Helen Lehndorf
writer
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seed heads
Often, if a plant isn’t taking up space I need for something else, I’ll let it go to seed. Partly because then it will drop it’s seed everywhere and next year I might get plant babies, and partly because I love seeing what plants do when they go to seed. Have you ever let a…
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What the garden was doing at the turn of the new year…
Happy New Year! I’m starting my year on the blog as I mean to go on – with excessive photographs of plants. Here is a snapshot of the garden on January 1 2012. There are new peas everyday – they never make it inside because we always eat them right there, standing beside the garden.…
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green bean serene
Summer = season of green. Broad beans until we can’t face another broad bean. I divided up my monster stinging nettle plant and now I have baby nettles thriving away. (Anyone local want a nettle plant?) Nettles are a wonder herb and are seriously good for you – very high in iron, it also builds…
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The Comforter Cocktail
The Comforter Cocktail We made this in a big punch bowl, but of course you can make it by the glass also. One part Blackcurrant Vodka Four parts soda water Enough rose-infused sugar syrup to make it pink and tasty. This is the stuff I used – it’s French, lovely and costs about $18 for…
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‘The Comforter’ launches (2)
Launch one: The first launch was in Palmerston North at the City Library. The speakers were Helen Rickerby, my editor, Thom Conroy, friend and creative writing professor at Massey University, and Natasha Allan did a beautiful blessing of the book. This one felt like a slightly more formal, ‘family, colleagues, local community’ (and friends, of…
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‘The Comforter’ launches (1)
It’s early Monday morning and I just said to my editor, Helen Rickerby ‘Isn’t love the best drug? because I am still high from all the love at the launches!’. Helen and I did two launches, in two cities in two days! They were both really beautiful and special in their own ways. For a…
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a flower falls
‘A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it.’ –Dogen
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off, off it goes
I’m launching my book in less than two weeks. I would love to see you there, if you are in Palmerston North or Wellington! Here are the details: Palmerston North launch: Friday, 2nd December, 6.30, Palmerston North City Library. Books available on the night for $25. There will be refreshments and general book related frivolity.…
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lean in
I went to the Pohangina valley. Clean spring green. PIcked up heart shaped rocks. Picked up broken glass. Picked up. They were throwing stones in the water. I walked away from the splashing. I walked past the Friday night fire pits, the Woodstock cans and pizza boxes. The trees along the bank were just flowering.…
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beets and pieces
First some writing news – Fourth Floor Literary Journal is up and I have two poems in it! Yay! You can read them HERE. Back HERE I mentioned my friend Helen wrote an essay about ‘Taking Care’ (killing) ‘Of Animals’. It’s also in 4th Floor. It is a funny, chilling read – you can read…
Helen Lehndorf 