​Beyondthefence

In mid-life, I’m noticing a new kind of luxury. One I’ve always valued, but now cherishing with every bone in my body. It’s the quiet, uninterrupted weekend morning- a space to think, reflect and write. There’s comfort in the awareness of a sleeping adult child upstairs, a postponed mess in the kitchen, opened books, half-finished notes and soft sheets punctuated by cats. It’s maybe only now, I feel I can appreciate it all more clearly, because momentarily life has slowed do

In the quieter aftermath of Christmas and new year, I’ve been thinking a lot about connections and what connectedness means in relation to feeling human. We live in a world which is more interconnected than ever. Synapses firing in all directions, multiple social media networks, intertwined businesses and telecommunications, ties to family and friends stretched out over countries and continents. And while all these strands give the impression of weaving an ever expanding ta

For my own interest and a bit of clarity, I’ve tallied up the time spent creating and planting up a recent garden from scratch and it’s the equivalent of 2 months straight. That doesn’t include the weeks spent envisioning, analysing, producing and modifying the design. And it doesn’t include the time of an additional landscaper and sometimes an extra labourer working on the fencing, wall and paving. Or the week to week input from the client, adding the living in touches. And

If you’ve ever had to settle down at a desk to work from home, this shuffle to prepare for the event may be relatable. Make fresh cup of tea, sit down, open sketchbook, rearrange desk, get up, let cat out, rearrange shoes, sit down, reject pen, get up to find better pens, put socks away, sharpen pencils, sit down, get up to get water, look for phone charger, sit down and then….sometimes it clicks. This morning, I’m looking at a page of lines and numbers, thinking about begin