A rather normal day of working in the garden
Categories for Gardening
Down
Fire
Last night the greenhouse of the Peace Garden burned down.
Someone on facebook told me about it on one of my latest posts about the garden. This morning, around half past nine, i walked up there to check. My first reaction was actually relieve. I had imagined the whole garden burned down. Luckily it was only the greenhouse. Then my reaction was sadness. And then anger. And then sadness once more.
I walked back home to get my iPhone. I did call the two maintainers then and told them both in their voice mail. Then i told the whole group in our whatsapp group. After a few initial reactions i walked back to make some photos to post in the whatsapp group. (I don’t have internet on my iPhone. I can only connect back home with my wifi.) Back home once more there were many reactions in the group. And even more after i posted the photos.
I made some tea and went back with it.
I could see the center of the fire was towards the back of the greenhouse. At the back stood the water tanks, which were melted. The inside of the greenhouse was burned and cracked, the plastic molten away, the iron fences bent and deformed.
Soon other people came by, Jorinde and Andreas. We were all shocked. But also thinking about what might have caused this, what to do next, what sort of greenhouse to make next, what of the chicken run, what of the seedlings we should be sowing again in the next two weeks. Questions tumbling over each other.
John, our homeless person residing in the greenhouse came along. He told us it was another group of people who had done this, while he was away to work. Jealousy.
Murray, Daniel and Julien came along. We cleaned up a little bit.
Then Daniel treated us all to coffee and chocolate milk. And we talked a bit more, sitting on the benches outside the garden.
A week and a half ago i talked with Julien about my desire for someone special in my life. But i also said i didn’t want to date. Dating reminds me of bringing only the best parts of me. There is simply no way i will ever go in Tinder or some dating website and try to find someone there. It was hard to talk about this, to explain this feeling i had. I did say i was feeling happy. Really. Even though my money situation is extremely tight right now. I don’t worry about it. I’m not sure why. I know i should, really. I know a few years back i would be worried sick. But i am not worried right now. I trust myself, in who i am, in my work – this website. I know things could go wrong, but i feel they won’t. I don’t understand this, but this is a very strong feeling.
To me, this world we live in, the state of it, the way people live here in Western Europe, in Asia, in Africa, in the Middle East, in America. It just isn’t enough for me. There are so many people scared, worried sick, afraid for their lives. And here in the Netherlands people worry about the money they make. The money they set aside for their pension. The money they pay for their health insurance. The money they pay for their other insurances. The money they pay for their internet, and television, and phones.
Fucking hell.
I don’t want to live like this.
No
Way
Only now i slowly begin to realize how upset i am. How angry. Livid. Furious.
AAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH
So yes, i would love to fall in love. Have a boyfriend. Someone to talk with, sleep with, kiss with, have sex with. Of course. A friend. A true friend. Of course. But he is not around. And i’m not going to let that stop me from living my life. Fight for what i believe is right. Hell no.
OK Ellen
…. breath ….
…. relax ….
…. 🙂 ….
—- Adrenaline was streaming through my body. Bit more average now. Better! —-
The plan is to work tomorrow, Thursday, to get the greenhouse cleared, the ground around it cleared.
And me, i am writing this post Fire now. After i read a bit more in my Gilbert & George books. I will make a post dedicated to them soon. I leave you with one of their works from 1984, Death Hope Life Fear. I do want to get my head clear about their work before though. So yes, reading, learning.
One of their largest and most ambitious pictures, the quadripartite DEATH HOPE LIFE FEAR tackles the central themes of human existence. Its powerful compositions and luminescent colours make this one of the high points of Gilbert & George’s art of the 1980s.
Together, DEATH and LIFE suggest an ongoing cycle of mortality and re-birth, with the figures of the artists simultaneously rising and falling, growing and shrinking. In DEATH, they are embraced by the petals of a rose and a daisy, while in LIFE giant leaves behind their shoulders resemble the wings of angels. In FEAR, the figures of young men are isolated from each other, dispersed at different levels. HOPE, by contrast, presents an image of unity and strength, with the youths arranged into definite groups in front of a landscape reminiscent of the white cliffs of Dover.
Seeding
My balcony before. An old wooden tray all curling up from the rain. Old plants in one of the rectangular planters on the railing. I'll get those out this week.
I cleaned up my balcony. The whole one square meter of it! First i wiped the whole area with a brush. Then i used water to scrub it clean.
I did some repotting and seeding. I started with my old laurel plant. I have it for around three or four years. I never repotted it before. So i am hoping the new, larger pot will give it a boost and new growth this year. In the earthenware pot i seeded catmint. I had already seeded it in the Peace Garden, but i'm pretty sure my cat Muis will love some catmint too. In the plastic pot i seeded rosemary.
In this planter i seeded basil. Lots of it.
Done. Apart from the fact my door couldn't close, so i moved some pots to the railing. Looks much better! Still to do: get more compost. Then seed a pot with rocket, a pot with thyme and a planter with coriander.
A sunny Sunday’s walk
Today it was the Open Day at the Gandhi Garden. First i went to the Groene Passage Festival Market. I took home some self made compost from the Spirit restaurant. Also some magazine’s from the ecological Velt collective.
After that i walked past my home and put on a warmer coat. On to the Gandhi Garden next.
It was busy! The Maja Fietsclub performed. The first time i saw them perform, I liked it. Wijnand and Andreas, who both work in the Peace Garden, are the singer and the drummer.
Walking back through De Savornin Lohmanlaan. There is a vegetable garden there. I found it!
Half past five i was home. The sun still shining. One hour later than a week ago. Yay!
Published on March 27, 2017 at 6:00 by Ellen
Spring buds
Rain
Rain.
This morning, Sunday morning, it looked really nice. A bit of blue sky, sunshine. But when i was ready to walk out to the door on my way to the garden, rain, rain, rain. And it didn’t stop. The whole afternoon, rain.
I didn’t mind too much. I had my raining bike cape with me, which kept the top part of me dry enough. I spend half the afternoon walking around the garden and the grass and mud outside it to clear it of the plastic bottles, packages, cigarette buts, metal drinking containers and laughing gas capsules lying around.
Grumble.
After that i seeded two big containers and three smaller ones with catmint. Cats love this plant. I also read that rats and mice don’t like this, which is a good thing for us. Last year the rats ate our corn, most of the tomatoes, parsnips and beetroot. So we are looking for a friendly way to keep them from our grounds. I will plant the seedlings around the garden and the greenhouse. Maybe a few will be planted in between the tomatoes. Let’s see how this works out.
I am tired now. Tonight i will watch another movie. Last night i watched Manchester by the Sea (2016). It was an okay movie to watch. I did enjoy the acting of Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams. And some smaller parts were very well performed as well. Not my favourite sort of movie, i admit.
Tonight, hmm… Blade Runner? Star Wars – Return of the Jedi? Inside Out? Ooh.. Westworld the movie from 1973? That does sound tempting.
First i’m make myself something to eat. I’m hungry!
Bye bye 🙂
PS. I watched Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. Loved it!
Crocuses
Sunday afternoon
This Sunday afternoon i worked in the garden. I helped clearing out the round square in front of the garden and the sides. So many plastic wraps are thrown to this side. I know, i didn’t used to be so into this myself when i was younger. I smoked and i am sure i threw away cigarettes. But still, i was careful my whole life.
Last week when i walked past the bridge center down the street i talked with the two people standing out there and smoking. I pointed at the twenty or thrity cigarette points lying on the street. Why is there no ashtray standing outside. Someone will clear it up, one of them said. A way to move aside responsibility to someone else. Not good enough.
Such a little thing. So many little things all together.
I hope you have a nice week. Do good things! Believe in yourself!
Hmm, am i saying this to myself? Or to you? Not sure to be honest. Doesn’t really matter.
In the garden
Working in the garden is a welcome addition to my life. I started working there April last year and met many new people there. Most, if not all, with the same attitude towards living in this world as me. Not buying too much. Eating as good as possible. Not too much meat. Reading the news with a critical eye. Enjoying life as much as possible!
I want to thank everyone working in or visiting the garden. The people i wave to when they walk by and i catch their eyes. I have no idea for how much longer i will work there, but this past year was a good learning experience for me and an excellent time with the garden itself and the other people working there.
Salute!
Some more photos i made over the last weeks. I did publish a few on facebook. I also want to show them here.
