Winter in Perth gardens this year was gloomy... guys it was gross! On the flipside though - we've had record rainfall even into spring.

Socially winter used to be viewed as the season dedicated to the slowing down and resting states of plants, animals and humans. I say this as somone who struggles with rest - physically and emotionally. To dedicate 3 months of the year to rest is a commitment that goes against the grain in 2025. 

Evolutionary speaking, mechanisms have developed through nature to ensure survival sustainably - tasks like hibernation, or how a tuber or root system of plants will die off for the harsh cold season, calling it's own energy back for storage. Trees drop their leaves, cut the photosynthesis and slow the speed of nutrients while its too cold to do it effectively. I respect the mechanics but I'm not sure where it leaves me in the face of endless progress, consumption, a need to hustle for rent, a desire to bring worthy community wellness infrastructure to the world - the list goes on. 

Nature handles the duties of winter with fine tuned mechanics. We don't realise the light changing until its darker, earlier than usual. We have no perception of the amount of rain entering the aquifers, or of the accumulative amount of newly delivered top soil waiting in storm debris set to decay over the next year. We have no idea what we are doing.

We must prepare for the inconvenience of change. This knowledge is a scaffolding but while in the trenches of changing ... its gross man! It's sticky, wet and smelly. It's mouldy and transforming. It's comforting to know such ugliness in terms of the natural order of decay is not only permitted but essential for the next process.

In this state - this gloom - we are more likely to see ourselves as powerless, we are more likely to blame anything and everything around us for our disposition and we are more likely to gravitate towards people who confirm this idea. 

This is a cold, sad place to live but its comfortable, known and well rehearsed so many people choose to live there. 

Terrible views, neglected dead space, outdated wallpapers and half finished renovations but its a home nonetheless. To act on making it better is not a choice that would bring about more comfort, infact it could be a big disruption. Much like winter itself - somethings get worse, before they get better.

So for this first blog I guess I'm just calling attention to the ways we work through what is necessary but uncomfortable. The ways we can cycle between a sheer avoidant force and flat out cognitive repulsion towards change, especially one we are not prepared for - maybe in rock bottom type situations. Where there is only the totality of one option left to take and we have been stripped bare, polished by the storms wind and rain.

Other times we will stay comforting ourselves inside and perpetually avoid the cold conditions of self revival. We will get caught in our own lies, tunnel in, gather the ancillary of people around us to reinforce our narrative and there we can stay. Mind spinning on a negative. 

You can find it in a very quiet place -

Accountability is not stagnant guilt or regret or anger toward yourself or others but in the daily humbling 'dusting off' process, acknowledging you are always in flux, ever-changing and growing.

Shin x

Species List 

1. Acacia pulchella, Banksia menzieii.

2. Melalueca ericafolia.

3. Sphaerolobium drummondii

4. Diuris corymbosa

5. Calyptorhynchus latirostris