Unless you were having a long sleep under a log deep in an impenetrable forest, you would be experiencing massive changes to the way you think and what you do each day as a result of the COVID virus impacting people globally.

Yesterday you read my blog post which continued to talk up the waste-not-want-not home grown food distribution project via the Margate market that R and A have masterminded.  I wrote that blog post and scheduled it almost a week ago. With current national (Australian) directives that groups of people meeting together must not exceed 100, and the promotion for what is called ‘social distancing’ (which I would rather label the need for ‘physical distancing’ while we determine new ways to remain socially connected) most outdoor events of every nature have since been cancelled. So this wonderful sharing project which was raising much needed funds for schools and other community groups has stopped.  There is no doubt it will restart when the virus has run its course and we can normalise living again.  A sad situation.

But something that affects me very personally and which saddens me profoundly is that volunteering at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens (RTBG) has been suspended indefinitely. We tried to have that decision overturned for the Food Garden volunteers (mostly we are not directly in touch with visitors, and crops need to be planted or future visitors may only have empty garden beds to see) Of course, one rule must apply to all volunteering types and teams across the RTBG operations. The small paid staff team have not been suspended and visitors are still allowed to enter and roam through the gardens. Of course I could go to the RTBG as a visitor but my eyes always see a weed and I am unlikely to be able to control myself (even when I walk around my neighbourhood I always pull a few weeds at property boundaries – I can’t help myself) so it is better I avoid the Gardens for the time being.

Today (Thursday as I write) I am delighted to have received a text with photo from the Food Garden Coordinator Adam.  So here is the giant pumpkin which you have seen in past posts – it is still getting larger (thanks Adam).  Superexciting!

That plant life goes on regardless of the medical dramas facing human kind is incredibly reassuring.  And I am certain that a myriad of weeds will flourish!