It was a Summer of working hard as we approached the heatwave in July, finishing up outreach work, preparing to have much needed time off over August. Also, for long-nurtured commissions and new poems to be shared (more on these soon).
Wildflowers, Poetry and Planting
Absolutely loved sharing new poem, ‘Happiness Is Growing In A Field’ with Henderson Green Primary Academy, turning it into a mini performance in class to celebrate living things, plus the wildflowers we find in urban communities as well as rural. Written with support from Arts Council England, it’s the perfect poem to share alongside planting and hands on growing activities in class (you can read about it in my blogpiece here for John Muir Trust) and was inspired with encounters with wildflowers and flowers found across the landscape of Norfolk.
I’m very keen to hear from growers, florists and flower experts with a passion for locally and sustainably grown flowers to collaborate with on educational activity when my series is ready – please email me on ruthie@ruthiecollins.co.uk if this is you.
Re.Peat Poem Shared at Peatfest
Was also a joy to share my peat inspired poem for the first time, with the excellent international Peatfest in August, written to help bring awareness of the precious importance of peat into the classroom as well as cultural spaces. This youth-led, forward-thinking initiative is really inspiring – knowing there are other cultural practitioners internationally also working to put peat at the heart of quality creative work, to help support restoration and protection is wonderful. It’s astonishing, compared to trees, how little is known, still, in mainstream culture about peat’s value – the name, etymologically has its root in ‘petra’ the Latin word for ‘rock’, but it really is the ‘world’s rock’ in the fight against climate change. Read advice on what you can do to help peat here.
Marine Life Poetry and Wonder Rocks
Also fantastic, was helping families make marine inspired poetry out of packaging and mixed media, as part of a family day following the Marine Conservation for Norfolk Action Group’s first in-person conference since before the pandemic, at Norfolk Wildlife Trust‘s Cley Marshes in early August. I prepared materials taken from old nature magazines, on marine life. Found poetry and collage was an inspiring learning tool as poems unfolded, discussing marine life featured in the mixed media, as we reconstructed words and images to make poems together (also using plastic found on beaches!). Holt Library also hosted a workshop making Wonder Rocks as part of Arts Council England funded Natural Wonder, on pebbles, too – using text art, to spread a little more surprise and nature connection across the North Norfolk landscape.
Life After Drought
Late July, just as the holidays officially started, I became ill as part of the Summer Surge of covid. Wild swimming cleared the fatigue, so was able to work and catch up on lost time. But this year, restoration and recovery personally, as well as within nature, more than ever, has become a priority. Learning how to restore life post the drought – researching late pollinator friendly flowers, biodiversity and drought resistant planting for the changes coming ahead (thanks to friends who helped celebrate my birthday by contributing plants to an Autumn nectar garden). Also, taking time to repair our fairy doors on the Natural Wonder trails – with support from Norwich Men’s Shed.
Caring In the Natural World
But as Ecotherapy East acknowledge, caring for the natural world also means recognising that we are part of nature – and are worthy of care, too (check their page for planting, restoration and other excellent work). Caring for ourselves can feel hard, if you are attuned to the need created by conflict and individualism, with the words self-care totally skewed in the context of a heavily commercialized wellbeing industry. None-the-less, naturally occurring, mycorrhizal-like networks of care are all around us, as humans, as more-than-human, in our communities, globally. Susan Simard writes brilliantly on this, in The Mother Tree.
New Coworking Space Community and Collaboration
With a new workspace at Curious Directive after writing all Summer at Lionhouse Studios, new commissions from RSPB, Broads Authority and RAIN Umbrella (updating resources with links to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals – excellent open access resource) – these strands of interconnection, collaboration and care are a real inspiration this Autumn. My work is underpinned by care for each other, the earth and biodiversity. So, this invisible strand of care, is something I’ll be listening to as a guiding light.
The value of care, as a powerful agency for change, approaching what’s going to be the toughest winter the UK has seen in decades – a season, so far, defined by chaos, endings and crisis. Also, action.
Because it’s clear that we need to keep caring, whatever happens next.
