Helen Siddall-Butchers

I live in a wine growing valley in Spain, and here the farmers prune hard, and the dormant plants all look like spooky hands emerging from the ground in rows.

I was going to follow them, but then I read Restoration Agriculture, with the grapevine story, and decided no prune is my way.  

My grapes are climbing fences, pergolas and obelisks, and only get pruned if there are branches or twigs obstructing my path.

Great thread, a timely reminder for me!  

I've just found my 'lost' pruning saw, and the blade has rusted (*hangs head in shame*)... can I bring it back to life?  All tips gratefully received!

I'm already feeling inspired!  Tha k you for the great stories and tips!

I live in an area where bike tourism is huge (Costa Blanca North, Spain) and we have national cycling teams train here all through Spring.  

I haven't been on a bike for years.  I would like to get one but I'm scared!  The roads are not set up for bikes (often narrow, twisting mountain roads and there are multiple accidents or near misses through the main biking seasons.  

I tend to walk to our local village, but a bike would allow me to carry out trips further afield without the guilt of using my small van.

Perhaps I just need to do plenty of research on riding techniques, safety gear and quiet routes and just go for it.

Encouragement please!

What a lovely thread!  I'm grateful for today's email pointing me to it!

I've had an hour long conversation with my beautiful daughter this morning, and have my son coming to visit on Thursday for a week, and am eternally grateful for the adult humans they have become/are becoming.

Whilst I was talking to my daughter, I was in the warm sunshine, in a corner of my food forest, and had so much joy at sharing this beautiful space with nature.

Today I feel grateful for this abundant and contented life I have, and for finding this awesome, like-minded community!

Thank you Christopher, you're right.  Knowing the context is important, and, of course, the principle of observation, which will alert you to possible issues with poisons etc.

We have snakes here and there seems to be a good balance of wildlife.  Sometimes more of one thing, but then more predators arrive and redress the balance.  Carla, I wonder what would happen if you left the rats instead of removing them?  In my experience, what needs to come will come if I let nature do its thing!  The snakes will be observing, I'm sure, to see if the rodent supply is secure before moving in permanently.  

Hi Deane,

That was absolutely why I posted... this already feels easier knowing that there are very many of us permies, facing the same challenges and still keeping going.  I don't feel so alone.  Thank you for your thoughts and hope!

Peace

Hey Benjamin,

Thank you for that, I really hope it will be our turn soon!  That was a lovely mental image to keep hold of, with the landscape responding to being given water.  I'll hold onto that!

Buena suerte!

Helen

Thank you!!!

That does help!

I'm currently digging deep to find where my resilience is hiding...  that's why this community is awesome, sometimes we need reminding that how it is today, is only a snapshot.  Tomorrow will be different.

I hope you have an abundant day!

Helen