Get Gardening...

I am not a gardener. In the UK, I did just enough to prevent the neighbours complaining too vociferously.

In Cyprus, I have decided to turn over a new leaf (sorry, Scrib’s punning appears contagious).

I’m determined to add some scent and colour; initially to our terrace and balcony, and thereafter, who knows? First order of business? Why choosing an appropriate notebook, of course.

Enter, Fa-Vo. 100% Recycled, lay flat and ready for anything. The brown cover evokes rich fertile planting compost. Oh, I’m coming across all Earth-child.

Now. What pencil? It has to be a pencil, doesn’t it? Seems closest to nature. But which one? Oh who am I trying to kid? Harvest. It has to be Harvest.



The chances of a “Stu-project” succeeding, directly correlate to the care taken in selecting the right stationery. I want to use the stationery, which leads to marks, sketches and words in the notebook. These, inevitably become lists of to-dos and to-buys. My mind is conditioned to undertake things that appear on lists.

We now have some new flowers and herbs in pots.

My folks had this house built thirty years or so ago. I vividly remember my Mum asking me what the should call it.



It struck me as appropriate then, and it does still.

The Fa-Vo is a great book, and the recycled paper loves graphite. Pages are numbered, which is great for this type of project, as I can create a running index.

The Harvest 320 from Musgrave is an American classic. I love the #2, because I’m a fan of a good dark line. The pairing is awesome, with an audible feedback as I write. A working pencil. This may even end up behind my ear.

I’m going to make the place look better and smell better. I’ll get stuff wrong, but I’ll also have an outlet for creativity and nurturing. I daresay, I may even burn a calorie or two.

Right. I’m off to the garden centre.

Remember, forget the app, there’s a notebook for that...yep. Even that.