offtheedgegardening

Back To It

After a month long sabbatical, today I returned to work. I call it a sabbatical because it sounds grown up and important and as if I am doing something worthy with my time. Researching the lesser spotted snoddlegrass perhaps or volunteering in the Home for Grumpy Old Men or maybe knitting hats for bald eagles. Continue reading “Back To It”

GMBG – February – The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry

Welcome to February’s GMBG, my monthly book:earthling dating agency. My attempt at a good match this month is The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry and Grev. I have known Grev since I was a teenager, although in truth I don’t know him at all. I have seen him perhaps twice in the lastContinue reading “GMBG – February – The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry”

Six on Saturday – The Right Direction

February has arrived; the month of love, the last hurrah of winter, a time of increasing optimism. In theory anyway. The shortest of month of the year can sometimes seem the longest, plodding through to March which itself can be slow to reveal spring. However, there are definite advances in the garden, subtle often, butContinue reading “Six on Saturday – The Right Direction”

Catkins

Catkins; hard to better on a bright winter’s morning. Unlike today which was mizzle from dawn to dusk. But it is enough to remember the good times.

Ready

I’ve been waiting for today. It didn’t specifically have to be Wednesday 29 January 2020, just any day when in the Venn diagram of my life Willing Spirit and Blue Sky overlapped. Today I have been sitting on the bench outside the back door, perched on my inflatable kneeling pad, coffee at my side, cleaningContinue reading “Ready”

Blue

Bideford Long Bridge in the morning sun. All is calm. A moment earlier I had been passed by an excitable crocodile of fluoresence as a stream of school kids walked past. I heard one of them say, as they pointed to one of the moored boats, rusted and land-bound and in the process of slowContinue reading “Blue”

Ice Road Trucker

Don’t be my friend, it is dangerous. I just can’t help but share. This morning my phone rang, it was Hero. Laughing. What a nice surprise. Although perhaps a little disturbing. “I thought I’d ring and give you a giggle”, “OK” I said, never one to turn down the opportunity for a chortle, “I’m stuck”,Continue reading “Ice Road Trucker”

Six on Saturday – Return of the Sun

I am happy to report that this Six on Saturday is written with the sun in my heart and, more importantly, in my garden. Yesterday, when I took these photographs, it was doing the usual, no need to dwell on that nonsense, that is the past. Let us raise a cup of tea to theContinue reading “Six on Saturday – Return of the Sun”

GMBG – January – Lanny by Max Porter and Betsy Bee

Welcome to the inaugural Great Monthly Book Giveaway post, known forthwith as GMBG. This month the lovely and lucky couple are Lanny by Max Porter and Betsy Bee. The above photo is of my book. Betsy’s edition has a beautiful copper leaf on the front. It made me a little bit jealous. I suppose IContinue reading “GMBG – January – Lanny by Max Porter and Betsy Bee”

Introducing The Great Monthly Book Giveaway

I have been feeling singularly uninspired. Blame it on the time of the year, blame it on the weather, blame it on the state of the universe, blame it on the boogie. It just is. I am struggling to find my factory setting “annoyingly upbeat” persona. Then a book arrived, delivered by our very ownContinue reading “Introducing The Great Monthly Book Giveaway”