Author Archives: Helen

About Helen

I have always been interesting in living a more environmentally friendly lifestyle and used to do what I could. Now, I have come to realise that we have reached such a point in terms of environmental degradation that it is more important - perhaps - to focus on building resilience. I therefore do as much as I can to reuse, grow my own and encourage a supportive community, for example. I also keep reading and learning all the time.

The Green Johanna is here!

Posted on November 11, 2019

Today has been another of those joyous occasions, mingled with a touch of sadness. Once rush hour was over, I was eager to pick up the Green Johanna hot composting bin this morning and then wasted no time in assembling … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, soil management | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

An ink cap

Posted on November 8, 2019

After last Saturday’s mushroom foray, I had been wondering whether or not I would see any fungi in the back garden this autumn. Possibly there has been plenty, but with the garden still so green and lush it is hard … Continue reading →

Posted in foraging, Gardening, soil management | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Thought it was a ghost

Posted on November 8, 2019

Last night, I popped outside and whilst on the patio, a shadow past in front of me. I jumped. Looking round, I tried to work out how such a phenomenon could have happened naturally. Had a bat momentarily blocked the … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening | Tagged , | 23 Comments

Banning peat in compost petition

Posted on November 2, 2019

I received an email from Parliament’s Petition Committee this morning, letting me know that all petitions will be closed as of midnight of 6 November. They apologise for such short notice. Anyway, hopefully, a new petition will be formed after … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening | 5 Comments

Fruiting bodies

Posted on November 2, 2019

Last month, whilst walking through a grassed area on my estate, I noticed mushrooms. As far as I can remember they had never been there before and, unfortunately, there weren’t any for me to take for identification today. In September … Continue reading →

Posted in Days out, foraging | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

‘Are you guys okay at the back?’

Posted on November 1, 2019

Today was the next workshop in the Leeds Rotters Composting Champions series of how to build your own compost bin from an old wheelie bin. This time we were at Meanwood Valley Urban Farm, where there seems to have been … Continue reading →

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Stepping into winter mode

Posted on October 28, 2019

On the way home from my parents’, we at last paid a visit to Sherwood Forest, which included a walk to the Major Oak, purportedly to be about a thousand years old. This was not however the highlight of my … Continue reading →

Posted in Days out, Gardening | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Bulbs, bulbs, bulbs

Posted on October 26, 2019

I’ve been asked to write another post in my app in order to see if there is a comments box this time. Fortuitously, I found a variety of bulbs this afternoon, which were on my garden shopping list, so I … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Waiting for the raised bed

Posted on October 25, 2019

This is just a short post, ostensibly to create one written in a web browser rather than on the app, so that WP engineers can take a look at what is going on with my site in more detail. If … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening | 6 Comments

Expecting it to be green…

Posted on October 25, 2019

On Sunday, I decided to take the plunge and use some of the fat hen (Chenopodium album L.) seeds I had collected from the garden in a loaf of bread. Of course, I forgot to soak the seeds beforehand but … Continue reading →

Posted in edible weeds | Tagged , , ,