Breathing   S  p  a  c  e  s

TLC Art Walks in Ardwick: Drawing - 10th March 2020 Tuesday 10th March was the third art walk focusing on drawing led by Naomi, we were each given a set of materials, graphite, charcoal, oil pastel, crayons, different types of paper, such as tracing paper and tissue paper and two seed bombs to plant. The theme of the drawing walk was focusing on the five steps to wellbeing, which are to Connect, Learn, Be Active, Take Notice and Give. We connected with the people around us, b

TLC Art Walks in Ardwick: Photography 11th February 2020 I have volunteered at the TLC Art Project for a year and a half now and I thoroughly enjoy my time there. Tuesday 11th February was our first art walk focusing on photography led by Rae, we set off from the Church of Nazarene looking for evidence of nature resilience in the urban environment and capturing them on camera. During the walk I noticed we were among a lot of nature, from large trees to small delicate flowers.

BIRDS AT 5 a.m. It’s a disgrace I don’t know who you are. But at least this morning, I listen to your every note of every phrase, the rhythmic silences, and the uninterrupted love flowing from your syrinx. WORDLESS FLIGHT On the Sunday afternoon of their first weekend together, they position themselves on a neat bench, next to the vacant bowling green. His six four and her five foot nothing dominate play, like a tiny bird landing on the biggest tree in the park. She pecks and

We love Jo Biglin's Big Issue article about her time spent on a North West Allotment that supports refugees and asylum seekers - Jo asks such an important question: Why don’t we just… have more open community growing spaces? This is such an important question, and from all the work that we have done on Mapping Manchester's Quiet Spaces we whole-heartedly agree that the we need more open community growing spaces and generally more community run green spaces. The benefits for e

I love the Blue phase of colour that passes through my garden in May and early June. There is something special about a true blue flower. Although the purples that are also out at the moment are also very nice, perhaps it is how the colours push against the green of the grass and the leaves. I always look forward to it, after the soft whites and blushed pinks of the fruit blossoms the blue hues have a different feel all together. Jane also noticed the flowers in Hulme Park ar

We love this brand new website featuring photographs and stories of peoples experiences of: The power of outside during Covid-19 lockdown https://natureandnurture2020.wixsite.com/website

Human nature dharmakya dreams peace extending a diamond suspended foxes sneak a squirol still nature and time dance in tune rice plantations grow in paddy fields the Vietnamese ladies smile radiating the sun seeds planted the seasons marinate growth a photosynthesis injects a leaf a raindrop lands petals make a fragile stance Easter chicks cling the sky pervades a crimson sunset spring streams glisten nature echoes a mantra to a connected friend and the birds watch as the uni

Saturday 16th is Love a Tree Day There was an ants nest inside one of the guards... So in freeing the trees, tiny casualties...

We LOVE this : https://www.grassrootsgardendesign.co.uk/post/busy-doing-nothing even the concept of being given permission to be busy-doing-nothing is so lovely to hear! And lots of interesting links to jump off too - I need to sit down with a cuppa and delve into the The Insect Apocalypse... thanks for sharing these Severine! And we love your print too! Just gorgeous. In my own garden, I have to admit I do quite like a tidy short lawn... it kind of helps to offset the wildn

Wandering around the garden this morning taking some photographs, I am reminded of how many little things I brought from Northern Ireland when I came to live here 13 years ago. Among these is “the rowan tree” which now stands at about 10 ft tall and currently hosts clusters of cream flowers which will eventually turn into red berries for the birds to feed on. This tree came with me as a small stick like sapling in a pot, grown from a fallen berry dropped by the rowan in my f