Tuesday evening, April 23rd 2013
I've been planting seeds since I was a child, but there was somewhat of a hiatus during the years that I was scatting between homes and generally not being anywhere for enough of a growing season to tend to said seeds and subsequent plants. That said, during said hiatus I somehow accumulated quite a collection of seeds from moments of being in shops and thinking "Oooh! I could plant some seeds". A noble response, but one that resulted in a purchase but no planting.
Until now.
Since my move to full-time living in Morecambe I've started dabbling with various growing opportunities but it's only in the past couple of months that I've really engaged with the prospect of planting things from scratch. But now that I have, and faced with a whole bunch of seeds, my approach is simple: if I've seeds, and soil, and pots, and saucers for said pots...I'll plant seeds! Over the winter I would occasionally contemplate planting plans and avidly read up on what should be planted when but that all rather went out of the window when I realised it was mid-March and I still didn't have a plan. And, I confess, I hate getting cold fingers. And my fingers have a habit of getting very cold very quickly - even in the luxury of my basement. So until the weather changed from "bloomin' freezing" to "mild" a couple of weeks ago, my best efforts were generally thwarted by Cold Finger Syndrome after about 10 minutes.
But no more! I have a rapidly multiplying selection of pots and containers, primarily around my house, which I'm gradually planting up with all sorts of goodies. The long term plan is to focus on perennials but the pragmatist inside decide that given I *have* a bunch of annual seeds and I *don't* have a bunch of perennials, I'd start with what I've got and go from there. If nothing else I can test out which window ledges promote the speediest germination / growing / harvesting opportunities. I've even managed to plant out some of my earlier plantings (the first things to make it into pots were some garlic cloves which were merrily sprouting of their own accord...seemed a shame to waste them!) and the tubs (bath-tub included) that got some attention back in February are showing great promise.
I must confess I'm now incredibly impatient, especially for the inordinate number of leafy greens that I've been planting, to get to harvesting some of these little wonders. Just as a watched pot never boils, it appears a watched trough never grows. Particularly interesting because the courgette seeds I potted up have gone into full-on sprouting mode since I haven't been able to check on them every day due to a house guest. Whether it's REALLY because I'm not watching them, or actually because they've decided it's finally warm enough to make an appearance is neither here not there - the point is they're GROWING! I've certainly got a lot to learn about optimising my planting and the joy of harvesting is still a fair few moons off (although the herb tubs - parsley and chives already in plant form, plus basil and coriander in seed form - for my kitchen are partly ready for use) but it really is exciting. And is reminding me of precisely how awesome photosynthesis is.
Linked in to all this I purchased a water butt a couple of weeks ago which I've been meaning to install. After a couple of weeks of fairly dry weather the rain looked like it was making an appearance last week so I went for a low-tech install (put water butt under drainpipe...watch it fill) which has provided me with many gallons of rainwater. Which is great - but means that before I can do the PROPER install I'll need to empty said water butt. Possibly not my wisest move ever, but it's already saving lots of water - both in the multitude of potted plants I'm generating and because I've taken to carrying buckets of it up to "flush" my toilet with. It's the simple things - but why use treated water when I could be using rainwater?
As much as I'd love to have acres and acres to play with, and already be getting the hazel and willow whips shoved in the ground for the magic maze, I must confess my mass-container planting experiment (with some bonus outside space to use as well) is probably the best for my learning curve. We shall see!
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Social Exhaustion Elixir. Or: Notes from Hermitville - Part II
It turns out my social exhaustion elixir is a large dose of sunshine, three brilliant clients and a day to do with as I wish. Oh, and being by the seaside :) I was a little concerned the three clients this morning would send me even further into exhaustion (I often find doing Massage will connect me with how my BODY is doing - rather than my mind - which means any physical exhaustion comes out loud and proud) but it was probably the best thing I could have had lined up. They really were three awesome clients and I had a brilliant morning. I wrapped up some loose ends from yesterday and had some quality time at the end of the Serengeti Jetty (except that's really saying Jetty twice, but anyway) as well as on the beach before meandering back via my favourite bike shop for some new gloves. Huzzah huzzah huzzah. And now: Relax :)
Friday, April 19, 2013
Notes from Hermitville
So. It turns out any change is best done gradually, over time, through repetition and with support. Not all in one go, all guns blazing. Hmm. Interesting. Would never have thunk it... And, likewise, would never have thunk how much I have modelled my life on a specific type of Hermitville had it not been for this week...
Saying it started like any other simply isn't true. For me, the week started last Saturday in all its cinematic glory. The sun is shining more. The days are getting longer. The wind has been howling and the rain has even made an appearance. (More than an appearance, but thankfully rather than getting utterly sodden it simply woke me up on Thursday morning and subsided before I left for work.) Well, maybe it started on Friday (which was also very full). Or even the day before. But it was only on checking my diary that I remembered Friday and Thursday so I'm going to stick with Saturday.
Saturday. Lots of films. A panel discussion. A long chat with a new person. And a cycle home. People.
Sunday. Relatively few people but a new person who'd come to stay for a couple of weeks and a chat over dinner.
Monday. Started fairly people-sparse, although I did spend some time off on a wonderful wander around Heysham Head - and there were people there, albeit not many. And then it got more peopled - picking up a laminated map of the area (long story) followed by an adventure down to Bolton with a Lancastrian friend to see a brilliant play which in turn was followed by a couple of hours (I'm not really sure now) in the theatre bar with the cast and other friends-of-cast who'd come to see the show. And then a trundle home and the first late night of the week.
Tuesday. Another evening of socialising - another Lancastrian friend came over for curry (I love my local curry house. They're ace) and in amongst our chattering I also got to go through photos from the past year of the building. Oh, how things have moved on!
Wednesday. Which I thought was going to be a quiet one. But turned out not to be. A meeting I had semi-forgotten, but on discovering resolved to attend, and have now resolved never to go to again. Never might be a little strong but it really isn't a meeting I have any desire to return to, especially after a very frank and clarifying chat with someone post-meeting. More. People.
Thursday. This may have been where it fell apart a little. It had been a particularly busy day phones-wise in the office, and I'd also had 2 lovely chats with people visiting the building. Then I had a Massage - the end result being "I could go to sleep now". Which I didn't do. Instead, I cycled off to a business networking meeting and spent 2 and a half hours meeting and talking and sharing and learning. And got home. Exhausted.
Friday. Lacking the usual support I have, today ended up with two lots of jobs (which both sort of got done, but neither as much as I'd've liked), meetings, Unexpected Events, a great desire to go out into the sunshine but a need to stay near the phones, a brief interlude in Greaves Park in Lancaster, some cycling, and another thought provoking film. So thought provoking I was glued to my seat for about an hour afterwards. And had a great chat with a minister called Steve. And then cycled home.
To many perhaps a week of any great note. But the overall sense of "weary" I very much put down to Significantly Increased Social Contact. Not to say that's a bad thing - just rather unfamiliar! And I like the increase - but recognise the rate of increase was somewhat steeper than may have been recommendable. Tomorrow brings more people but then the potential for catching up with myself, if every way needed. At one point I had pencilled in an adventure into the Lune Valley but that hasn't come to fruition. Perhaps I shall peruse my new maps for suggestions.
Saying it started like any other simply isn't true. For me, the week started last Saturday in all its cinematic glory. The sun is shining more. The days are getting longer. The wind has been howling and the rain has even made an appearance. (More than an appearance, but thankfully rather than getting utterly sodden it simply woke me up on Thursday morning and subsided before I left for work.) Well, maybe it started on Friday (which was also very full). Or even the day before. But it was only on checking my diary that I remembered Friday and Thursday so I'm going to stick with Saturday.
Saturday. Lots of films. A panel discussion. A long chat with a new person. And a cycle home. People.
Sunday. Relatively few people but a new person who'd come to stay for a couple of weeks and a chat over dinner.
Monday. Started fairly people-sparse, although I did spend some time off on a wonderful wander around Heysham Head - and there were people there, albeit not many. And then it got more peopled - picking up a laminated map of the area (long story) followed by an adventure down to Bolton with a Lancastrian friend to see a brilliant play which in turn was followed by a couple of hours (I'm not really sure now) in the theatre bar with the cast and other friends-of-cast who'd come to see the show. And then a trundle home and the first late night of the week.
Tuesday. Another evening of socialising - another Lancastrian friend came over for curry (I love my local curry house. They're ace) and in amongst our chattering I also got to go through photos from the past year of the building. Oh, how things have moved on!
Wednesday. Which I thought was going to be a quiet one. But turned out not to be. A meeting I had semi-forgotten, but on discovering resolved to attend, and have now resolved never to go to again. Never might be a little strong but it really isn't a meeting I have any desire to return to, especially after a very frank and clarifying chat with someone post-meeting. More. People.
Thursday. This may have been where it fell apart a little. It had been a particularly busy day phones-wise in the office, and I'd also had 2 lovely chats with people visiting the building. Then I had a Massage - the end result being "I could go to sleep now". Which I didn't do. Instead, I cycled off to a business networking meeting and spent 2 and a half hours meeting and talking and sharing and learning. And got home. Exhausted.
Friday. Lacking the usual support I have, today ended up with two lots of jobs (which both sort of got done, but neither as much as I'd've liked), meetings, Unexpected Events, a great desire to go out into the sunshine but a need to stay near the phones, a brief interlude in Greaves Park in Lancaster, some cycling, and another thought provoking film. So thought provoking I was glued to my seat for about an hour afterwards. And had a great chat with a minister called Steve. And then cycled home.
To many perhaps a week of any great note. But the overall sense of "weary" I very much put down to Significantly Increased Social Contact. Not to say that's a bad thing - just rather unfamiliar! And I like the increase - but recognise the rate of increase was somewhat steeper than may have been recommendable. Tomorrow brings more people but then the potential for catching up with myself, if every way needed. At one point I had pencilled in an adventure into the Lune Valley but that hasn't come to fruition. Perhaps I shall peruse my new maps for suggestions.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Cinematicness
Today has, without doubt, been cinematically full, albeit somewhat lacking in vegan cake. Which isn't necessarily related but for the fact one option for today had been to pootle down to Manchester to a vegan fayre which would have had much vegan cake and, more importantly, the folk from Dandelion & Burdock who I miss. Both in the sense of not being able to drop in on them so easily these days and in the sense that when I am in the area, it tends to be on a day when they're not open. Alas. Anyway, no vegan delights for me today which possibly means baking tomorrow, but we'll see...
The plan for the day went through many iterations in a short space of time but ended up with a morning at home doing homey stuff (including filing! Get me!) before heading into Lancaster on The Bike With No Name for films being shown as part of the Transition City Lancaster Film Festival at The Dukes. There were three scheduled today so given how many millions of miles Lancaster is from Morecambe (psychologically, if nothing else) I decided to settle in for the long haul. And, if I were to say nothing else (which is unlikely) I have to say they made up a very varied programme - in many, many senses. So - to the films.
It all kicked off with Chasing Ice - this was the one film I had some expectations of as the write up had mentioned Nat Geo photographic delights and indeed they were there. I do love National Geographic. But Chasing Ice was more than that - it's the story of one photographer's aim to capture the retreat of glaciers in a very visual way over several years. And boy, was the retreat dramatic. Paraphrasing the film, there's nothing quite like seeing a 30,000 year old glacier retreat miles in mere years. My overwhelming feeling at the end of the film was of wanting to slow it all down - especially the stills and the time-lapse of the series of photos showing the glacier retreats. And my key deeper understanding from it was about this incredibly rapid change that is going on.
No cake, but this morning I did make myself some soup. Which was fine except I managed to jump the knife I was using while chopping up an onion. Which means I now have a rather interesting cut through one of my finger nails and some of the surrounding skin. It's fine and is now merrily getting on with life without even a plaster but it is rather odd having a cut in my nail from an angle other than top down...
Next up was Trashed. Of the three, this felt the most explicitly "this is bad, we must stop doing it" - a sentiment I entirely agree with, but I do value films that can present such information without being evangelical. Evangelical would be too strong a word for this film, but it's closer to that feeling that my "optimum". It had a great case study of San Francisco as a "Zero Waste" city, and provided me with a lot of information around the problems with incineration I wasn't aware of - and pushed home the issue of plastics and other non-biodegradable waste. I think the "solution" proposed was recycling 90% of all waste we produce, but it may have been something else.
Two films in and I was beginning to flag - but Even The Rain was captivating. A "story" film with a sense of fictitious documentary within it (does that make sense? As in it was not a documentary but was based on a lot of real events) it was particularly striking as it was set in Bolivia around the same time I was there. I confess I am somewhat ashamed I did not take more direct interest in the water issues that were going on - it was very easy to bury my head in the sand and that was what I did. But there was a real sense of familiarity, particularly as the film progressed and my mind went back to two occasions when I was in Bolivia and there was active civil unrest on the streets (once in La Paz, once in Santa Cruz). And also to the very middle-class world I mainly inhabited while I was there. Fascinating and saddening film in terms of repeated patterns of behaviour within society.
And then the cycle home. Lots of food for thought.
The plan for the day went through many iterations in a short space of time but ended up with a morning at home doing homey stuff (including filing! Get me!) before heading into Lancaster on The Bike With No Name for films being shown as part of the Transition City Lancaster Film Festival at The Dukes. There were three scheduled today so given how many millions of miles Lancaster is from Morecambe (psychologically, if nothing else) I decided to settle in for the long haul. And, if I were to say nothing else (which is unlikely) I have to say they made up a very varied programme - in many, many senses. So - to the films.
It all kicked off with Chasing Ice - this was the one film I had some expectations of as the write up had mentioned Nat Geo photographic delights and indeed they were there. I do love National Geographic. But Chasing Ice was more than that - it's the story of one photographer's aim to capture the retreat of glaciers in a very visual way over several years. And boy, was the retreat dramatic. Paraphrasing the film, there's nothing quite like seeing a 30,000 year old glacier retreat miles in mere years. My overwhelming feeling at the end of the film was of wanting to slow it all down - especially the stills and the time-lapse of the series of photos showing the glacier retreats. And my key deeper understanding from it was about this incredibly rapid change that is going on.
No cake, but this morning I did make myself some soup. Which was fine except I managed to jump the knife I was using while chopping up an onion. Which means I now have a rather interesting cut through one of my finger nails and some of the surrounding skin. It's fine and is now merrily getting on with life without even a plaster but it is rather odd having a cut in my nail from an angle other than top down...
Next up was Trashed. Of the three, this felt the most explicitly "this is bad, we must stop doing it" - a sentiment I entirely agree with, but I do value films that can present such information without being evangelical. Evangelical would be too strong a word for this film, but it's closer to that feeling that my "optimum". It had a great case study of San Francisco as a "Zero Waste" city, and provided me with a lot of information around the problems with incineration I wasn't aware of - and pushed home the issue of plastics and other non-biodegradable waste. I think the "solution" proposed was recycling 90% of all waste we produce, but it may have been something else.
Two films in and I was beginning to flag - but Even The Rain was captivating. A "story" film with a sense of fictitious documentary within it (does that make sense? As in it was not a documentary but was based on a lot of real events) it was particularly striking as it was set in Bolivia around the same time I was there. I confess I am somewhat ashamed I did not take more direct interest in the water issues that were going on - it was very easy to bury my head in the sand and that was what I did. But there was a real sense of familiarity, particularly as the film progressed and my mind went back to two occasions when I was in Bolivia and there was active civil unrest on the streets (once in La Paz, once in Santa Cruz). And also to the very middle-class world I mainly inhabited while I was there. Fascinating and saddening film in terms of repeated patterns of behaviour within society.
And then the cycle home. Lots of food for thought.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm - yum.
Absolutely nothing to do with food and everything to do with post-bath-and-great-weekend-and-awesome-weekend-before feeling. Even if today's bramble scratches are a bit tingly just now courtesy of a salt scrub to wrap up said bath. Even THAT feels like a good thing.
Last weekend was an epic trip around the space between Lancashire and London, this weekend was a trip over to Grange for some gardening. I thought I was going to do my usual Grange plants-and-photos update but somehow the time isn't now (which is rather useful given my phone has decided not to be technologically minded so photos would have been a challenge). Progress wasn't as dramatic as my last visit, there was no burning (there was an option to burn, but I didn't feel like it) but there's a definite shape appearing to the space and more plants got planted. In fact, the first of my home-grown plants (some garlic plants) made it into the ground which is rather exciting. And now I really need to sort out a planting plan and make sure I start generating lots of plants primed for planting outside. Nothing like the incentive of plants to put in for creating new "beds" in the limestone cracks.
The weather has been very kind this weekend and although the brilliant blue skies and warm sunshine of yesterday were missing, I went off on a mini adventure on my departure from the garden. On a walk with the family dog the night before (and the couple who own said garden) I had Humphrey Head pointed out to me - and explained as a turtle-type dragon head. Which, fundamentally, was always going to be irresistible. Given it's proximity from last night's meander I decided I'd easily be able to discover it, and on driving out of Grange saw what I thought was said Head but turns out to be Kirkhead - also interesting as it's got what looks to be a folly on it. I parked up thinking they'd be a very obvious footpath on to the head. Which there wasn't. I walked about a mile in one direction, then the same in the other to no avail but did experience the ambience of a couple of South Cumbrian rural villages and discover that I had mistakenly referenced the end of a cross-bay walk as Grange whereas in fact it was Kents Bank (discovered by ending up at Kents Bank train station). A pleasant chunk of time was spent reclining against a bank with the bay spreading out before me, then back to "my side of the bay".
Another rather marvellous development recently has been a new-found ability to read. Not that I was incapable of reading, but that I never seemed to find the time or desire to sit down and digest one of the many brilliant books I have waiting me at the moment. I seem to have cracked both the time and desire elements for now and although progress is slow, it is being made and in so doing I feel I'm nourishing an intellectual interest I have been neglecting for too many years. Huzzah.
Last weekend was an epic trip around the space between Lancashire and London, this weekend was a trip over to Grange for some gardening. I thought I was going to do my usual Grange plants-and-photos update but somehow the time isn't now (which is rather useful given my phone has decided not to be technologically minded so photos would have been a challenge). Progress wasn't as dramatic as my last visit, there was no burning (there was an option to burn, but I didn't feel like it) but there's a definite shape appearing to the space and more plants got planted. In fact, the first of my home-grown plants (some garlic plants) made it into the ground which is rather exciting. And now I really need to sort out a planting plan and make sure I start generating lots of plants primed for planting outside. Nothing like the incentive of plants to put in for creating new "beds" in the limestone cracks.
The weather has been very kind this weekend and although the brilliant blue skies and warm sunshine of yesterday were missing, I went off on a mini adventure on my departure from the garden. On a walk with the family dog the night before (and the couple who own said garden) I had Humphrey Head pointed out to me - and explained as a turtle-type dragon head. Which, fundamentally, was always going to be irresistible. Given it's proximity from last night's meander I decided I'd easily be able to discover it, and on driving out of Grange saw what I thought was said Head but turns out to be Kirkhead - also interesting as it's got what looks to be a folly on it. I parked up thinking they'd be a very obvious footpath on to the head. Which there wasn't. I walked about a mile in one direction, then the same in the other to no avail but did experience the ambience of a couple of South Cumbrian rural villages and discover that I had mistakenly referenced the end of a cross-bay walk as Grange whereas in fact it was Kents Bank (discovered by ending up at Kents Bank train station). A pleasant chunk of time was spent reclining against a bank with the bay spreading out before me, then back to "my side of the bay".
Another rather marvellous development recently has been a new-found ability to read. Not that I was incapable of reading, but that I never seemed to find the time or desire to sit down and digest one of the many brilliant books I have waiting me at the moment. I seem to have cracked both the time and desire elements for now and although progress is slow, it is being made and in so doing I feel I'm nourishing an intellectual interest I have been neglecting for too many years. Huzzah.
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