Introduction: A Small Red Berry That Shifted My Morning I didn't expect anything unusual today. I went into the garden of mine in the typical manner - half-asleep, gripping my mug, and taking in that usual Soshanguve morning fresh air. The sun was gentle, the earth was nice and cool from the night, and I was only thinking of looking at the spinach and lettuce that I had already planted before I would have started my day. However, it was a bright little thing hidden under the leaves that made me stop my headlong check. Just under a pile of dry leaves, the red of something very small was what I noticed. That one bright berry changed the whole tone of my morning. Little did I know it was about to lead me into a story of mistaken identity, curiosity, and one of the sweetest lessons the garden has given me this week. A Red Surprise Hiding Under the Leaves This morning, I was strolling through my garden here in Soshanguve and I spotted a little red berry that was glimmering ...

Introduction - The Quiet Companions in My Garden Every morning in Soshanguve, before the taxis start hooting on the main road and before the sun begins its usual mission of turning the soil warm and stubborn, I step into my little garden with a soft, familiar excitement. The air is still cool. The birds have already woken up and are roaming the yard as if they are seeing for themselves that I have arrived. And as usual, my gardening tools are in the exact place where I left them, standing quietly as if they are already aware of what the day requires from me. It took me years to understand the relationship between a gardener and their tools. When I first started planting, I didn't have anything proper. I was using whatever was available in the house. A spoon at times, a broken plastic container at times, and sometimes just my bare hands. I chuckle when I recall those days but I am also thankful because they made me realize that gardening is not about having tools, it is about having...

(I've naturally placed the image references inside the flow, like we always do.) The Day My Marigolds Reminded Me to Slow Down What You'll Discover in This Post This is the story that a little marigold garden patch in Soshanguve taught me. The story is about how these flowers taught me patience, being present, and the beauty of unexpected colour in a tired season. You will be taken with me through the very moment these flowers surprised me, how they changed the vibe of my whole garden, what they mean for soil health here in Gauteng, and why I now think of them as small soldiers standing between my vegetables and pests. Also, you will sense the personal moment that made me stop, breathe, and be grateful for my journey once again. A Quiet Morning in the Garden I went to the garden earlier than I normally would that morning. The air still had that cool feeling which you can only experience in our part of Soshanguve before the sun starts to heat up the sand. I really wasn't exp...