At this time of year, there’s a natural pull to expand — to sow more, do more, begin more. But many of us are already tending a great deal. Family, ageing parents, land, animals, work, students… Each one a living system requiring care, attention, and energy. When we overextend, something gets neglected. And often it’s not the obvious things. It’s the quieter layers: - relationships that need time rather than efficiency - our own energy and capacity - thoughts and patterns that shape how we respond to everything else Left untended, these don’t stay still — they grow, just not always in the direction we would choose. This is where the foundations of practice matter. Learning how we think and how we see (PP1 & PP2) isn’t just about land. It’s about recognising what is actually present — both visible and invisible — and responding with care. A few prompts for this week: What am I already responsible for tending? (name it honestly) Where is something asking quietly for attention? What feels slightly “off course” but still recoverable? What small act of care would make a difference here? Small, attentive shifts now prevent much bigger interventions later. That’s tending in practice.

Over the past week, I’ve noticed how quickly the mind moves to solving. A small issue presents itself — in the garden, in the home, in conversation — and almost immediately, there’s a pull to act, to fix, to decide. But not all situations need a solution straight away. Sometimes what’s needed first is simply to notice what is actually happening. Where have you noticed yourself moving quickly to solve or act this week? What changes when you pause instead? You’re welcome to share if it feels helpful, or simply sit with the question over the coming days.

Hi, Cath is here good to post/chat about course?? Already have questions 🤣🤣

We’re already a quarter of the way through the year. April invites a different kind of energy — not more ideas, not more plans, but care. This month’s small shift is Tending what’s already growing — choosing care over expansion. That can feel counterintuitive, especially here in the northern hemisphere, where everything in us wants to sow, start, and push forward. But every system we begin brings a responsibility with it. The question is not just what can I create? — but what can I realistically care for? Here on the croft, that feels very real. There’s new life to tend — goat kids already, and goslings expected soon. With that comes responsibility. Aerial predators are part of the system here; crows will work together to distract the adults while another swoops in. It’s a reminder that care isn’t passive — it’s attentive, responsive, and sometimes protective. In the forest garden, all the layers are beginning to come to life again. Growth is happening whether I intervene or not. My role is to notice what needs support, not to overwhelm the system with more. I’m looking forward to hosting a forest garden session next week — an opportunity to share that way of seeing in practice. Care extends beyond land. I’m really pleased to be mentoring a small group through the PDC pathway, and to continue supporting a student nurse in Jerash through our community healthcare scholarship. These are also living systems — relationships, learning journeys — and they need the same kind of steady attention as any garden. On the learning side, the full Permaculture Practice series is now available as ebook and audio bundles on my website. I’ll also be sharing short monthly Small Shifts in Practice videos there — a way of grounding these ideas in lived experience, season by season. We’ve started using the Skool space more actively too. Our recent PDC call was a good reminder that learning deepens when we connect. I’m wondering whether a more informal community call might be something worth trying — something simple, human, and optional. Let me know if that’s something you’d value.

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