What do you think?
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Wild? I'll give you wild!
There's someone in my town who has reservations about the state of the Community Orchard - thinks it too 'unkempt'.
What do you think?
What do you think?
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22 comments:
I think to the untrained eye there could be some 'questions'. Also, those that love their lawns mowed at exactly 4mm and scream blue murder when a daisy dares to raise its hideous head will not 'get' it.
They never get it.
I liked the concept and am interested in seeing how it develops.
I think it is definitely unkempt but nothing is necessarily wrong with that unless the intent was otherwise. Fiordland is terribly unkempt too and I've noticed that beaches are often awash with debri from the ocean. Where and why do we need to be kempt?
Thank you for your views, gentlemen.
Consciously unkempt, that's my aim for the orchard. Perhaps Shunda, you make a good point with your 'untrained eye' observation. I might need to train my fellow townspeople as to the advantages of the seeming-chaotic, of which there are legion - protection from the dessicating winds and mulch production being but two. Keeping wandering yoofs at bay is another rarely recognised bonus of a tangled understorey.
I think what happens is when people think of an orchard they imagine neat rows of round headed trees with nice shiny apples hanging off them.
By the way, we had our first home grown apples the other day.
And they were blinkin nice too!.
Good news!
Eaters or cookers?
I'm having half a stewed Peasegood Nonsuch for breakfast these mornings, then it's off to work I go!
My wife just informed me that we had both! a single delicious eating apple and a lots of cooking apples.
The cooking apple tree is growing like a blinkin trifid, and I have no idea how to prune it. It appears to have a naturally upright sort of columnar form for some reason.
They really seem to grow well here, I can see myself getting interested in growing them Robert.
I managed to get about 10% success from my Cherry tree grafting, which isn't all that good but I am still stoked!!
Your upright apple might need to be pruned in the 'christmas tree' style, Shunda. I prefer the 'vase' but others do it differently. Either way, prune 'em hard for the first few years if you want to be able to reach the fruit when you are old and doddery.
To me it looks glorious, as Nature intended..the spire in the back-ground; picture postcard gorgeous.
You're right, Suz!
Took an outsider to see it.
Yep, Robert, as Suz said "it's picture postcard gorgeous" .But is that the reality or is it another photo that confirms your reputation as a very good photographer who (in my opinion)is up with the best when it comes to 'framing' a picture.
i would like to see a photo taken to show the orchard and it's surroundings. Not that my opinion means a lot in this case. It's one for Rivertonians to decide.
FBB - thanks for the backhand praise - everyone who's ever seen Maggie's Garden Show should know that it's all in the way you hold your camera :-)
In reality, the orchard is approaching perfection, and as such, frightens the bejeebers out of those who fear Pan. The panic (get the connection?) As he orchard is on private land, you'll understand that it's no body's business by mine, however, I like my fellow townspeople and wish them not to be wracked by anguish, so would like to be known that all will be well, the trees will rise above the understorey before too long and paths will form as visitors to the orchard explore the trees and shrubs and the native shelter planted to the souwest get tall enough to shelter the orchard and reduce the need for the tree lupins that grow presently amongst the trees for the purpose of shelter. So it's complex, and easily misconstrued, like much of what I do and say :-)
Hope you'll call in someday for a look and a talk about these things. The conversation, like the orchard, would be wild.
meant 'they' panic (and they do)
RG. My apologies for jumping to the conclusion that the orchard was on public land. Very public spirited of you.
Thanks for the kind invitation to call in. Not often down that way but will try to work it sometime.
So it's complex, and easily misconstrued, like much of what I do and say
Maybe it's the way you say it.
I do wonder about that, Shunda. To me, I'm as clear as a bell. My audience appears at times to have cloth ears. I comfort myself with the thought that in my days as a teacher, I was known for my ability to convey my message with particular clarity and reach my audience in a way that others admired, but my experience on the blogs and in the council has rocked my self-belief somewhat. I find myself saying, 'that's not what I said'. To date, I've assumed that the ideology of those who 'misunderstood' was the problem, but you may have put your finger on the button here. It might indeed be, the way I say it.
Any suggestions?
Any suggestions?
People are too complex to 'place' within this ideology or that.
If you are genuine in this, I have lots to say and ponder.
But I think we are fellow travellers on this road to misunderstanding. I have recently been harassed furiously by a particular person, I had to ask them to stop, but it was only after I threatened person x with a restraining order that it finally ended!. I found the whole experience extremely upsetting and confidence shaking.
Another chap threatened me in a way that indicated he wanted to end my life.
And no, he wasn't a lefty ;)
Robert I know I am guilty of stirring the pot at times, I want you to know that in no way did I ever think you were anything but a good teacher.
If you want a job at a high school.........
Hey, Shunda - no worries - I'm try not to misconstrue and know you pretty well by now. Sorry to hear about your annoyances. Hope you can shed those. I've a detractor who writes letters to our newspaper under a fake name and have only just now been able to attend to that. Pesky, but amusing at the same time.
Incidentally, I put the 'I'm not too bad at presenting a concept to classes of children, so your confusion most likely comes from yourselves, rather than my failure to put my case clearly', to my fellow Councillors, but their reaction was incendiary. They wailed 'arrogance!!'
Funny as a fit.
The interesting thing is this.
I got two very high profile 'memorials' to design/construct, I did a good job (not my words) and got my picture in the paper. Due to the location of one of those sites I got a tremendous amount of community exposure (while working).
Then all of a sudden I have these people that hate my guts and want to take me down a peg or two.
To be fair, I think I have many more supporters, but the ones that don't like me really don't like me.
It is completely bizarre.
I am trying to learn the art of the duck and the water and the rolling off the back!
You and I have much in common, Shunda.
For more on this exciting discussion :-)
email me guy10@actrix.co.nz
Great thread Robert. Been a pleasure 'listening in' on your conversation with Shunda barunda.
Have a good day
You're welcome, FBB.
I've an interesting weekend coming up, hope you do too.
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