Country Girl – The Big Move

Did I say that my wandering spirit felt settled? I fear I lied. For yet again life has moved in a surprising direction and I find myself in another new abode. Panic not – I have not up-sticks and moved to outer Mongolia. No, I’ve simply relocated down the road and now find myself nestled within the heart of a traditional English market town. I meet elderly folk as I run each morning who step out with their cane to fetch the morning paper; their faithful collie ~ without lead yet obedient (unlike my wayward pooch) ~ a few steps ahead. I talk about weather being a “bit back end” with the cheery face at the green grocers and I realise that although this has been an unexpected turn in our journey to find a home within our home country, I am sure that it is also an event that was clearly already mapped out for me in this strange thing called life.

But enough of the mumbo jumbo! I know you are desperate to hear about what happened to my vegetables, the little seedlings that I cared for so lovingly, nurturing the soil that lay around them each evening. Well, I moved them with me and now you will find cabbages and cauliflowers nestled within the borders of my new cottage (bungalow really but shhhh, cottage sounds SO much more romantic ;-). I do have some raised beds ordered but my babies were looking so sorrowful within hours of being removed from their comfy home that I simply had to start planting in any available space. As I have said a million times, I am a beginner at this gardening lark and know nothing about the correct way to remove and re-plant growing cabbages – but I did it anyway and when I last looked they seemed to be regaining their strength and stretching their strong green leaves upwards. Send a little spirit across the airwaves would you ;-)

Inspecting the garden produce!

So here I am, wondering what will be next yet enjoying the twists and turns that my life seems familiar with and gorging on fresh radishes and salad leaves picked from our very own garden just yesterday. Success at last in my vegetable-growing journey! I think that no matter what, at least we won’t starve.

Alice Griffin is a writer who lives on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors, England. She has just finished writing her first book, Tales from a Travelling Mum, and is busy trying to enjoy life on solid ground ... for a while. You can catch up with Alice’s day-to-day life on her personal blog ~ Fanciful Alice ~

Tags: england, gardening, tmfc

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Comment by Alice Griffin on November 16, 2009 at 1:36pm: linda .. too true :-) the life of a seed is very varied and interesting!

Comment by linda2love4u on November 16, 2009 at 1:18pm: Thething about seeds they travel quite a bit before they take root, on the leg of my pants, on the bottom of the dog, through the wind, down the stream, into pockets of little boys. No hurry, once the seeds are planted they have winter over anyway.

Comment by Alice Griffin on November 3, 2009 at 10:15am: Hi Meri, Thank you for stopping by and for your lovely email. Always encouraging to meet others busy trying to do their bit! I am hoping to increase my growing in the Spring (only just started with a few small winter veg) and as my neighbour has just popped round to comment on my small patch of cabbages and offered me space in her huge garden to grow plenty more - there is nothing stopping me!!! I have friended you on FB and looking forward to connecting some more :-)

Comment by Meri Wayne on November 3, 2009 at 9:48am: So happy for your beautiful radishes I am growing okra and it looks good I will post on Lovinlight page on face book plus our romaine looks so good and we made a home made pest control spray you may like all natural and easy I will post soon! let keep in touch so much fun and you may like our videos and recipes for your family !!! please join and I will join your site and hope to read your book. We can learn a lot from each others experiences! Plus new people from each others sites.We can feature each other I do this with artist etc.

Comment by Alice Griffin on November 2, 2009 at 11:49pm: Hi joe - yes, please share! I would like to have a go at wine making (so many things to do) so I'm sure I would not be the only TM interested in how your project goes!!!

Comment by Joe Cheray on November 2, 2009 at 3:15pm: Alice I am going to be trying my hand with wine making I bought the tools today, will be buying the kit soon. My basement is cool and dark enough that I can make a small section into a wine making area. I have plans to build a wine rack into the under side of the steps. I will probably use oak and oak supports so that the wood lasts and doesn't deteriorate.

When I get to the whole process of setting up my little shop so to speak I will have to blog about it and share it with you and the twitter moms.

Your picture of the fresh radishes is what prompted me to mention my wine making venture.

Comment by Alice Griffin on October 31, 2009 at 1:54pm: Welcom Heather! ahhhh, it is treating us wonderfully - thank you for stopping by!

Comment by Heather Jassy on October 29, 2009 at 11:34am: Great post, Alice. I hope your new place is keeping you well.

Comment by Alice Griffin on October 21, 2009 at 2:02pm: Hi Lea, thank you! Oh yes, it's all go in a country town - let me tell ya! Yeah, urban jungle - not really, but it is quite nice having a few cafes on the doorstep :-) All is well ... finally I wonder 'can I relax yet?' - I really hope so. Will catch up on your blogs soon x

Comment by Lea Curtes-Swenson on October 21, 2009 at 1:56pm: Happy new home, Fanciful Alice! You just couldn't stay away from the urban jungle, eh? (Well, as "urban" as you get in the countryside, right?) Sounds romantic, even if you call it a bungalow! Hope all is well in your world...