Break-out!
Sometimes the best option for me. Then and again, its good for my soul to gain distance from all the external effects of the sometimes dirty, chaotic city of Mannheim. Just like the problems, distractions and barriers that can be quite confusing, when one lives in the city. Bills, pollution, politics, the “hustle and bustle”. All the more satisfaction to be able to get out, in the open and leave it all behind for a while.
Fortunatley, there is the garden! A place where I can be the way I am and I have the feeling, that I don´t have to simulate. A place that I can go to, when I want my peace, but also a place to meet up with my family. A thing that is very important to me.
The Garden lies right between the riverbank of the Rhein, and an alluvial forest. One has to take the ferry boat to get over. Accross there is a modern coal power plant. Contrasty picture, but it reminds me what values I upold and this helps me to keep my stance. The romans also used to have one of thier fleets positioned here around the year 369, so this place has history.
Occationally we meet up here, dwell together, cook, recuperate, sit by the fire at night, play music, laugh, take care of the animals and do gardening. Everyone takes turns in watering the plants. Courgette, carrots, watermelon, tomatos, corn, cucumbers, herbs and much more, grows rather well this way.
Here in the Garden, I get the feeling that i´m taking care of the substantial things in my life. Seldom an argument occurs. There is space. If you feel the need for conflict, the garden also qualifys as a scene. For me, arguments belong to mutual peace and they show me, that we are important to each other, or that we actually want to get along in the long run. “If you can´t argue, then you don´t care”.
Three years ago we underwrote the place. Since then the family matters have improved clearly. I really wouldn´t know how we would do without anymore. Again, we would probably have the problem, to either meet up in the flats or somewhere in public, where there just isn´t as much space or privacy. With the garden, we have found a blessed place. As a family-community it just makes sense to take on this sort of joint-assignment.
It´s midsummer in the moment. The days are very warm. It feels like the last time it rained was around two weeks ago and the earth is becoming dry. We have to water the plants every evening, otherwise they won´t last long in the summer sun the next day. We dug a water well last year. That was some work! It was well worth it though. Hours and hours we took turns on the rope to get the sand pumped up. In the end we reached eight meters, I think. Finally, when it was finished, we celebrated out effort with some cold ones.
The well provides us with cold, clear ground water. The water is relativly clean, compared to the surrounding settlements. Our animals, two ouessant sheep, six hens, one rooster, an adopted cat, occationally the golden retriever, the plants and us can be glad. The hygine has improved clearly in the garden eversince. This way its possible to clean the dishes, when someone declares themselves willing! Of course, strictly with biodigradable liquid.
Well, we still haven´t managed to organize everyone doing thier own dishes. I wonder if that will ever work. Usually everyone hurrys to catch the last ferry and then they just "forget" thier dishware.
We have two caravans that we can use for overnight accomodations and one construction trailer, for the tools and such. Around the fireplace we built a couple of shelters made out of pallets, timber, reedmats and tarpaulin. Lateron we bulit a kitchen area, similar in build, where we can also cook on the installed gas stove.
There we have it. Our little gypsy paradise.
To be contiued …
Greetings,
