Hello again
Its been well and truly over one year since I wrote a newsletter.
In writing this today I’m using the last newsletter I sent 12+ months ago as a draft, and I have that big feeling in the chest like I’m going to cry. As I’m typing in the text box I can see edges of images of the farm that were inserted into the previous email: lots of sun and sky and plants and living-ness.
I feel a great deal of tenderness towards the farm, almost heart break. But its a very specific kind of tender heartbreak, the kind you feel for lovers who were lovely, but not right for you.
Its taken a lot of time to slowly process the move away from market gardening, its been quiet and slow. Lots of dog walks, food and training in the gym, and so much talking between Dylan and I.
About 6 months ago big chats started working their way onto paper, then into maps and timelines and drafts. And then over the past few months I’ve felt myself slowly wanting to come out of my shell, and I’ve felt like writing again and slowly being back in world, which is a good feeling.
Which lands us here.
Friends Dylan and I are in the development stage of a new work together, and this new work is finally materialising in the real world. And instead of introducing it in the future when it’s finalised & fully operational, I want to do it now while we’re in the throws of it developing & becoming.
We’ve named this new work The Living Room, and it is a resistance training space we’re building within our workers cottage house in West Hobart.
Just like veggies, resistance training is a kind of nourishment for the body & the brain & the heart. The Living Room is an iteration of the same threads that made up Broom & Brine. In fact, I think The Living Room may even be a sister iteration within it. To be honest I’m really not sure about how things sits together: between Broom & Brine and The Living Room.
Hence the development stage.
This stage is messy: there’s concepts that are set in stone and others that are loose and wild and they butt up against each other and cause friction. But I think its an interesting time for a new work to be in, and I’m excited to be talking through the considerations, challenges and forks in the road here.
This was first sent as a letter.
