Archive for October 2010
Been a long time
I can’t tell you how excited I was to grab this bit of HTML real estate back…. then, the spring before last.
Back then…. I actually had a real head of steam. I’d done some things, helped some people, and felt like things were going to work out, with my help.
Back then…. I thought I was actually going to be able to make up some of the ground lost. By folks that were my age when I had my last head of steam.
Back then…. I was a kid. There’s no making up for lost ground. So what? Anyone defending that which has been lost has been lost.
I thought I could, if not lead the charge, at least be part of the company into the breach. How do you think I feel that I was serving slop at the chuck-wagon when Gen. Rumpke was issuing the orders to stand down?
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Truth be told, I lost the reasons I’d started this blog. I’m a composter: check, and I got (stupidly) involved in the idea to sell the stuff, albeit donating the grand share to charity, when it turned out that it would cost $1k to do so, eh? I’m a volunteer, and got a lot of the juice needed to keep doing so from writing here: when it was clear that my efforts were going to “garbage,” I resisted and was finally overcome. Then, I was just embarrassed.
But, hell, I have the address so let’s let ‘er rip. I’ll do my best to get here twice weekly, and should.
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I’ve not touched an effort in 4-5 months. My last one went “kablooie” in a dramatic fashion, and I just didn’t feel good about anything.
A couple of weeks ago, I was looking out at the 10 or so acres surrounding my son’s suburban school, and thought “why no garden?”
Of course, I inquired. The principal was very nice, considering his difficulties juggling the 18, pre-dismissal things he was doing at the moment. He indicates interest, intent, and acceptance. I think there’s a shot there, really, to put together a small program in the spring and grow from there.
Fortunately, through our localvore community, I had the opportunity to contact Roberta @ http://grannysgardenschool.com/, a pioneer in the effort. What an amazing thing she has going, and how generous she’s been with everyone. She’s provided an amazing example.
As it happens, I shared my discussion with my friends the Carnevale’s (no link, yet, but he’s a photographer might give us some potatoe shots?) and they shared http://wilsongardenwonder.blogspot.com/p/about-us.html , another program in the same school district. I had the opportunity to speak with the founder here, too. Wow.
I’m not crazy. People are capable of doing the right thing, or even great things, without regard to status or personal gain. Please inform Gen. Rumpke that the surrender is conditional.
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After talking with Granny, it was clear that I needed to contact a teacher first. There has to be someone willing to put some sort of curriculum together, or enact some, to make a schoolyard garden work. I reached out to Mrs. J., who’s my son’s teacher, who immediately expressed interest.
Tying the loop at the school, I let the principal know of the prior discourse. He let me know that a parent, Mrs. M., was very interested in the topic. Fortunately, we had the opportunity to connect on the lawn, and afterwards by phone.
Cautiously optimistic that this is going to work. From multiple perspectives, this has to be a small pilot. It has to grow to become part of the culture of the school.
Still, I’m excited, to get going and to be a part.
Have fun out there.
