My continuation of Sharon Astyk’s now-completed “Independence Days” project (June-Aug 2022), which offered a framework for recognising how we’re building resiliency, community, and accountability that will make our lives better now and in the future. Many of Sharon’s categories are (or could be) related to gardening, so it seems to fit here on this blog. Equally, none of them has to do with gardening. They’re all multifaceted.
I’ve modified Sharon’s categories to match my own life and community; I may continue to tinker with the framework as time goes on.
- Plant something: plant, start something
Stayed in a new place, visited a new place, and tried new restaurants (all outdoor seating) this week. We went to Rye, NH, from Wed morning to Friday afternoon, staying in one of the 12 studio apartments at the Rye Motor Inn, a surf-vibe motel across from the ocean on Route 1A. Highly recommended! The room was almost 400 square feet and very well designed, functionally and aesthetically. Each room has a small patio, and there’s a pool and a surf/clothing shop; you can also rent a motor scooter there if you want (ciao).
On the way there (not far from Rye in North Hampton) we stopped at Fuller Gardens, a garden I’ve wanted to visit for a few years and we finally made it, just in time for dahlia bloom. The cacti and succulent conservatory is amazing, the small Japanese garden cool and quiet, and the perennial/rose garden interesting (and full of rabbits). Lots of European sculpture dots the landscape.
Across the street from Fuller Gardens is the interdenominational Union Chapel.
- Harvest something: harvest, forage, glean, or bring to fruition
Cut flowers from the garden for the cocktail party on Tuesday, incluidng hydrangea, cardinal flower, echinacea, phlox, globe thistle, perovskia, and buddleia.
- Preserve something: food, local community resources
Preserve local resources: Shopped at local farm stand on Monday and Tuesday and at local co-op on Tuesday. Ate outside at local bakery on Saturday. While in Rye, ate outside on the deck at local seafood restaurant (Ray’s Seafood) on Wednesday,
had breakfast outside at local eatery (Kooks) on Thursday and Friday,
and had lunch outside at local(ish?) New Castle spots on Thursday (Latitudes at Wentworth by the Sea)
and Friday (Great Island Eatery on the docks).
- Waste Not: reduce waste, reuse, salvage & repair, give away
We saved some of our meal from Ray’s and had that plus some food we had brought from home (leftovers from our cocktail party on Tuesday night) for dinners on both Wednesday and Thursday nights, sitting on our motel patio.
- Keep Stocked Up: with food and emergency supplies, financial resources, and experiences that make life worth living
Stocked up on some (mail order) hair supplies for me this week.
Stocked up on ocean/beach vibes with our trip to Rye, including lots of bird watching, garden visiting, beach and trail walking, and eating outside while seeing and smelling the ocean, all things I love. Walked around the lake on Sunday. Had a couple friends over on Tuesday evening for cocktails, another thing I enjoy. Read a couple of good books this week (Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson, a fun beach read, and, swoon, Rachel Cusk’s Transit, second in her trilogy).
- Food Stuff: learn new food skills, try new recipes, use what’s available in the pantry, use what’s grown/made locally and what’s seasonal
I made chick pea fritters/fries for the first time this week. I’d had them at a local restaurant last summer a few times, then a friend found a recipe and made them a few months ago; hers tasted just like the restaurant version, so I made some for the Tuesday cocktail party, plus a garlic aioli to dip them in. All yum.
I made cacio e pepe on Monday night, with artichokes, and we had local cucumbers. Dinner Tuesday was the cocktail party appetizers (the chick pea fritters and aioli, Old Bay shrimp, local fennel-citrus salame, hummus and olive tapenade with many mostly local veggies, cheeses and baguette and tortilla chips, dolmades, wine, N/A beer, etc.).
We were in Rye from Wed to Friday, eating mostly seafood, salads, and fries. Friday night we had leftover cacio e pepe with artichokes, plus leftover (from party) veggies and dip. Saturday we had more leftovers from the party for dinner, and Sunday it was that summer standby, grilled hot dogs (soy/beef), local corn on the cob, and mac & cheese.
- Be Neighbourly: contribute to community support systems, look for ways to help neighbours and others
My husband volunteered at the local car museum on Tues. and Saturday (for an event), for a total of about 7 hours. I ran an errand for friends (one recovering from surgery) on Tuesday. I spent hours on the phone with my sister on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday; she is still undergoing medical tests and going to referral appointments. Enjoyed having neighbours/friends over on Tuesday evening.
- Skill up: learn new things, especially skills or knowledge that remind us of our place in the natural world and within the social fabric
Husband is skilling up on the spotting scope, which he brought on the Rye trip and used during several walks, to look at shorebirds mainly.
We both learned more about identifying sandpipers, gulls, and other birds this week.
I seem to never not be learning about new illnesses and medical processes these days.
- Tend & Maintain: maintain our bodies, minds, and relationships to keep us resilient; and do what’s needed in the house, yard, and elsewhere to prevent failure/breaking/hassle down the line
Because of the party on Tuesday evening, I spent about three hours cleaning (tidying, scrubbing, sweeping, vacuuming, minor decorating) on Monday and Tuesday, including swiffering floors (something I hadn’t done in months, maybe a year?), putting away some things we haven’t used for a while, cleaning counters and cabinets, as well as weeding, sweeping, clearing, and cleaning the brick walkway into the front door. I also cut flowers from the garden and arranged them. My husband mowed the lawn, I think on Sunday, and he went to the dump on Tuesday.
- Winter is coming: notice Earth’s seasons and our own seasons of life and daily rhythms, and look ahead to what’s needed now to make life better in the future
This week was a pretty good mix of seeing people, reading, and travelling, spending time by the ocean, in gardens, exploring new things.
A friend who hadn’t been in touch in almost a year called Sunday evening and left a nice catch-up message; it will be good to reconnect with her.
I tried Kook’s breakfast bowls when we were in Rye; they’re blended passion fruit, or blended guava and acerola (a Barbados cherry), topped with granola, blueberries, small pineapple squares, and banana slices, and they were fantastic. I may try to learn how to make them and incorporate them into my breakfast routine.
Some more things seen this week at home, on our walks, and on our short trip:
And some sculpture at Odiorne.
Happy trails!
