Design your dream garden

A rippa article for Pip Magazine, a Radical Postcard Club exclusive sneak peek (!), a new frosty vlog, and a mending workshop announcement.

There’s a wonderful opportunity to take a breath after moving house, to dream and create a vision for your future at your new place. Dreaming and designing takes time, so while you’re contemplating, you can immerse yourself into your new place by observing and interacting - the first of 12 permaculture principles.

I poured what I’ve learned from moving to a new house in a beefy, action-packed article for Pip magazine, you can read it here if you like.

It’s a deep dive into how to obverse the patterns of your site, how to assess your own needs and resources, how to implement small and slow solutions, and how to start designing the oasis of your dreams.

Keeping your design loose and in pencil is the best way to create a responsive design. Over time, you might discover new things about your site, or about your own needs and wants. With an open mind and an eraser in your hand, your design can easily respond to change.

Having a garden helper may or may not make the process more efficient. ;)

Update from da club

So the Radical Postcard Club is going super well on Patreon! I blew past my initial goal of 20 patrons in the first week. Amazing!

ICYMI, here’s my last newsletter all about it:

📣 Big news: Welcome to the Radical Postcard Club

I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has jumped on board to become a founding member, and for those who have supported the project on the socials. It’s all making a big difference.

A little club-house-keeping for anyone on the brink of subscribing: the cut-off day for the August postcards (see them here) is lunchtime on Thursday this week, the 15th of August. After that, the cut-off for the September postcard (see a sneak peek below… omg!) is the 1st of September.

So in essence, if you sign up now-ish you’ll get two postcards in quick succession, which is pretty great, because after that we’ll be on a roll with sending out the postcards once a month.

Here’s a sneaky peek at one of September’s postcards, which is all about abundance, you’re the first to see it.

I can’t tell you how exciting this month has been launching this project. I’ve been having all sorts of amazing conversations about it and making all manner of fun content to support it.

Here’s a collage-y, stop-motion-y video I made to give folks a taster of what it’s all about:

Vlogging escapades continue

July was so frosty here, which was great for rugging up for dog walks, and staying cosy in the studio. We awakened winter with a Wassail and went to see art. We also made a start on our orchard/food forest - which is incredibly exciting. I’m already dreaming about the literal fruits of our labour.

In the flurry of launching the Radical Postcard Club, I managed to remember to film some things for my July vlog, and to put some film-making learnings into practice.

I think the audio is a bit better this time, and I decided to break it up into chapters to help it flow as well.

Here it is, if you fancy a watch:

IRL Mending Workshop

If you’re in my hood in October you could come along to a mending workshop I’m teaching. You’ll learn how to weave mend - it’s a bit like darning. You can use this method to mend holes in socks, jumpers, beanies, and even non-knitted things like polar fleece or jeans.

It’s hosted by Clarence Council here in lutruwita/Tasmania, and you can find the event details here.

Common Ground

Lastly, my dear and wise friend Jo is running her online non-violent communication course again soon - it’s called Common Ground.

I did it, it was brilliant, and I highly recommend it.

Find all the details here.

Here are some words about it:

Jo Scott of *Make Do Co*. is offering her communication course in October this year. It's an 8-week online course that teaches you a rich and expansive way of communicating that values empathy, connection and peace-making. It's THE conscious communication technique for anyone who values their relationships; leading with empathy and living with authenticity.

Learn more about the course here.

A frame from my stop-motion video (above). I mean… look how deeply that guy is listening to that woman. That’s how to pay attention, hey?

Over and out

One day I’ll get back to writing a whole newsletter on one deep topic, but for now, there are too many exciting things to tell you about.

I hope you are starting to feel spring (or autumn) in the air where you are.

Until next time,