TODAY IS BE NICE TO MARGARET DAY; please mark it on your calendars, because my “new” life (which usually only Jack the Demon Cat, the frogboys, birds and the occasional snake bear witness to) is now flapping in the breeze. Out there. Appearing in a bookstore near you. The scoop on the birth of “And I Shall Have Some Peace There” is right here on the book blog. Or just go buy a copy, won’t you? :)
I WATCHED A ZOOM lecture the other day that really put into words a lot of the ways my own deepening understanding of ecology is shaking up the way I practice horticulture—from spring cleanup, right on to the last chore of the active year. The lecturer was Rebecca McMackin, director of horticulture for Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York City, where she leads the team that manages 85 acres of diverse parkland with a central focus on habitat creation of woodlands, wetlands, and meadows to build soils and support birds, butterflies, and other organisms.
We talked about the dynamic tactics they use and when and why–a whole different approach to spring cleanup, where the life cycles of animals (from insects on up) dictate what happens when, garden maintenance-wise. Like why some things don’t get cut back, and others that are still seed-laden when they do have their seeds collected and set aside, then returned to the spot after whatever cleanup is needed there.
(Stream it below, read the illustrated transcript or subscribe free.)
Congratulations, Margaret. I’m looking forward to reading it (and have no doubt it will be wonderful — when have you ever written anything not of quality?!)
Having completely failed to win an early copy in your give-aways, I have had to WAIT, but I have now finally ordered a copy from amazon. After 20+ years in the UK civil service, I was never brave enough to do what you did, but a painful condition forced me to leave. My garden, art, books and an inner life are now my world. I love seeing into yours. Thank you for your blog and your book.
Margaret,
Congratulations! I just ordered a Kindle edition of your book.I thought I would savor it on a bus ride to Washington DC next week. But I don’t think I can wait that long to get started.
Best,
Cindy
You came to work with me today. You are currently sitting on my shelf in my office. I keep sneaking quick paragraphs here and there. I am loving it. My fear is never dying alone but that I will be judged for not looking after myself better if I died young. Thought I would share. Back to reading now!
Just bought your book because Josh and Brent told me to!!!!! lol Good luck.
DEAR MARGRET; BE BRAVE AND FEAR NOT, YOUR BOOK IS WONDERFUL. IT WILL RESONATE WITH SO MANY,AS IT DID WITH ME.
TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND BE YOURSELF! KATHY.
Congrats Margaret on the publication of your new book! How very exciting! I have just ordered it. Can’t wait to read it. Will put it in my pile next to my bed in the queue just below the new Julia book. Found you (finally) via Matt’s blog via Food News Journal. Will explore your site and blog. Thank you for doing it!
My very best from western Massachusetts.
Kristin
Big welcomes to Cynthia (nice to hear you can hardly wait to start reading it!) and Missy (never disobey Josh and Brent; good thinking!) and Kristin (isn’t Matt wonderful?). Nice to meet you all; don’t be strangers.
Congrats on your pub day! I will be ordering your book down the street at my independent book shop, and look forward so much to reading it!
I work with people in transition – one job to the next on an involuntary basis, for the most part. I shall recommend they read your book. It’s all about managing the change, the attitude you bring, the belief that somehow it will all work out [not necessarily the way you planned], and that it takes some focus and effort to move forward. Thanks for writing about your journey – – – so I guess it means you had best start working on the next book ‘cuz the journey isn’t quite over, m’dear.
Congratulations and much gratitude to you. Through your blog, I too can live in my 365 day garden. You have been a wonderful teacher and totally inspiring! I can’t wait to read your new book.
You are welcome, Joshua, and hello! Sweet of you to see the blog as a garden that’s always open; it’s how I do, too. See you here in the garden, then, regularly — yes? :)
Kudos on your newest book. Your truthful depictions of a gardener, new to full-time rural life, kept me turning the pages. Country gardens have their challenges, but the rewards are sooooo sweet. Your website, book, and suggestions (I’ve already ordered Rosemary willows from Forest Farm and am searching for places to put in Ogon spireas) have been added to my garden reference favorites. Always great to find sources of inspiration. Thanks for letting me through your “peaceful” garden’s gate.
Nolie
Congratulations! Your book is all I anticipated and much more. Wishing you great success !
After highlighting most of the article about you in More magazine (Peace, Incorporated), I ordered your book today! Thank you for being willing to share the good, bad an ugly with us. I am right at the juncture of making the change from 16 hours days as a trial paralegal to finishing my Ph.D. and teaching at the university. Your article gave me courage and validation. Debi
Welcome, Debi, and congratulations on preparing the way for the next phase. It took me a year of active planning to be able to start this (after decades of dreaming, of course) and there are still hiccups, but it’s worth it every time I look out the window, or see a bird or the great light of the late afternoon. Kudos to you!
The book arrived yesterday. I’m looking forward to reading it. Congratulations!
Reading your book, and love it, love it, love it! It could have been written for me or about me – the birds, the stress of a corporate job, the peace I now find in solitude. The one truly mindful thing I do is garden, I’m already starting to rake and poke at things with my shovel whenever the Utah snows allow me to see the ground. Congratulations to you, and may you see your first crocus soon! Terry
Margaret, you are very brave to share your journey. I love your book and am especially appreciating the thinking vs. feeling puzzle. It’s a puzzle for me, anyway! I’ve been enjoying both A Way to Garden and The Sisterhood Project since last summer. Book and blogs are informative and inspiring on many levels – thank you!
Thanks, Maureen, nice of you to lend your encouragement. It’s a puzzle for me, too, and as long as I don’t think I’m ever going to solve every last bit of it, I am fine. Progress, not perfection. :)
I was introduced to you and your book two days ago on Matt’s site, MattBites, in his interview with you. I’m about halfway through the book and am having a very hard time putting it down. Must eat, must sleep! Like many, I am intrigued and inspired by your journey and your grace in observing the nourishing moments. But I have to say I am equally inspired by your writing. While reading the book, I repeatedly turned to my husband and read sections out loud. (He is an architect and we had just spent the day furthering our own rehab project painting the exterior of our house. So your description of your house buried under its layers and layers struck a chord with us.) I had to put the book down long enough to say thank you for such an open-hearted and beautifully written book. Thank you, thank you, thank you. It is a treasure.
Welcome, Lauren, and thank you so much. Glad you (and your husband) are enjoying it.
Yes, the muffled house, the muffled Margaret. Loved that part of the Matt interview.
Pass the word along, and thank you, thank you, thank you in return.
Just finished the book – loved it!
Thank you, Kerry, and welcome. Yay! So energizing to me in the midst of all the to-do’s right now to have kind messages like yours. Sweet.
Every day should be kind to Margaret day! Just finished the book and I absolutely love it in every way. I believe the few nay-sayers that have reviewed you just didn’t get you or what it is you are doing there. They have pigeon-holed you as property of Martha Stewart, when obviously, that was just a portion of your whole self. I just posed a review, and I am on all my friends to read and post reviews. There is a big piece of my soul that has always wanted a simple small house in the country with no curtains, no frills. I lost my partner 2 years ago, and have been teetering on retiring and moving to a house in the country, but I have a bad back, and my can’t list was getting longer than my Can list. This book slapped me on the forehead. I though, “I can do container gardening, and I can afford to have other things done for me. I do love to garden, and my back hinders me but it need not prevent me.
Thanks Margaret for this little GEM of a book. Now I am off to whip my friends into shape, like my friend did me, so you will write and write and write! LOVED it.
Kevbo (Kevin in Dallas)
Margaret, I forgot to ask you, WHO did that captivating music on your Woo-Woo gardening video? It’s teriffic!
@Kevbo: Well! That’s about the nicest thing anyone has ever said, thank you. And thank you for understanding about the nay-sayers and the importance of helping spread the positive vibes. Much appreciated.
As for the woo-woo music: It is music made for use as sound effects, not from an album to my knowledge. It is called Bombay Beach 2 by Mark Johns and Andy Ward, and is “synth pads under dulcimer pattern.” Go figure. :)