three uke family

Two excellent new things:

1. The Ukulele

It’s such a sweet, simple unpretentious little instrument. I went to my first - beginners’ - class last last Wednesday night. And I’ve been practising every day since - stumbling my plunky way through  “You Are My Sunshine” and “Dream, Dream, Dream”.  I can feel the  neuro-pathways forming,  like new  tracks in fresh snow. Exhilarating. 

Music is something I  do purely for fun. Having spent most of my life believing I was ‘unmusical’, every musical experience I’ve had over the last fifteen or so years has been a bonus - singing in choirs, learning djembe, percussion and marimba, now uke. Unlike other areas ( the things I’m meant to be ‘good at’) with music I don’t judge or critisize myself.  Or  worry that both my partner and my 12 year old son are way better musicians than I am. We have become a three ukulele family.

Of course it suddenly feels like everyone is playing ukulele.

2. The Community Garden

I think I mentioned ages ago that I got myself a little plot at the local community garden. I went down there to interview someone for a promo article on a Permaculture course last November and was so excited and inspired I signed up right away. Then somehow I just never got back there. Guilt guilt guilt, good intentions turn to dust etc. 

Last Sunday there was a working bee. The gorgeous earth mother woman who runs the place  had phoned me on Friday - not to say Get your plot together or we’ll take it back, which would have been fair enough; but rather to offer help. Because it can be a bit daunting, getting started. And it has been so hot. Etc.

It was a lovely drizzle-y, perfect-for-planting  afternoon. Also a perfect-for-lying-on-the-sofa-reading-the-weekend-papers sort of sunday. But D and I both managed to resist the call of the sofa. 

I discovered when we  got there ( it's only 5 minutes away)   that I was not the only slacker who had failed to attend to their plot. A cheery little band of gardeners were there helping eachother. Weeding, pushing around barrows full of chicken pooh and mulch. Taking armloads of weeds off to the chooks. Offering cuttings and seedlings.

I’d bought some seedlings at the market on Saturday. Within a couple of hours my  weed patch was transformed. Cucumber, eggplant, leek, basil, tomatoes plants went in. Marigolds, lemongrass. Easy. It was like one of those backyard blitz tv shows. 

Then a cup of tea and home-made biscuits in the bush kitchen. And that warm glow of community. So now the challenge is to keep it up. Weeding, mulching, stagger the plantings. Commitment, the long haul.

Gardening, playing the ukulele - great antidotes for existential angst.

Oh and I’ve finally mastered the art of compost too...things are looking up.