I am so pleased to see you here in this space. Fatima is from Jerash Camp and hopes one day to be an English translator so please do reach out to interact with her. Google translate is not perfect, but it is helpful! يسعدني وجودكم هنا. فاطمة من مخيم جرش، وتطمح لأن تصبح مترجمة إنجليزية، لذا لا تترددوا بالتواصل معها. ترجمة جوجل ليست مثالية، لكنها مفيدة! فاطمة، من فضلكِ انشري منشورًا لتعريف نفسكِ وإخبار المجموعة بسبب وجودكِ هنا

I’m back in Jordan. The sun is shining. The olive groves are lush. Road verges are scattered with spring flowers. It’s Ramadan, and the camp has been decorated with streamers made from recycled materials. Last year we spoke often about waste, about cycles, about stewardship. This year the women told me they’ve been more conscious of sustainability and waste management in daily life. Not because anyone instructed them to. But because attention shifted. The herbs we planted together are now being harvested for cooking. The passion fruit vine is high enough to cast shade. Design decisions made quietly, months ago, are now part of everyday life. This is permaculture in practice. Not just beds and borders — but awareness. Not just systems — but relationships. Not just productivity — but care. As we move deeper into social permaculture — into how we build resilient communities — I’m noticing how warmth shows up: • in shared meals during Ramadan • in reused materials turned into celebration • in tending plants together • in conversations that continue long after workshops end Care is rarely loud. It accumulates in small, repeated acts. This week, I invite you to notice: Where is care already present in your systems? Where has your own attention quietly shifted over time? Design is not only what we build. It is what we begin to see differently.

Greetings from Campoverde, our Living Lightly lab in the south of Spain. We’ve arrived to bright sunshine, daytime temperatures above 20°C, spring flowers already open, and lush growth fed by winter rains. There is warmth in the air and visible vitality everywhere. And. There is also evidence of winter wind: Plants knocked sideways. Stems broken. Support straps snapped. Warmth brings growth. Growth requires structure. One hedge between neighbouring properties has become so overgrown that it now needs cutting right back. There are old birds’ nests woven through it — not currently in use, but clearly a place that has been home for several seasons. We’ll only reduce half the hedge this time, leaving the rest intact so nesting can continue further along. This feels like a February lesson. Care does not mean control. But care also does not mean neglect. The elderly owners here have understandably wanted the garden to remain wild and natural for wildlife. The property is only occupied part of the year. Human presence is intermittent. And this highlights something important: Rewilding does not mean doing nothing. All systems need context. All systems need relationship. All systems need some degree of appropriate stewardship. Design must account for: • Who is available? • How often is the site observed? • What forces (wind, rain, growth) are acting in our absence? • What maintenance rhythms are realistic? In February, as we explore Care & Warmth, perhaps the invitation is this: Where in your life is growth happening because conditions are favourable? Where has something been left too long — not from neglect of intention, but from lack of availability? What would “half-cutting the hedge” look like for you — responsive, measured care rather than drastic reaction? Warmth without awareness can lead to overwhelm. Care without context can create future problems. Stewardship sits quietly between the two. I’d love to hear what you’re noticing this week — in land, home, work, or relationships. 🌱

Great to have you here. Do please introduce yourselves to other group members, feel free to ask questions or post comments (you need to select a category from the list below before you can post. If you're not sure which category, dont stress about it, pick what seems closest or use general) And do have a look in the classroom. The Permaculture Practice series is now live and I'm working on the Technical Studios which will accompany the mentored Permaculture Design Course.

This is a learning community for those designing regenerative lives — on and off the land, in home, work, and relationship. We explore practical permaculture thinking as a framework for everyday decisions. You are welcome whether you’re new to these ideas or have been practising for years. What matters here is not perfection, but intention. Inside this space you’ll find: • Thoughtful discussion • Practical tools and resources • Courses and design pathways • Opportunities to reflect and apply what you’re learning Participation is encouraged — but always at a pace that respects your context. A few shared agreements: • Think critically and kindly • Speak from lived experience • Respect difference • Design responsibly This is not a space for passive scrolling. It’s a space for applied learning. Begin where you are. Observe. Interact. Adjust. Thank you for being part of this evolving ecosystem. — Cath 🌿