A Little Then and Now

We have been looking after this little piece of land for quite some time now.

I likened life and work here -on the Home page- as a Patchwork Quilt. I can't think of a better way of putting it. Over time here's been a little bit added here a little bit taken away there. Some things worked from the start, others were rather less useful and threw the whole balance out. There are some things that - although not always in the best place have stayed put- despite an inclination towards an ever changing landscape and nothing being totally permanent.  So, let's just settle on the patchwork Quilt of life in this garden as being in the style of a Crazy Quilt.

With many years of the garden being the primary occupation, Seasons of sowing, growing, harvesting and marketing are now in the past. The garden is no longer pushed, cajoled, or persuaded into being anything other than what it wants to be. In other words 'we've gone Native'. It's wonderful to see what turns up when things are left to themselves. I'm sure that the half of what's growing wasn't planted by me. I can't say it's all 'no work gardening', there are still paths that need mowing and a few decorative features that require a bit of attendance now and again. The tunnels are still in use with an army of Tea Bushes taking over most of the space. Some bits of the tapestry remain as before.

There is still amazing amounts of delight and enchantment gained from living in the garden and even though the original designs are no longer needed the new work takes breath and life from what came before.

The NEW Work ; seems not to have much connection to the garden in and of itself. Although I can still see the sky and clouds in the day and the stars at night. There are the changes of light and it's where I go to sleep at night and wake in the mornings. The garden is where my home is and my home is where my work room and work bench are. So, although I don't take reference on canvas of the garden -at the moment- it's still there as I build pictures of the hills and countryside that surround us. We sit the four of us quietly in the Landscape as we live, build and grow. There is always an new adventure to be found in the garden.