Journal | June 2023

June was a month of sunshine, connection time and a much needed shift of the calendar. It felt like the start of a new chapter as I started to adjust to a new rhythm in my week, I felt I had the headspace I needed and had rested where I could. It helped that the garden shifted its focus too with the end of the tulips and the start of the alliums, peonies and spotting the gaps where new growth and plants were needed.

June was a month free of bank holidays and I was relieved in a way. I loved the bank holiday weekends in May as we had more time together as a family, however on reflection May left me feeling really discombobulated. The weeks were short and I felt I couldn’t really get into anything I wanted to so things were left started or half started. June arrived with a freer calendar and space to make a proper start at shaping things.

My favourite moments in June

Making space for reflection in my month is an important part of a gratitude practice I’m cultivating. I like to take about 30 minutes of a day at the end of the month, or early the next month, to look at my calendar, lists and photos to remind myself of the things I’ve done during the month. I make some quick notes of what we had done during the month as a family, what I’ve done related to my the thinking and planning in my business and any other things I’ve been doing. I spend some time reflecting on what I’ve most enjoyed, what I’ve struggled with and how I have used my month. I love to create a journal of sorts, reflecting and celebrating the month just gone.

Here are my June highlights…

Being part of co-working groups - I joined the Wild Work Collective, part of The Wild Academy, which felt like a new bookmark in my week and something to look forward to and connect to like minded souls. I’ve been part of The Wild Academy community for a number of years and decided to make the decision to join the group for people who are self-employed. I’ve also joined in with Suzy Darke’s free co-working session on a Monday morning, a lovely way to ground into the week and get started on planning, writing or thinking time. Having connection with others working solo at home, as a regular part of my week felt important to me to establish, I wanted to create something in my schedule to replace connection time I had in my corporate career.

Connection time with family - My Mum and Dad came to visit for a few days which was just wonderful and a much needed visit to spend time together and catch up. Chloe adored the time together as a family, we had the most glorious weather, enjoying time in the garden, going to Ashton Court and walking round the rose garden, a hidden gem. We sat in the sunshine having a pub lunch and enjoying the time with one another.

Connection time with friends - I managed to see a few friends and some of my old Pukka team this month for walks, lunches and evening meals, andhad a few calls with friends too. It was lovely to catch up on news, laugh, share updates, and keep connected. Many of my friends are shifting into new chapters and experiencing their own changes in life at the moment so it felt good to talk about stuff.

Celebrating - We celebrated the world of Pukka at the final summer party. Based in nature, connecting to plants and wonderful people was just heaven. Looking around I was given the gift of a final reminder of a very special culture we had all input into and created, a shared passion to balance commerce with conservation, the roots of our business. I stayed to the end of the party (which is now a rare thing for me to do) as I wanted to soak up every moment. We all danced with Tim and Seb, the co-founders, on the dance floor busting out the moves and singing our hearts out. A much needed release, a moment of joy and appreciation, connection time and gratitude of the unique business and approach we had. It will be really missed by everyone, the party felt bittersweet. The remaining teams have a few more months before the office closes and their roles finish up or transfer to be homeworkers.

Visiting Chloe’s school - With the school place confirmed in April we were invited into a parents evening for an hour to meet her teacher, see her classroom and find out what we needed to help Chloe with before she starts school. It felt like an important milestone which has now started and we now begin a countdown to Chloe finishing at her childminder and pre-school. The next few months will be supporting Chloe with a transition and getting her ready to go off to reception in September. I can’t quite believe we are at this stage already it has gone by so quickly.

Delicious food - It was a month of making delicious salads for lunches and dinners, sometimes just for myself and for friends who came over for lunch and dinner. The weather has been perfect salad weather and I’ve enjoyed layering in colours, textures and tastes. I had the urge to make a simple quiche to add something extra to salads, it gave us quite a few lunches which was so satisfying. Chloe and I made chocolate chip vintage cookies one weekend which was fun and they were demolished in two days!

My Fridays with Chloe - I love my one day with Chloe and know we don’t have many of them left before September. Since the start of Spring we have filled our Friday’s with Forest School and swimming. This month Chloe moved up a swimming class, she no longer has arm bands (as she can touch the floor) and is enjoying practicing using floats, noodles and swimming on her back.

Time in our garden - June has been a productive month of re-establishing the planting in the garden. After the tulips, iris and other spring bulbs had gone over I spotted quite a few gaps I had in the planting. We lost quite a few plants over winter, a Penstemon and a Lavender included, both took up quite a bit of space in our raised beds and formed features.

I decided to invest in new perrenials bought as small plants to patiently wait for them to grow and establish. I added lots of different salvias, veronica, honeysuckle, scented geraniums, echinacea, and a few different types of lavender. I imagine next year the space we hopefully feel full and flowing. I applied ‘Strultch’ to the containers in an attempt to help the soil retain water, help the soil structure and hopefully deter snails and slugs. I planted out the dahlias which were ready and big enough and placed them in the garden and a few in containers. I did some final weeding in areas I hadn’t got to yet and tidied up our pots. One of the highlights this month in our garden were my peonies, four of them flowered this year, a lovely mix of soft pinks and beautiful scents.

June, what a lovely month. With so much going on and the weather being warm it really felt like summer had landed.