My whole adult life I have kept journals, capturing bits of my life in words and images. I’ve also taught journal writing classes from time to time. Journal writing is a key part of my creative process as a writer and my self-care regime as a human. Journals get some bad press – sometimes seen … Continue reading Some background on ‘Write to the Centre’
Hello! Its been a few moons since I posted. Last year I received a grant from the Earle Creativity Trust to write a book about my life-long practice of keeping a journal. It was so wonderful to get the grant and I’ve been busy working on this time-bound project, which has to be completed in … Continue reading many moons
Apple cheeks, apple weeks, the race against the birds… The inherited tree which has the codlin moth – I know it’s time to strip the tree when the birds begin to peck at the apple tops – this means they are sweet and ready. Cutting around the moth tunnels, making apple sauce which turn into … Continue reading Apple season
Another beautiful permaculture garden I visited recently, is the Paekakariki School garden. Lots of schools have gardens these days, but they are usually hotch-potch patches of vegetables gone to seed and a few calendula…not the Paekakariki School garden. It’s clearly lovingly and frequently tended, with huge compost and mulch piles, a working greenhouse and an … Continue reading Another garden visit: Paekakariki School Garden
One of my favourite things to do is to visit other people’s vegetable gardens and have a good nose around…I always learn so much and get inspired to go home and get into my own. Here are some photographs from a beautiful, well-established permaculture garden I visited in late spring last year. (It belongs to … Continue reading a and s’s beautiful permaculture garden
If there are any locals (Manawatu, New Zealand) reading – I am about to start this: Although I hope people will come every week – I am aiming to have each session work as an independent writing experience, so people might come to just one and get a good fix of inspiration, or come to each one … Continue reading Adventures in Writing!
Last Friday the public collaboration phase of the BLACK RIVER exhibition I’ve been involved with was launched at Te Manawa. In support of the exhibition, the poets and artists have their drafts/sketches on display in a cabinet. The idea of this was to share creative process with the public. It is a little bit exposing … Continue reading black river / peoples’ river
I’m very inspired by World War Two imagery around Victory Gardens and Mend & Make Do campaigns. I’m also fascinated by the Land Girls / Womens’ Land Army, and the way WW2 changed work life for women in the West forever. I recently had a pile of WW2 social history books out of the library … Continue reading victory gardens / mend and make do
<<< Phrase stolen from this three minutes and forty five seconds of genius >>> Continue reading modus operandi : life
When is an ‘inspiration wall’ not an inspiration wall? When it’s been up for almost two years and you’ve stopped seeing it anymore… I have a creative room out in my backyard. Our garage was converted to a sleepout by previous owners and now we’ve set it up so half of it is guest-room (well, … Continue reading fresh inspiration
Helen Lehndorf 