is naturally much appreciated. The journal is gaining girth by the minute. 🙂 xx

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    1. Hello you! Been so long. Lovely to have you here again. I left some comments on your blog, but for some time now my comments have consistently been gobbled up by the wp goblin.

      Thank you for your appreciative comment! You have a great weekend. 😃

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      1. Strange! I didn’t see your comments at all. Recently, I have noticed a drop in replies and comments. But I simply thought that people don’t want to interact. There must be some wp goblins around here 🙂

        Wish you a pleasant summer day!

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      2. I must not have not read your latest, will swing by. But definitely been left some on a couple of posts or more. Forgetting the exact details.

        Thank you and you too! Ready for the weekend. 🙂

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      2. I think all you need is a pen and paper and you are golden. It is for yourself, so who cares how it looks. Only you should be cracking happy with it..the rest are bonus. X

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      3. Haha, and a habit of writing. My attention is so short that even bumblebees would be jealous 😂
        But it’s true, all I need is a pen and paper. And maybe a mood to write 😉

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  8. Wow! I am bowled over by your journals. Not only is the journal itself beautiful, with those faded blue flowers, but I love your collections from nature, pressed so neatly, and your quotes, poems, lists and notes. Your drawings are wonderful and your handwriting is exquisitely artistic. Such a piece of art all around. I’d love to link this to my next art journaling post on August 14 if that’s okay with you. 🙂

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  9. Oh my gosh, just like in high school! I love this! I used to do this a lot too. And till now, whenever my hubby brings me flowers (too infrequent, I suppose that’s why treasure by me), I’d press the leaves and flowers, yes between the pages of the heaviest books, too. Hahaha… I love this post and reading what you’ve written on your plant journal. 🙂

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  11. Hey! I am new at blogging. And I totally loved your blog. I would be very happy if you support me by following and reading my latest posts!
    Thankyou!☺️

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