My escape is my garden and my greenhouse is my sanctuary.
I love collecting the home made compost from the back of the garden,
then sifting it so I can fill pots.
Then, the wonderment of pricking out of the seedlings and pot up ready to grow on.
The pleasure of making seed blocks with the block maker,
totally plastic free, I bought this one a few years ago and love that I can,
as an adult, still make mud pies!
Pop a seed in each little depression,
sprinkle soil on to cover the hole and....
voila - little magical things grow.
I love that our cats share the space too - finding sun spots
and melting into warm and furry puddles.
Today, during a break, overhead I thought I saw swifts, cue a happy dance,
bit later we decided we may have actually seen house martins,
either way - it was a precious moment of joy.
I try to utilise as much space in my greenhouse, sort of running a combination of a squarefoot system and forest gardening,
a three layered growing layout.
My floor level is in the centre of my greenhouse and along one side,
where I will plant directly into the soil - this is the squarefoot section.
The midlayer are large pots filled with homemade compost,
and the top storey are the hanging baskets.
Kneeling down, close to the soil, hand picking out the weeds, as a solitary-ish pastime
is quite liberating. It frees my mind to wander and think,
or not,
it allows me to breathe in the scent of the earth,
it allows me to hear the birds who seem to be in fine song at the moment,
it allows me to watch the small mini-beasts
that occupy the compost in the trenches.
And, you will have to humour me here, I love the way my gloves, the watering cans and soil sifters hang above the waiting beds .... sigh .... (a happy sigh)
For the last couple of nights and again tonight, I have been in and 'tucked up' my little emerging shoots beneath newspaper. The frosty nights and early mornings are still quite sharp.
I come out of my happy place a whole lot happier,
how do you cope?
What is your strategy to survive?
what is your coping mechanism?
Do share, it might help others who are struggling - #staysafe #staylocal #staysane #gardening
That has just put me into a happy place. Thankyou.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad, I do feel at peace in here.
DeleteI love your greenhouse!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I do too 😁
DeleteAhh, the warm, furry, sun-soaked puddles . . . Every greenhouse should have one or two 💚🐾💕
ReplyDeleteCoping? One day at a time. Advice given to me recently by a dear and valued friend, who is absolutely right. Normally we are all always planning - what will we do next week, at the weekend, when the weather allows? Now our options are simple: we are not going anywhere. The weather is being worryingly helpful (it cannot last), so I am in the garden every day working my way through all the jobs which usually there is not “time” for. I plan no further than ‘can I wear yesterday’s gardening trousers or do I need a clean pair’?
I suppose my mechanism is to get tired and covered in soil! It is immersive and calming, there is time for the brain to breathe out.
I am enjoying the freedom of not having to plan, allowing each day to flow naturally xx
DeleteI love this post. I can almost hear the birds chirruping. I can see just why you like having your gloves and cans hung up - order, convenience, making perfect use of the space, everything that you need and nothing more. My strategy is to take the dog for long walks, through the fields (of the neighbouring farmers kind enough to let me walk over their land), up on to the hill where I marvel at the silence, and into forgotten patches of woodland where the bluebells are just beginning. Sanity, solitude, freedom, joy.
ReplyDeleteThank you and yes walking is my other release, I often refer it to being my meditation xx
DeleteYour green house is lovely and tidy - think I'd better have a sort out before I take photos! My cucumber and tomato plants have been covered with a bit of fleece for a few night- frosts in April are not fun.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing lovelier than a cat in the sun
I agree that these frosts are a bit sneaky, and i love the smell of a sun warmed cat x
DeleteLovely post & seeing your greenhouse brings a smile to my face. Thank you. Take care, stay safe and huggles.
ReplyDelete😊thank you
DeleteLovely post, full of positive actions. Warm, furry things are a must! How do I cope? Carry on regardless, keep busy and don't watch the news on the hour, every hour. What will be, will be. Taking each day as it comes and be thankful for the good bits of that day; one can always find good bits!
ReplyDeletex
I definitely agree with you regarding being overwhelmed by the media. Stay safe xxx
ReplyDeleteThat is one very good greenhouse!
ReplyDeleteContact with the earth grounds us
Baking, stroking the cat, cleaning and tidying my home, hand stitching, reading, seeing/learning new things. Have discovered that I still don't really enjoy cooking and absolutely abhor gardening even though I love being in nature. Different strokes for different folks! Arilx
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful greenhouse you have. Thank you for this lovely post, a haven of peace and calm. Like others here I am taking the days one at a time, not thinking ahead too much. My days are full of projects, being with family, time alone, regular walks and hanging out in our hammock in the garden.
ReplyDeleteI've just shown DH your post, he's a have fun in the greenhouse chap. He's not happy at present, next doors cat decided the tomato seedlings would make a nice bed when he left the door open .... oops!
ReplyDelete