tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6727440096084408402024-03-13T16:44:35.386-07:00The Green Lady The Green Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15362433965607180929noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672744009608440840.post-43776981366146895362015-07-03T03:02:00.003-07:002015-07-03T03:25:58.033-07:00Dumfries and Galloway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoBYF_AMbrufryr1Skh5VhL8Qq8TBPiQeZ_eshJC6xHkdKnxuFoB-l6Uf34crk8MrtDNnNu2D0OruWDHWkkLPC9zKlkKGzwydEtlu0dQgYlnvGj51FZbXHh_LLaiuqfDPZOCl9wNYXS4/s1600/kippford_green_man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoBYF_AMbrufryr1Skh5VhL8Qq8TBPiQeZ_eshJC6xHkdKnxuFoB-l6Uf34crk8MrtDNnNu2D0OruWDHWkkLPC9zKlkKGzwydEtlu0dQgYlnvGj51FZbXHh_LLaiuqfDPZOCl9wNYXS4/s400/kippford_green_man.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My husband made a face on the beach. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Then I saw a face in the sky.</div>
The Green Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15362433965607180929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672744009608440840.post-9982867110430129312015-06-20T06:13:00.000-07:002015-06-20T16:17:10.362-07:00Great Food Festival and Gala<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCS_FSFxnG0WNqqH2zKIWAlM5o3plCjQRMg_BgY9AbCmr5b8LljnYo8ymD6g3QYQ7TzE5WKk1I9HmFmlFGvxUWu0fAEt9DTz_NBhAIKcRX-CbPk3uKmb-7za0RnKlRTFHyG7_eTF9ShA/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCS_FSFxnG0WNqqH2zKIWAlM5o3plCjQRMg_BgY9AbCmr5b8LljnYo8ymD6g3QYQ7TzE5WKk1I9HmFmlFGvxUWu0fAEt9DTz_NBhAIKcRX-CbPk3uKmb-7za0RnKlRTFHyG7_eTF9ShA/s400/01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Space to explore</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Becky Blanco, Steve Blanco and Emily Cutts</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Little House of La performing</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Participating with and watching the performance</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Little House of La</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHmFdSsLE7uPkHE9lDInz42lA645ubuyllaTgphF4sWMRh7MvHjfc94IA0ZTWNJdpNl1l8RSrR91ZLL6ZkQEL1jEJBoyJmLv5pq-t1ii_t_HXN7TM6Zj0iwfvX_Ra223KnR6jt9mBN7I/s1600/06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHmFdSsLE7uPkHE9lDInz42lA645ubuyllaTgphF4sWMRh7MvHjfc94IA0ZTWNJdpNl1l8RSrR91ZLL6ZkQEL1jEJBoyJmLv5pq-t1ii_t_HXN7TM6Zj0iwfvX_Ra223KnR6jt9mBN7I/s400/06.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jessica Gladys Wolfson performs with The Little House of La and the audience become apes. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIaqX-qQELx2C75fUgPYqO3RXdtivnYS5BgC4QspQBRSvM9gFT8scnphUFtwrqvfHd3QwqKvO8Vet-DkVipyFn6JmV75mVrJD8-_KWfDVjk1RLwrhfswbslNz0-DvNq4eBO4OVqC-rnaU/s1600/07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIaqX-qQELx2C75fUgPYqO3RXdtivnYS5BgC4QspQBRSvM9gFT8scnphUFtwrqvfHd3QwqKvO8Vet-DkVipyFn6JmV75mVrJD8-_KWfDVjk1RLwrhfswbslNz0-DvNq4eBO4OVqC-rnaU/s400/07.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Merlin the hamster. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trees to climb and knitted fruit and veg</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anna Fisk of Knit Wild</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crochet inspired by nature</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shiona McCubbin with her beautiful hand stitched crafts</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Green Party table</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This summer has been a chilly one in Scotland with plenty of rain,
which of course the grass, trees and most of the plants love. I don't
mind showers but the temperature feels far too cold for the end of June!
<br />
<br />
Fortunately, the sun broke through the clouds for
another successful free event at the Children's Wood and Meadow on 7th
June. Visiting for a few hours in the afternoon, I captured a very small
part of a whole day of fun activities; all organised and delivered
by local community volunteers. I arrived just as the annual dog show was
finishing which is very popular with the many people who regularly walk
their dogs on the meadow. McDonald Vets supported this event with
categories such as 'Best Trick for a Biscuit', 'Children's Favourite'
and 'Waggiest Tail'. One little girl even brought her hamster for a walk
who wore a homemade ribbon holster and yarn lead. He seemed quite happy
sniffing about in the grass in the fresh air.<br />
<br />
There
were lots of stalls with local crafts, balloon animals,
home baking, face painting, The Green Party, Maryhill Foodbank, and
more. Knit Wild had their beautiful knitted and crocheted flowers,
leaves, birds, fruit and veg on display with a very friendly knitter
helping the children and others to have a go themselves. Many of these
items can now be found decorating the woods and meadows. There was a
'Grow Your Own' and Composting workshop and a come dressed as your
favourite fruit or veg fancy dress competition!<br />
<br />
A great
hit with the children were the band The Little House of La. They had
the little ones hopping like bunnies, unraveling a paper doll chain and
pretending to be Apemen. The Barrow Band were also lots of fun and were
enjoyed by everyone. <br />
<br />
There was a stall with
information about the Council's plans to build on the meadow, with forms
so that we could give our reasons for wanting the meadow and woods
protected now and for future generations and how we have benefited from
this special space. Recently The Children's Wood Committee have been
working with an architect on a planning application of their own which
would see the area developed further for community based events,
recreation, education and as an organic growing space. In spite of the
Scottish Government's support of outdoor learning it is still woefully
inadequate in many schools, especially inner city ones. Supporters of
the Children's Wood and Meadow have been doing a great job demonstrating the benefits of outdoor education with their regular
classes and events. This involves training and specific knowledge and
skills. It is not the same as letting kids run wild in nature, though of
course that is very much encouraged too.<br />
<br />
I love how
much thought and creativity goes into the Children's Wood and Meadow
themed events and appreciate all the time this takes. They are always
very unique, so much fun and enable everyone to participate in building a
healthy, inclusive, environmentally friendly place to live. <br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_1529217168"><br /></a>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://thechildrenswood.com/" target="_blank">The Children's Wood.</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://northkelvinmeadow.com/" target="_blank">North Kelvin Meadow.</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/knitwild?fref=ts" target="_blank">Knit Wild.</a><br />
<br />
Previous blog posts:<br />
<a href="http://greenladyglasgow.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/the-worm-carnival.html">The Worm Carnival.</a><br />
<a href="http://greenladyglasgow.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/the-dear-green-place.html">The Dear Green Place.</a></div>
The Green Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15362433965607180929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672744009608440840.post-43328438302235537192014-11-29T03:23:00.000-08:002014-11-29T11:04:01.568-08:00'Tis the Season to Get Crafty<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14jUJIdXThuPflpk0ns1uUX-bwUymbfBz2mKPpTedxXWumQVAzrQOXHfZYFK5TZV8zgcS_tDB5aLTvxmsozh9Hf96naUIoluQ_bFTOUV3PhPSeVBZQS7W4xgASFBqY934OgsFgI2xE5w/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14jUJIdXThuPflpk0ns1uUX-bwUymbfBz2mKPpTedxXWumQVAzrQOXHfZYFK5TZV8zgcS_tDB5aLTvxmsozh9Hf96naUIoluQ_bFTOUV3PhPSeVBZQS7W4xgASFBqY934OgsFgI2xE5w/s1600/01.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ronnie's rustic wreath with sparkly red Acer leaves.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Practicing weaving the coloured dogwood stems.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-R4s3r5N1j8z57ce2S6JNZK4Odm81RVY3vKBNKoLID-qEcUp2P38z9rw1hRsliY-BsMHWRknlBLLXG_GgA7P6SZ-ckVPrkG5YDwoxSLwZNYI30Chow6WPyhIJ016O8w0rRbRPTlD2Rc/s1600/03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-R4s3r5N1j8z57ce2S6JNZK4Odm81RVY3vKBNKoLID-qEcUp2P38z9rw1hRsliY-BsMHWRknlBLLXG_GgA7P6SZ-ckVPrkG5YDwoxSLwZNYI30Chow6WPyhIJ016O8w0rRbRPTlD2Rc/s1600/03.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dogwood wreath bases and some Christmas cards made by foot and mouth painters. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trimming the dogwood stems.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHiFM9iKaRt4dOfdBKHZqlZJgkO59mLo58FB8sEbfj8X_gMA9tXycQ_FXxZJMDz10SvXvT_u7_K1Qb5YlhQmdZV2a_CDJDurkPdc87IxAzLR5uj5iGT6usDMRo-W0zFL2rF-HtK39HRY/s1600/06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDHiFM9iKaRt4dOfdBKHZqlZJgkO59mLo58FB8sEbfj8X_gMA9tXycQ_FXxZJMDz10SvXvT_u7_K1Qb5YlhQmdZV2a_CDJDurkPdc87IxAzLR5uj5iGT6usDMRo-W0zFL2rF-HtK39HRY/s1600/06.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preparing materials for making wreaths in our outdoor classroom.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woodlands Community Garden and Jimmy's rustic wreath with dried oregano flowers. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UY53pNys_oCqZswv9_SWOpxdwGX8wLHbLOaVTqD3u8wkUg3Oxq9AcT-ZQbiq4-2a8RFrTHXIfkFW5UV23bkJN5oKk5ZGFep2au5kct0JyPdnmHGI-qt59aJ4dxNaJsk-Mb6hrognbyE/s1600/08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UY53pNys_oCqZswv9_SWOpxdwGX8wLHbLOaVTqD3u8wkUg3Oxq9AcT-ZQbiq4-2a8RFrTHXIfkFW5UV23bkJN5oKk5ZGFep2au5kct0JyPdnmHGI-qt59aJ4dxNaJsk-Mb6hrognbyE/s1600/08.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shaun's variegated and plain ivy rustic wreath. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinekLzjnPqzWBS52ZbetkF17FRTXwjo7Z_716gQbGKBopYrLQOVVJV-xSIJ0JNilChHY7-LUUdhShvBOM-1RZdUgsKlrFf39eEh2gLEd1S_rbYSQ9q7E3DGApBUoHNEFL7xKv03shiR50/s1600/09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinekLzjnPqzWBS52ZbetkF17FRTXwjo7Z_716gQbGKBopYrLQOVVJV-xSIJ0JNilChHY7-LUUdhShvBOM-1RZdUgsKlrFf39eEh2gLEd1S_rbYSQ9q7E3DGApBUoHNEFL7xKv03shiR50/s1600/09.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ronnie proudly showing two of the finished wreaths.</td></tr>
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Bringing evergreens into the home is a very old winter time tradition. The ancient Celts placed evergreen boughs over their doors and windows to ward off evil spirits. The Celtic wood priests, the Druids, used evergreens, holly and mistletoe as symbols of everlasting life during mysterious winter solstice rituals. Ancient people believed that evergreen trees and plants had magical powers that meant they could withstand the cold of winter. Pagans also placed evergreens in their homes but believed that cutting down whole evergreen trees was destructive to nature. The tradition of bringing a fir tree indoors to decorate comes from 16th century Germany. It is said that Martin Luther, A German theologian, was the first person to decorate a tree to celebrate Christmas. One chilly Christmas Eve he was out walking in the woods writing a sermon when he was struck by the beauty of a group of small evergreens sparkling in the snow under the stars. He wanted to share this with his children so he brought one into his home and decorated it with candles which he lit in honour of Christ's birth.<br />
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I love to be outdoors but the shorter, colder days of the winter months mean there is more time to work on craft activities and it's always fun to do with friends or with your children. It is lots of fun wrapping up warm and going on a hunt for natural materials to work with. There are many enjoyable Christmas crafts that cost very little to make that you can give away as presents or keep for yourself. The Common Knowledge Grow 2 group have been learning about rustic wreath making so that they can share what they've learned with their peers. We used willow and dogwood stems for the base of our wreaths because they are very bendy and are really easy to make into a circle.<br />
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Dogwood is often grown for winter colour in the garden because of it's beautiful bright red, burgundy and lime yellow stems. Only the one year old stems have the bright colours so shrubs should be cut a few inches from the ground every year to encourage new growth. They are very tough and hardy and are planted in many public places where they grow into large shrubs. I noticed the council had trimmed back a large patch of dogwood shrubs near my flat a few weeks ago, so all I had to do was collect the cuttings from the ground. Instant, free crafting material thanks to the council!<br />
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We used florist's wire to attach sprigs of evergreens such as holly, ivy and fir. I had already prepared the red Acer leaves by painting one side with some watered down PVA glue with bronze glitter added, leaving them to dry overnight, then doing the same with the other side. Acer is a deciduous tree species whose leaves turn beautiful colours in Autumn before they fall off. They don't last as well as evergreens so the PVA helps to stop them drying out and losing their colour. We cut the dried oregano flowers from a bush in the garden - which is a good reason not to be too hasty with tidying up dried stems! Red raffia and garden twine were used to makes bows and to make a loop at the back for hanging up which adds to the rustic charm.<br />
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Common Knowledge Grows 2 will have a stall at the Southbrae Winter Fayre in Jordanhill G13 1TX on Friday 12th December 10am - 4pm. We will be selling wreaths and other handmade crafts and goods. It looks like a great event: you can watch a video about it <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOG8R4hZgz0&app=desktop" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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Oh and if you are ordering any Christmas gifts on line you can raise money for CKUK or over 55,000 other good causes and it does't cost you a single penny extra when you register with <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><a href="http://easyfundraising.org.uk/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" target="_blank">easyfundraising.org.uk</a> You can shop with over 2,700 well known retailers like Argos, M&S, eBay and Amazon. Whenever you buy something on line the retailer makes a donation to your chosen good cause!The Green Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15362433965607180929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672744009608440840.post-27674545335452802362014-11-22T03:36:00.000-08:002014-11-22T10:21:11.124-08:00My new job with Common Knowledge UK<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR2iTlb-UP0uC0vqolFeobKU4s4-N6RqAC-xDY4banKzyCysf6tGkL45Thhn3aGV1BvMVB9BpkVsWqv72pTwe7wCLpIt3KlXsb0E2tZh3iBNTjQkxBmoufoadYYh3iEvWsaeFzpz5pl3A/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR2iTlb-UP0uC0vqolFeobKU4s4-N6RqAC-xDY4banKzyCysf6tGkL45Thhn3aGV1BvMVB9BpkVsWqv72pTwe7wCLpIt3KlXsb0E2tZh3iBNTjQkxBmoufoadYYh3iEvWsaeFzpz5pl3A/s1600/01.jpg" height="288" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Posters designed by Marilyn Slavin, Director of CKUK.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John and James digging compost.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheSGQv2qdL6_6AF4vsyuGrDD4fWhyphenhyphenusbXwKuOXU5accZRj8OZzU-pFhKbStR8V_AS2361xVJFz5GHVDv0P0AaQ5iiXeEU0aG0mbmBFsp7TVMPE0AX5dyRQ_zdW9sl5M3u-3pjlUZHZdkU/s1600/03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheSGQv2qdL6_6AF4vsyuGrDD4fWhyphenhyphenusbXwKuOXU5accZRj8OZzU-pFhKbStR8V_AS2361xVJFz5GHVDv0P0AaQ5iiXeEU0aG0mbmBFsp7TVMPE0AX5dyRQ_zdW9sl5M3u-3pjlUZHZdkU/s1600/03.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John and I in the Woodlands Community Garden.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVyoYdXbRERGB2AkUZ6gB0zbgSLKy3VhonvtuRXbOzaBOId3z2AdK1YBIhnf7LMY0_VLzfbk7hoIcwWzmBkjwv2I3sMaCUPr4wVfBTkc0tRzkrlHQhB8ELdIjhurnsq90DwYaK2WF-D4c/s1600/04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVyoYdXbRERGB2AkUZ6gB0zbgSLKy3VhonvtuRXbOzaBOId3z2AdK1YBIhnf7LMY0_VLzfbk7hoIcwWzmBkjwv2I3sMaCUPr4wVfBTkc0tRzkrlHQhB8ELdIjhurnsq90DwYaK2WF-D4c/s1600/04.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shaun, John, James, David, Jimmy and Ronnie with the finished bird boxes at Fortune Works Drumchapel.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixWnXk7toZzeSjOL_hHurq2TOUIqsfBN2voFHh7AgeyQ2syxxZYY9l2cIFJFCY2YQ782UBmE6xb8rpGhVSJTRqw4AJNFo2iZIgoO5AIT7n33ywH5EyKDH_iGZmoJrn9AgJph0fikIdoW4/s1600/05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixWnXk7toZzeSjOL_hHurq2TOUIqsfBN2voFHh7AgeyQ2syxxZYY9l2cIFJFCY2YQ782UBmE6xb8rpGhVSJTRqw4AJNFo2iZIgoO5AIT7n33ywH5EyKDH_iGZmoJrn9AgJph0fikIdoW4/s1600/05.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ronnie and James at the Botanic Gardens and James' logo design. </td></tr>
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I love the expression "what's for ye will no go by ye" which I have heard all my life from various family members. It takes the stress out of making plans in life if you believe that if something is meant to be it will happen. I have had the odd experience many times now of having a thought of something I need and then I get it. When I was looking for gardening work in Glasgow I thought I really need some outdoor walking boots if I'm going to do this. A short while later I walked into a charity shop and saw a brand new pair in my size for sale. Before moving back to Glasgow I hoped I would be able to continue working with vulnerable adults doing gardening. When I researched centres where adults with learning difficulties could work they were all outside the city and since I don't drive I was concerned I would find it difficult to get to them.<br />
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Through social networking I found out about some of the community garden projects happening in the city of Glasgow. Once you connect with one it is easy to learn about more. Many of these places have only existed in the past few years. There was nothing like this when I lived in Glasgow seventeen years ago. I was thinking about settling in the Woodlands area and was delighted to discover the Woodlands Community Garden which was created by a group of dedicated people in a gap site between Glasgow's famous tenement buildings. So before we even moved back here I was following their events.<br />
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By summer 2014 we had been settled in our new flat for six months when I saw a job advert for a gardener to support adults with learning difficulties at the Woodlands Community Garden. I couldn't believe it and really hoped I would get the job. I was really glad that Mark and Vashi wanted to meet me at the garden to interview me as I am so much more comfortable outdoors! The organisation is called CKUK which stands for Common Knowledge and was set up by Marilyn Slavin to provide the best quality learning, information and experiences for people with learning difficulties who are at the heart of all the work. Marilyn also set up the first on line social networking site specifically designed for and to be used only by people with learning difficulties. She did it one year before Facebook was set up!<br />
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I am delighted that I have been able to continue my own learning by joining this fantastic organisation as well as bringing skills that I have gained from all the projects I was involved with in England. The job has many aspects to it. As well as the practical sessions we do in the garden and other locations, we have group discussions to plan activities, we go on day trips, give presentations, practice garden crafts, plan events such as a stall at a Christmas Fayre and document the experiences with photos and stories. Everyone in the group can take part in all of these activities.<br />
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My experience of depression has meant that for long periods of time in my life I have been unable to take part in many life experiences most people take for granted. It has taken a lot of work for me to make the changes I needed to make and to learn the skills I need to be the best that I can be. There is always room for improvement. While I can't know what is like to be another person I can use the experiences in my life to try and understand another person.<br />
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What I find the most interesting about the model that Marilyn has set up is that when we have a variety of experiences with another person we can get to know them so much better. I now know that James is very skilled artistically, David is good at delivering a presentation, Ronnie is good at focussing on a task and seeing it through to the end, Jimmy is good at working on his own initiative and helping others, John loves pruning, Shaun likes coming up with new ideas, Andy takes some great photos. They all care very much for each other and demonstrate this all the time. Everyone has the opportunity to thrive.<br />
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I really enjoy my time with the Common Knowledge Garden Group. It's a job that distracts me from life's worries, is challenging and makes me feel useful and creative. When we work respectfully and compassionately with others we add to our abilities.<br />
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<a href="http://www.ckuk.org.uk/" target="_blank">CKUK (Common Knowledge)</a><br />
<a href="http://www.woodlandscommunitygarden.org.uk/" target="_blank">Woodlands Community Garden</a>The Green Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15362433965607180929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672744009608440840.post-64984374610819051872014-06-21T02:49:00.000-07:002014-06-21T02:57:36.829-07:00The Worm Carnival<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What do you do when 95% of the local community surveyed don't want a green space built on but the council have already decided to put new housing there? You start a campaign. That is just what Douglas Peacock did back in 2008. A massive clean up job was started with around 30 volunteers removing over 60 bags of rubbish, broken glass, needles, old sofas etc. It's hard to imagine all these years later because the Children's Wood and Meadow is one of the most stunning wild places to visit in the city of Glasgow. Along with other community created green spaces such as the Woodlands Community Garden it is a place we regularly visit for fun activities and for my son to play, relax and learn about nature.<br />
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We moved back to Glasgow last August and I now get really excited about the West End Festival events that are held here because they are so much fun! Last weekend we cycled to the Worm Carnival. I always make a bee line for the healthy barbecue food, then it's straight to the cake table. I don't eat cakes very often and I don't have time to bake so it's a treat to sample some of the delicious delights created by local children and adults for the baking competition. I've never had rhubarb meringue tart before. It was amazing. James Morton who was the runner up in The Great British Bake Off t.v. show came along to judge the entries: lucky guy!<br />
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We watched award winning Eco Drama Company perform "The Worm - An Underground Adventure" which was very funny. There was an up-cycling bird box activity, face painting and a pop up cafe run by Garrioch Roots. My son and I did a nature hunt together. We had a list of items we had to find around the meadow such as 6 different kinds of leaves. In one overgrown area of long grasses there are some barrel raised beds full of summer herbs, veg and a few weeds. It is the sort of area you don't see in parks because it looks 'messy'. But I couldn't see a single pest anywhere, everything was incredibly healthy and strong. This is an example of a balanced eco system where predator and pest are in equal amounts therefore no harmful chemicals need to be sprayed. The bees and butterflies, whose numbers are reducing at a shocking rate, were loving the large patch of clover. We saw lots of red-tailed bumble bees: Bombus lapidarius along with the better know yellow striped bumble bee: Bombus hortorum. We really enjoyed doing the nature hunt and it meant we had a tour around the whole site and were able to see so many amazing things in each of the different areas as well as stopping to chat to people, "isn't it great how you meet so many people when you come here" said a new friend.<br />
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It can cost a fortune finding entertainment for children and with the ongoing austerity and economic downturn having an affect on us all, this event and the many others you can attend here for free keep families happy with no cost to the council. The local schools are now benefitting by having a space to grow vegetables and take part in outdoor learning activities, which the Scottish Government has been promoting for some time. This has been and continues to be an excellently run campaign; thank you to everyone involved. It is the love and commitment of the local community and everyone who visits that makes the Children's Wood and Meadow a unique and special place in the city. That is worth preserving.<br />
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<a href="http://thechildrenswood.com/the-north-kelvin-meadow-campaign/" target="_blank">Support the North Kelvin Meadow Campaign!</a><br />
<a href="http://urbanpollinators.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">A lovely blog about Urban Pollinators</a>The Green Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15362433965607180929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672744009608440840.post-77486542910531208232014-05-31T22:16:00.001-07:002014-06-16T02:02:48.413-07:00Mushrooms in the Park.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My son spotted a massive crop of mushrooms growing on a felled tree stump in the park. I'm sure they're oyster mushrooms, though I've only every harvested white ones before. One of my mushroom books says there are varieties that aren't good for eating, mainly because they aren't very tasty. In other places I've read that there are no bad mushrooms that can be confused with the oyster mushroom. So I'm not sure. I hope someone who knows more about mushrooms can tell me. Because there are plenty more to harvest! Isn't the spore print beautiful.<br />
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*UPDATE 16th June: I believe they are the bitter oyster mushroom which are inedible but glow in the dark apparently and in traditional Chinese medicine it is used as a styptic to staunch bleeding and is known as a purgative. I have only every eaten foraged mushrooms that I know 100% are edible such as puff balls and ceps and I did harvest and eat oyster mushrooms that were much whiter than this and were delicious. Always worth checking, I'm sure I have thrown out some rare delicacies because I've not been sure but better to be safe. I haven't found any mushroom experts since moving to Glasgow. I always checked my finds in Hastings with a neighbour who is a chef who uses a lot of native foraged wild food in his recipes. I plan to go on a mushroom identification course as there are a few that are run in Glasgow.*The Green Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15362433965607180929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672744009608440840.post-23255269971346599702014-05-25T04:17:00.000-07:002014-06-01T11:37:19.884-07:00Lots to see on the River Kelvin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love doing the school run on bicycle along the River Kelvin. My seven year old can cycle the 2 miles there, plays with friends in the park after school, then cycles two miles home. He's a very energetic child and all this exercise is helping him to be calmer and more focused when he's in class. I love seeing how the plants and trees change throughout the season. In the past few weeks I've come home with occasional bunches of wild garlic to make into omelets or to eat with pasta or noodles. The oniony smell of this plant is strong in the air along the Kelvin at this time of year, though the taste is a lot milder and not overpowering at all. The white star shaped flowers of wild garlic look beautiful dotted amongst the bluebells. I love it because it is like spinach when cooked with a flavour similar to leeks and it has many health benefits. It has high levels of folic acid, an essential B vitamin. It also acts as a prebiotic, encouraging the growth of friendly bacteria. This is vital if you suffer from diabetes, have been on a course of antibiotics or have a weakened immune system. Wild garlic also has mild antibacterial properties to ward off spring coughs and colds. I never thought, that when we moved back to Glasgow, I would be coming back from the school run after a pleasant cycle along the river, reaking of garlic with a spider dangling from my nose. </div>
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There is a group called the Friends of the River Kelvin and you can see some of the amazing wildlife photos that are posted on their Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-of-the-River-Kelvin/170801662158?fref=ts" target="_blank">here</a>. We have seen a fox and her rough and tumble cubs playing on the bank, a cormorant with large bat-like wings held out like a vampire's cape, a dipper bobbing in and out of the water then taking off like a jet, flying close to the surface of the Kelvin. We've seen ducks and goosanders with their ducklings and have enjoyed talking to some of the photographers, hearing how one was standing in the Kelvin nearly up to his waist to get the best shot. I've seen the photos of Kingfishers but we've yet to see one; that will be a special day. I'm looking forward to the Friends of the River Kelvin Summer Gala on Saturday 7th June. There will be live bands, activities, food and craft stalls and even canoe rides down the Kelvin. </div>
The Green Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15362433965607180929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672744009608440840.post-32527021404620742622014-05-07T05:17:00.000-07:002014-06-01T11:36:18.213-07:00The Clarion Glasgow Rides Again<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bike Station who provided bikes and maintenance support. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colleagues.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The whole group together. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVcIuZRwqnpXqu8O8eeyVGRkZurel8oJJAZZiT3JXzvq86xP3L4B9yq9XU_e9PfmqswkSSxK4XSj4_e0C0ZRn8Ovh8pFy0ONdNkguCC9fxPXN75xtv9cI_N2YdJkhTTy25VkpPVSPBQc/s1600/03a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVcIuZRwqnpXqu8O8eeyVGRkZurel8oJJAZZiT3JXzvq86xP3L4B9yq9XU_e9PfmqswkSSxK4XSj4_e0C0ZRn8Ovh8pFy0ONdNkguCC9fxPXN75xtv9cI_N2YdJkhTTy25VkpPVSPBQc/s1600/03a.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The high road to the canal; the low road along the Kelvin. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh air and peace and quiet. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A ride that catered for mixed abilities and experience. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Through the bluebell woods. </td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
For many years we have taken part in the Jack in the Green spring Festival in Hastings on the May Day bank holiday weekend. With links to the Celtic celebration of Beltane it became very popular in the 16th and 17th centuries as the Works Guild tried to outdo each other with more and more elaborate costumes. The tradition of parade goes back to Carnivalesque when the usual rules and hierarchies of society were subverted, turning the world upside down, challenging social structures. As well as releasing the spirit of spring from the cold clutches of winter, the festival, which was revived in Hastings in the 1980s, brings the most unlikely of people together and encourages interaction and free expression while being part of a united group. The town's controversial Tory MP Amber Rudd was seen walking in the parade - she wasn't dressed as a chimney sweep - the original main performers until the Act which stopped boys climbing chimneys was passed - she was dressed in 18th century finery. Many people oppose her low value for money road building scheme that is ruining countryside in Combe Haven Valley as well as causing distress and disruption to residents of Sidley. Her claim that the low value for money road will ease traffic and improve air quality on Bexhill Road has been proven to be inaccurate by the Campaign For Better Transport. They state that new roads lead to more traffic and pollution. At the same time there has been little investment in public transport and cycle paths that were installed through grass roots campaigning have been destroyed by extreme weather and are unusable. When it came to light that the land, which is owned by Trinity College Cambridge, has vastly increased in value since the road build started, the true objectives became clear. Have we as a society got used to the carnivalesque escapism of getting out of our minds then going back to grudgingly accepting poor standards of living? How many in this day and age demonstrate the beliefs of socialism which offered from it's beginning an alternative to a life of drudgery by educating, agitating and organising? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">One of the reasons I decided to leave Hastings and come back to Glasgow
was because I became aware of the huge investment the Scottish Government and
local councils have put into renovating the vast canal system and creating new
opportunities for walking and cycling safely. I want to be able to show my six
year old the benefits of regular outdoor activity and for us all to enjoy this
as a family. We now often cycle two miles to school and back through
Kelvingrove Park. It is a great way to start the day and my son's teacher has
noted he is better at settling and focusing in class. Much of the "bad
behaviour" boys become labeled with is just a need to burn off excess
energy. We were amazed one day cycling home from school to see a fox and her
cubs playing on the bank and a duck with her ducklings. There is no better
celebration of spring than nature itself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">And we have not been deprived of our yearly spring parade. This year I
was honoured to be asked to design the poster for Glasgow's celebration of the
International Worker's Festival. I loved walking and talking in the march with
guest speakers, journalist Owen Jones and Kerry Fleck of the Belfast and
District Trade Union Council. A bit like the Jack in the Green parade but the
green is exchanged for red, it was raining and the marchers filled the O2 Academy
to hear powerful speakers highlight issues that are affecting the workers and
most vulnerable in society; those who have always had to fight for the rights
that we take for granted today. These rights have been won by many years of
Socialist Campaigns and tragically many are being reverted by the Coalition
Government. This was an engagement with the problems of society rather than an
escape from it and all the more empowering for it. Three food banks a week are
opening in the UK, the poor pay a higher tax rate than the rich, by 2015 1.4
million jobs will be lost to the public sector, unpaid and zero-hour work has
risen, an MP claims £37,000 for a second home while the bedroom tax has led to
people committing suicide, bankers (who caused the financial crisis - not the
poor) have had massive pay rises while 70% of nurses had no pay rise at all, a
welfare cap will push as many as 345,000 <i>more</i> children into
poverty. If ever there was a time to face the realities of the way our country
is run it is now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I feel more hopeful now that I am back in Glasgow and have been
surrounded by people who are actively involved in all sorts of grass roots
campaigns (many of which as I previously noted are supported by the Scottish
Government) as well being aware of the strength of and support for the Unions
here who have won campaigns even in the current climate. One of the highlights
for me was going on my first group bike ride with the newly revised Clarion
Cycling Cub, which was organised by the Glasgow Trade Union Council. We came together to have our bikes checked by
the Glasgow Bike Station who were volunteering their services. They also had
bikes for people to borrow who don't have their own. Unlike most cycling clubs
which involve cycling fast on roads, have predominantly male members and
involve lycra and leg shaving (yes men shaving their legs!) this was a mixed
group of women and men with a range of abilities and experiences. So two routes
had been planned: one along the Kelvin and back and another continuing to the
canal path and on towards Kirkintilloch. In the spirit of all the May Day
events there was plenty of humour and we set off with someone joking that we
were splitting up already and not to mention the war (in reference to a German
colleague) as a lone piper marked our leaving with a cheery tune. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Past bluebells and the pungent scent of wild garlic along the river
Kelvin it was not long before we were out in open countryside leaving the
city’s traffic and noise behind. We were able to travel at a good pace on picturesque cycle paths without being near any busy roads. It was
a pleasant and relaxing ride for seven and a half miles until we got to the
Stables pub in Kirkintilloch and were choked by fumes from something being
burned in a nearby field. So much for fresh country air! So we didn’t stay long
and set off back to Glasgow for more May Day festivities. Riders naturally
paired up and chatted along the route. I spoke to a Glasgow City councilor
about vegetable growing; family cycling and the Hastings road protest I was
involved with. The Clarion Cycling Group was set up as a socialist group and we
demonstrated this by all travelling together, waiting for those who had fallen
behind and sharing ideas and beliefs. One of the points Owen Jones regularly
makes in his writing is the necessity for discussion and sharing opinions. This
is how we step out of our personal worldview and embrace diversity. Somehow it
felt effortless while cycling along the canal. I’m looking forward to our next
adventure. I might even shave my legs. </span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Glasgow-Clarion-Cycling-Club/1385312498422701?fref=ts" target="_blank">Find the Glasgow Clarion Cycling Group on Facebook</a></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://thegreenladyhastings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/signs-of-summer.html" target="_blank">My blog post and photos of Hastings Jack in the Green Festival</a></div>
<!--EndFragment-->The Green Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15362433965607180929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672744009608440840.post-55041712556198091542014-03-23T08:18:00.000-07:002014-03-23T09:09:54.117-07:00School Outdoor Learning: Spring. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhXa8vK68D10TMzy8np-WvKXzyyaXJfOb3szE1OCf9S63YYHmixTkk4N6U1B3HFzgai75AHzzaWdJjGQFDq_043SE5JPUpmaCiL1Gnw5Yy7-WrOs1k7vDSMmrYcHUgBb0CnuLyvEI_IQ/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhXa8vK68D10TMzy8np-WvKXzyyaXJfOb3szE1OCf9S63YYHmixTkk4N6U1B3HFzgai75AHzzaWdJjGQFDq_043SE5JPUpmaCiL1Gnw5Yy7-WrOs1k7vDSMmrYcHUgBb0CnuLyvEI_IQ/s1600/01.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Planting alpine plug plants. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccFY1WPUFMzynugROsSVJaLBdOa_eaVEdv6xTej2scrxiFL6IpNmnT5bwtMd787MURsDKT8APhKnpbSUUN8ik3O0brqEMR26qSGyAitj4yqiulD_dNZTPEM4o71gnPqqIXII8itUJc34/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccFY1WPUFMzynugROsSVJaLBdOa_eaVEdv6xTej2scrxiFL6IpNmnT5bwtMd787MURsDKT8APhKnpbSUUN8ik3O0brqEMR26qSGyAitj4yqiulD_dNZTPEM4o71gnPqqIXII8itUJc34/s1600/02.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Upcycled pallet and plastic bottle planter and planting in the wall.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf1n4s0TFvLxuJ6GAXCJ7qVuslE4AKTAZY8qcGte0qY2mBXyh2YtzRLOkX4Rpc0CyXpWrJDYATOst9SY3VtafOg-pl2I-kgtScQk2qKsUr66PiJyJTaYDVLHmXu9Gp8ilSzWe52Nmg3LQ/s1600/03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf1n4s0TFvLxuJ6GAXCJ7qVuslE4AKTAZY8qcGte0qY2mBXyh2YtzRLOkX4Rpc0CyXpWrJDYATOst9SY3VtafOg-pl2I-kgtScQk2qKsUr66PiJyJTaYDVLHmXu9Gp8ilSzWe52Nmg3LQ/s1600/03.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall planted with alpine plug plants. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4EXOsHOjmgOpjTTUVFRuFKD7CAHXvfyAMKNshVavmxtcw8BRjN6ZEwiBLZvtrMhFMzrbMK3dwl98bSn7ezAdAUMjlWg3hbH15Cj6lnoYH21q8iT6ESwPfQBxXMnMtLFYFs-i_5Qfvhog/s1600/04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4EXOsHOjmgOpjTTUVFRuFKD7CAHXvfyAMKNshVavmxtcw8BRjN6ZEwiBLZvtrMhFMzrbMK3dwl98bSn7ezAdAUMjlWg3hbH15Cj6lnoYH21q8iT6ESwPfQBxXMnMtLFYFs-i_5Qfvhog/s1600/04.jpg" height="286" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Using pegs to represent bird's beaks. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7vfjGxSLrhnrbnAk26uCFnPqFyaSmElaOH2O8XtKq_zNjA7M-aHDEevwTt51tzQPTjS_2qng5Q0sGR-E4ATim6ZeTUSANcYWB96um7P5w30JYpiBvunCRdP3olzYGQk37N08HVQzNAbg/s1600/05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7vfjGxSLrhnrbnAk26uCFnPqFyaSmElaOH2O8XtKq_zNjA7M-aHDEevwTt51tzQPTjS_2qng5Q0sGR-E4ATim6ZeTUSANcYWB96um7P5w30JYpiBvunCRdP3olzYGQk37N08HVQzNAbg/s1600/05.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nest building. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgCAnCI2XcF7zQn18J-Grum77tdr2q0KWg1QPqpyE3n3ncjcQRSp0rRYlemvnQDymcnT-8Jt7tVFunFzXwaDjBkB7S7QKGOb659KvuZtm7xT1tDGuD57N_XJEaqTaQoV6o1f8TLrajHxQ/s1600/09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgCAnCI2XcF7zQn18J-Grum77tdr2q0KWg1QPqpyE3n3ncjcQRSp0rRYlemvnQDymcnT-8Jt7tVFunFzXwaDjBkB7S7QKGOb659KvuZtm7xT1tDGuD57N_XJEaqTaQoV6o1f8TLrajHxQ/s1600/09.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Became land art. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making the most of the school grounds. </td></tr>
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I have been volunteering every fortnight for a couple of hours to help Primary Five with outdoor learning at my son's school. Sarah from Woodlands Community Garden is funded by a grant to plan and deliver the activities. The children have created a recycled plastic bottle and pallet planter which they painted a couple of weeks ago. This week they planted some cuttings in it. It stands against a wall that is used for access to one of the playgrounds. The wall being made of rocks held in place with mesh is a perfect spot for planting some alpine plug plants which the children really enjoyed doing. In fact they have been so enthusiastic about all the activities. As well as planting and learning about plants the children made nests. They used wooden clothes pegs to pick up twigs and other materials. The pegs were a clever way of demonstrating how the birds use their beaks. It was lovely to see the children carefully arranging the things they found to create visually pleasing designs. They looked guilty as though they were cheating when they started to use their hands to collect more items such as stones, which were to represent eggs. The collection of different textures and colours of natural materials and the design of the nest became more important to them. So without instruction the children had turned a nest building activity into a land art activity. There are more ideas for making land art with kids by Richard Shilling and Julia Brooklyn <a href="http://landartforkids.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. Outdoor learning provides an opportunity for children to work spontaneously, break the rules and discover new, pleasing results on their own as well as being good for physical and mental health.The Green Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15362433965607180929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672744009608440840.post-7109539588875328522014-03-12T06:26:00.002-07:002014-03-12T06:27:37.642-07:00Love is in the Air<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Spring in the botanic Gardens Glasgow. </div>
The Green Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15362433965607180929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672744009608440840.post-44759896284858409912013-12-31T09:53:00.001-08:002016-02-18T03:03:19.775-08:00Auld Lang Syne <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the reasons I decided to move back to Scotland was because there are so many places I want to explore. There are places I regularly visited as a child, others as a student and some places I've yet to go to. When I was young I spent a large part of my holidays and weekends outdoors. I've realised with my six year old, like my parents did with me and my brother, that children are happier when they are given plenty of outdoor time; the wilder the places the better. The same is true for adults, though many of us have lost touch with this attachment to nature. It took my last (and hopefully final) episode of severe depression to realise that being outdoors, somewhere in nature was essential for my well being. Before that, it had just been something I did once in a while on a whim.<br />
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In Scotland hill walking has always been a popular activity for many with whole families venturing out whatever the weather. I remember a family picnic by a loch high in the hills when the sky turned black and we were pelted with hailstones. Life doesn't get more real than that. A taxi driver I was talking to in Glasgow told me how he first went camping with his Scout group. His Scout Master agreed to give him the key to the camp shed so after school on Friday he would raid his mum's cupboards and fridge, hitchhike to the campsite with his pals, spend the whole weekend there building fires and looking after themselves, then hitch back to the city for school on Monday. So much freedom has been lost with the changes in our society that are a result of fear. Many working class mining villages were built in the countryside miles from the cities, like the one my grandparents lived in. Imagine the feeling of climbing to the top of a mountain when you spend most of your life stifled underground.<br />
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I love the wilderness and wild places. Venturing outdoors can be so much more fun, especially with young children, when nature is adapted and maintained in a sympathetic way. A great example is the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park near Aberfoyle which was designated as Forest Park by the Forestry Commission in 1953 to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. In August 2013 the visitor centre, known as The Lodge, opened after a £1.6M revamp into a state of the art facility with nature exhibitions, live CCTV so you can watch red squirrels, ospreys and blue tits at close range, a shop and cafe. There are a number of waymarked walking routes that start and finish at the Lodge as well as a link to the National Cycle Network. We decided to try the Waterfall Trail. All along the route we discovered outdoor play facilities that kept my six year old entertained and that delighted me. It was a cloudy day with short rain showers meaning we passed only a couple of other families. I imagine on a gorgeous day it will be very popular and busy. We could have a whole industry of places like these, helping to protect wildlife, create meaningful employment as well as provide safe places for therapeutic interaction with nature. When I got to the outdoor nature hide I was expecting to be disappointed and not see a thing but there were hundreds of little birds flitting about between the numerous bird feeders and we were amazed to see two red squirrels. The photo of one of them isn't great because I don't have zoom on my camera.<br />
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It baffles me that there is so much shame and misunderstanding about mental illness. When you look at it scientifically, events in our lives are imprinted on our brains. We live in a world where, not only are we at risk of trauma and injury, we also consume the trauma and injury of others constantly with a drip, drip, drip feed of horror news reports and violent entertainment. When something is imprinted on our brain in childhood it is even harder to shift. It may be buried subconsciously so that suddenly in adulthood depression comes out of the blue, maybe at a time when everything is going well in your life. It may be that you've reached a place where you feel safe enough to do the work to heal yourself. The main problem is thinking 'this shouldn't be happening' which is probably what everyone around you, who you will need for support, will also be thinking. Medication can help to control the worst of the symptoms but if it is used to suppress the experience you will be missing out on the work you need to do to move forward and grow. In my experience doctors don't understand enough about the needs of their patients when they come to them with depression. Psychological support is inadequate, extortionate and probably out of reach of the people who need it most. I believe depression occurs when our minds become stuck in our past experiences, anxiety is being stuck with thoughts and fears of the future. While it is far too simplistic to suggest a walk in nature will cure mental distress, the process of getting out of our mind, into our bodies and being present is one of the tools of recovery. It's only when we identify with ego based ideas of individualistic achievement that we label depression or break down as a weakness and a problem. We are also missing the fact that the people in the most pain have the opportunity for the most growth. Just be and remember how far you've come for auld lang syne.The Green Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15362433965607180929noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672744009608440840.post-28926187004104226802013-11-01T12:56:00.000-07:002015-02-14T15:50:00.188-08:00Somewhere Over the Rainbow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This Halloween I joined some zombies, witches, clowns and various other fantastic characters at my son's school to help with an afternoon of outdoor learning. A lady from the Woodlands Community Garden came along with some materials to make a start on creating some growing areas. She brought pallets and plastic bottles which will become vertical planters. After a brief explanation of what they were to do and warnings about splinters and nails in the pallets the children were split up into four groups of eight.<br />
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One group prepared the plastic bottles, one group sanded and painted pallets, one group played nature bingo with another parent helper and the final group came into the garden with me to play a bird identification game. Laminated pictures of birds had been hung around the school gardens with the name of the bird written underneath and each child was given a photocopied sheet of all the images. They had to find the corresponding bird image and write the name on their sheet. There were a couple of light rain showers but the children didn't mind, they were too busy dashing around in all directions having a great time. When they had found all the cards we met up and had a chat about native British birds which are now endangered such as the cuckoo and nightingale and what we can do to help birds through the winter months. The children were so excited to tell me all sorts of weird and wonderful bird related tales. </div>
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In Scotland the school system already favours outdoor learning and in Glasgow there are many local organisations with qualified garden support workers, rangers and nature volunteers to help schools with their projects. At my son's previous school in England I was single handedly introducing outdoor learning activities and hoped that some of the teachers would take an interest. The head was really keen to develop this side of education but without local education support there was no <i>need </i>to do it and it would have been a big effort for teachers to try and include it in their already hectic timetables<i>. </i>So I worked with a few children at a time who were allowed to come out of class, did some lunchtime sessions and generally looked after the gardens.<i> </i>I<i> </i>applied for £10,000 lottery funding to develop some woodland in the grounds and to fund garden activities and was delighted to hear the school had been awarded the money. It should help considerably.<br />
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I was sad to leave behind the children in Hastings and all the work I had started so it's been great to start helping at my son's new school in Glasgow. It was a nice change to have everything already prepared for me and I look forward to seeing the ongoing projects develop and the children learn new skills. It's great to work in a team. My son brought his first friend home after school, a Portuguese boy who also started in August and who had no English at all. We did a fun craft activity making leaf monsters. I had pressed some autumn leaves I'd collected between tissue in a big heavy book and they stuck them down then added monster faces, arms and other decorations. I hope you had a fun Halloween too.</div>
The Green Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15362433965607180929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672744009608440840.post-11105729871645534272013-10-08T04:34:00.000-07:002015-06-20T06:20:36.377-07:00The Dear Green Place<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We moved to Glasgow from Hastings in August
this year and I started the exhausting job of looking for a flat to buy while
we stay in rented accommodation. I arranged to view one in North Kelvinside and
as I looked at the street view on line I could see that there was some
abandonded looking ground behind a fence taking up a large part of the street.
Right away I imagined problems with drugs, feeling unsafe at night walking past
the area and not wanting my son to play there. We were early when we went to view
the flat so sneaked through a gap in the fence and were delighted to discover we
had stumbled upon the North Kelvin Meadow and Children’s Wood. I had become
friends with them on Facebook a few months previously when I was researching
community green spaces in Glasgow and had signed the petition to save this area
as there are proposals to build new flats here. My son had fun running around
while we admired all the hard work that has been done to improve the
place including tree houses, raised beds for vegetable growing, colourful
decorations and signage. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I
couldn’t wait to go to the next event
they were holding The Bake Outdoors with a huge list of activities and
entertainment the whole family would enjoy. I met Emily Cutts who has
been a
driving force of the transformation of the children’s wood and was
nominated
and shortlisted along with Douglas Peacock of the North Kelvin Meadow
Campaign in
the Observer newspaper’s Ethical Awards “unsung local hero” category.
Emily was running around sorting out tables for the baking competition
and a million other things needing to be done, all with a smile. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Glasgow, known as The Dear Green Place, is
not short of parks. It’s possible to cycle through most of the West End without
having to go near a road. Play parks have improved a lot since I was a child
when you just hoped you wouldn’t land on the broken glass strewn concrete
ground. But children have a completely
different experience when they are allowed to roam free in a wild space. My son
can be entertained for hours with everything the natural world provides that is
FREE; and his imagination. Children don’t need experts to tell them this is
their natural environment, they just feel at home. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We had such a lovely day at the Bake Outdoors. My husband
bumped into an old friend from college, I bought a handmade Christmas
decoration, bath bomb and homemade cakes. We had spicy lamb burgers cooked on a
barbecue and cooked our own cheese patties on an open fire. My son cooked up a
big mud pie. At a time when jobs are insecure and people are disillusioned with
our money driven society, having a place like this where everyone can
contribute, whatever skills and experience they have, really benefits
communities by boosting everyone’s feelings of self worth. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I'm looking forward to seeing the meadow lit up with fairy lights at Halloween. I hope my pictures have captured some of
the magic that happens here. The children know it; some adults still need
convincing. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Sign the petition: <a href="http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/the-scottish-government-stop-glasgow-city-council-building-on-north-kelvin-meadow-children-s-wood" target="_blank">The Scottish Government:Stop Glasgow City Council building on North Kelvin Meadow / Children’s Wood.</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.thechildrenswood.com/" target="_blank">Visit The Children's Wood</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.northkelvinmeadow.com/" target="_blank">Visit The North Kelvin Meadow</a> </div>
<!--EndFragment-->The Green Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15362433965607180929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-672744009608440840.post-88006128424004255672013-10-04T16:27:00.001-07:002013-10-08T05:50:18.146-07:00From Hastings to Glasgow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, I made it to Glasgow in one piece. We've sold our house in Hastings and bought a flat which we will hopefully be in by the end of October. I'm feeling very excited about being back in Scotland and am already very inspired by the landscape and creativity here. I have my first craft fair on Sunday at the Hilton Glasgow Grosvenor Hotel off Byres Road. One of the women who runs it is an old friend from art school. We met up for lunch for the first time in nineteen years and rabbited on as if we'd only been apart a couple of weeks. I've visited some amazing places already which I will be sharing with you on this blog. The photo above is from the Benmore Botanic Gardens within the Argyll Forest Park. I am standing in the avenue of giant redwood trees which are celebrating their 150th birthday this year. Sierra redwoods or wellingtonias are the largest trees in the world. The trees that line this stunning entrance to the gardens can reach twice this height; up to 300ft tall! Imagine being a plant hunter and discovering those humongous trees for the first time. Ok, I admit it, I gave one of them a hug.The Green Ladyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15362433965607180929noreply@blogger.com3