Despite being buried under a mound of college homework, I’ve managed to start taming the beast that is our garbage output. It was standing at a total of four black bags, some of it garbage still, some compost, and some recycling - with the majority being garbage.

But I’ve made some progress in the recycling department and have managed to tip the scales slowly. This is a short update but more WILL follow.

I’ve had a pretty shit couple of weeks if I’m honest with you. One funeral, one anniversary of a friend’s death, and the news that another friend was murdered have left me feeling as low as it’s possible to feel. There have been days when I didn’t even want to get out of bed. I felt like a shadow was hanging over me all the time.

At times like these - as if times like these are normal - I turn to the Holy Trinity of my life: my writing, my art and my garden. The writing is an escape, a respite, the art acts as catharsis, and my garden restores my faith in life, even when I can’t believe that faith could ever be restored.

I’ve written and arted myself to the point of burnout this week - these pictures tell the story of seeds sown and life bursting forth, despite the rain, despite fierce heat, despite high winds and salt air. These pictures tell me that it may not always be great or good or even bearable, but it will get better. Eventually.

Let’s hope for sunshine, good food and happiness in the coming days

I mentioned last time that the donated electric propogator was going to come in handy in the New Year… On December 12th, we’re having a Christmas Fair up at the Green Centre with mulled wine, cakes and treats. Amongst the music and singing, and several stalls selling Christmas goodies, we’ll be holding art and spinning workshops, so it’ll be fun and busy.

My part in all of this is to promote the work we’ve been doing in the gardens. By December, I should have the winter vegetables in and also have planted the green manure on the other side of Dave ready for the spring vegetables. The lawn should be on its way to glory by then as well, and I’ll have much to talk about with the visitors.

This includes promoting the workshops I’ll be holding in the spring - something I’m very excited about. We’re holding an initial ten workshops in all with space for ten people on each workshop. This covers five vegetables and the gist of the workshops is to show how to grow a vegetable in a container.

Mel and I are both very passionate about getting people to grow, no matter how much or how little space or soil they have. So, I’m covering carrots and beetroot in buckets, potatoes in bags, salad leaves in wooden boxes and herbs in tin cans. This is very exciting for me!

I’m in the process of doing the lesson plans and making the handouts, and then it’s on to gathering the materials so that everyone goes away with a container, some soil, seeds and mulch. I’m using the propogator to grow the seedlings on ready for the workshops so that I actually have something to plant out!

W00t!