Monday 21 January 2013

Emma's country garden

(No Impact Girl is on holiday this week so my dear friend and fellow blogger Emma Gardiner, of SheGoes fame, is guest posting. Over to you, Em...)

Ms Gardiner in her garden
When I moved back to the country a few months ago, I had dreams of becoming a rosy-cheeked Italian nonna dispensing zucchinis to the neighbours and pickling anything that didn't bark. 

I haven’t quite reached that state of wholesome nirvana but I am well on my way. Country life is equal parts sun-soaked bliss and chicken poo management. Thinking of moving to the bush? Here are Five Things I Love About Living in the Country:

1. Home-grown veggies - in Tamworth, everyone calls Bunnings the $100 shop (as opposed to the $1 shop). For the first couple of months, I frequented the gardening section and spent frivolously on things like fig and mulberry trees, French climbing roses, veggies and perennials galore. But it's paid off: I can now wander into the backyard every morning to eat snowpeas, cherry tomatoes and beans I grew myself.

Which came first?
2. Chickens I have six, Isa Brown comedy chickens to be precise. Watching them run makes me giggle. Chasing them around the house during their cat-biscuit raids is hilarious. Plus, they lay about five eggs a day. Omelette, anyone?

3. Stars - you can see them in their 100s and 1000s. The nights here are much darker, quieter and gentler than in the city. People and animals sleep. There is very little traffic. Standing outside and looking up is a simple form of meditation.

4. Solitude I spend much more time alone. In Sydney, I felt like I had to run inside, shut the door and turn off my phone to be by myself. Here, solitude is everywhere. I live alone and have few friends, and the atmosphere feels still, as opposed to buzzing with a million noises, movements and radio waves.

5. Making things - because I don’t have to spend time commuting (I live across the road from my office) and my work hours are very reasonable, I have energy and inspiration and time to make things. I made a giant pom-pom, just for fun. I bake cakes and create mosaics. I am sewing a cloak for no reason other than that I can. I may not be practical but this is an entirely neglected form of fun that I missed out on in the big smoke.

(You can read more of Emma's lifestyle and travel blogs at SheGoes.)

7 comments:

  1. well done Emma - thanks for the report No Impact girl.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Bev, makes you want to live in the country doesn't it? (Well, almost.) Emma says thanks a bunch too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Emma (and Louise!), Lovely post Emma. Glad you are enjoying living in the country! Only one thing, how do you manage to get plants from Bunnings to produce any fruit?! No plant that I've bought from Bunnings has ever actually produced any fruit - not quite sure why that might be? Plants that I've bought from farmers markets and small nurseries, on the other hand, are thriving. I think we have the best of both worlds here in Canberra, the 'bush capital', where my garden is flourishing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Christine - Em here!
    I have had pretty good luck with Bunnings stuff but I also use Diggers Club seeds and also random organic farmer's market seeds that one of my mates sprouts for me(he has seriously green fingers!). One thing I did learn this year is to avoid planting zucchinis and cucumbers together. Something goes wrong with the pollination.
    Are you doing Human Brochure? I will be down your way this weekend! Maybe I will see you? x

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks Em and Christine - glad No Impact Girl can be a forum for farm talk :) I'm best at growing weeds (that's not very No Impact, I know). Good luck with your gardens!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I’d like to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in writing this blog.I’m hoping to view the same high-grade content by you later on as well.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Country garden is always good, and Emma's garden is awesome. I wish I could have a garden like you. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete