Halloween in Mud Island

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community garden, Dublin, halloween, haunted house, Ireland, mud island, photography, photos

On the way back from Mud Island community garden I bumped into a sexy kitten, a  very little red riding hood and a miniature witch, a sexy zombie who seemed to have lost her skirt and a man in a creepy clown mask pushing a baby in a pram. It seemed that Halloween had begun and I still needed to get a few threats for all of those knocks on my door.

But before I went shopping I popped in to Mud Island and took a sneak peak at the haunted house and graveyard waiting to scare everyone. I couldn’t believe how great it turn out and was just glad I had some light to see it all and not get too scared.

 

rainy days

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community garden, Dublin, dublin summer, flowers, mud island, photography, photos, rain, weather

Dublin is back to it’s old tricks – grey clouds and rainy outburst have been dominating the last few days. As I sit at my desk and watch the big droplets cascade down from above I can’t help but wonder where the sun has gone off to.

And while of course I know I shouldn’t complain after 11 days of no rain and warm sunny weather – is more than we’ve seen in a long while – but I do miss my afternoons on my blue bench.

In a few days time the community garden (Mud Island)  I am part of will have it’s open day and we are all hoping for a sunny day – or at the very least one that isn’t wet. But right now it isn’t looking too good and there is still a lot of work to do before we can show the garden off to its full glory.

And while I am still not sure I’ll be able to lend a helping hand today I will be wandering down on Thursday night to dig in, literally. Right now I will tackle my to-do list – but at least I don’t need to water my plants!

in full bloom

long lasting pansies

cheerful pink

blue friends

cement, clay and sunburn

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cement, clay, community garden, crafting, flowers, photography, photos, plants, sculpture, workshop

This weekend I spent my time getting my hands dirty in Mudisland Community garden. But I wasn’t digging up dirt or planting spring greens, I was mixing cement and forming clay at a sculpture workshop.

It was all about getting to know the material – as our wonderful teacher Vivian told us- and I have to admit I think cement and I have stayed somewhat strangers. Unlike clay you can’t mold it, you cant make it hold it’s own weight, unless you create a mesh backing or a mold.

After the first day of spending time elbow deep in cement in the sunshine I went home somewhat disappointed in what I had created – nothing of that would last or I really liked. But yesterday I think I may have made a tile I’ll be able to use and work further with, and I think the hanging balls I made do have potential.

But somehow it wasn’t really about the outcome, it was about the work itself. Instead of sitting at my desk for hours and wearing the keys on my keyboard thin, being out in the sunshine, using my hands, was what this weekend was all about.

The only downside to the beautiful sunny weekend was that got a little bit sun burnt, not much, a patch on my leg and two bits on my arms, and of course my nose. But since bad weather seems to be on its way I will just enjoy the sun as much as I can while it lasts.

bowls

chicken wire

some mini clay men

hanging cement ghosts

in full bloom

pods

Weekly Photo Challenge: Dinnertime

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community garden, cooking, Dinnertime, food, mudisland, onions, Weekly Photo Challenge, Weekly Photo Challenge: Dinnertime

I have a thing for onions – and I do believe that most dishes are better with them in it. The best onions I have eaten in recent years are the ones we harvested in the community garden Mudisland. They were  a little bit sweet and just full of flavour. Sadly it’s still a long way off until we can harvest this years onions – but at least it’s something I can look forward to!

down in the garden

Tags

community garden, Dublin, flowers, gardening, Ireland, mud island, photography, photos

There is a wonderful community Garden just down the road from where I live. It is  a true oasis in the middle of a very urban area, trees, flowers and lots of fruit and vegetables grow happily hidden behind an archway  just beyond a very busy road. This wonderful place is called Mud Island and when I can I spend may Tuesday and Saturday afternoons with my hand stuck in the mud or busy picky ripe fruit.

The garden is named after the area it is in. Today this part of Dublin is North Strand and/or Ballybough (Baile Bocht from baile = town and bocht =poor)  but in the late nineteenth century it was known as Mud Island, because it was close to the mudflats in Fairview. It was an area know for it’s seedy residents, smugglers, highwaymen, robbers and prostitutes, not a place you’d really want to go. But now it is a hive of urban living, a mixture of creatives, old time residents, council flats, immigrants, a potpourri of Dubliners, both old and new. The perfect place for a community garden, a place where everyone is welcome and you get to meet strangers who could become friends.

So with the sun shining and the temperatures rising I will wander down to the garden later on this afternoon, maybe I’ll harvest some local produce but I am sure to have lots of fun.

 

 

 

muddy community

Tags

community, community garden, Dubllin, gardening, mud island, photography, photos

After last nights downpour and heavy winds I was thrilled to see the sun peeking out from behind the clouds. Not that I had any big plans for the day but my local community garden “Mud Island” had been planning their open day for weeks.

So with a freshly backed cake and a happy heart I wandered down the road and into a world of green.  It was great to see kids playing ad adults chatting out in the sun, not bothered by the wind and enjoying the community spirt.

And since it is nearly time to wander back down for a BBQ and some songs I leave you all with a few photos of my afternoon spent in the muddy community.

Mud Island Community Garden

Flower Pot

Guess how many

New use

Kids artwork

the finished product

Tyre potatoes

chives in bloom

a honeybee at work

another project

zucchini

lavender

lettuce

someone was here

an unfinished mural

still unfinished

last section waiting for paint

a brilliant flower

what’s behind the green door?

growing wild