censored slug wars

I’d planned to come here tonight and tell you about the endless battles with slugs in my garden, but the photographs of their misdemeanours won’t upload from my computer, so we’ll have to talk about more cheerful things instead.

(In brief, the slugs ate more than their fair share, refused to be deterred by copper, and I have therefore resorted to organic slug pellets. Fingers crossed).

In more cheerful news, the alternating rain and sunshine here means everywhere is lush and green, and I’ve been having great fun outside (while occasionally dashing inside to avoid being drenched).

On Friday a friend and I went to Hathersage outdoor swimming pool. We swam and watched the birds and the hills, and it really felt like summer. Until we got out of the (heated) pool, when it didn’t feel summery At All and we had to move hastily to a cafe for tea and cake.

Our community garden is looking good, and on Sunday we hosted a shared meal. All the regulars were there, and we welcomed a family who will soon be moving here from Spain. It was great to meet them – it turns out they are both doing the permaculture diploma too, and are much further along than me, so I will no doubt be bending their ears after they’ve had time to settle in.

On Saturday it rained and rained, and I went to visit my diploma tutor for the first time. We talked about what I needed to do, and how often we’d meet, and chatted about our history and plans. As part of the diploma you have to produce a portfolio of ten designs, and it was really useful to look through her portfolio and see the kinds of things she included.

I’m not sure how much to share here about the diploma and my journey through it. Part of me feels it needs its own space, something devoted solely to that. But the other part of me knows this is where I write about everyday life, this is where I share pictures of what I’ve done, and to separate one thing would feel artificial. So for now I’ll write things here, and see how it feels.

The only other photograph the computer would let me upload today was this one, of some chickens at a local community farm.

I volunteered here a couple of years ago, and often contemplated joining, but always shied away from the responsibility of regular work days and feeding times. I still don’t think I’m ready for that yet, but I want chickens in my life soon and, without moving house, this is the best way I can see to have them.

We’ll see…