Writing a strategy for a family festival day

Poetry is adaptable.  I've written a tiny technique called treasure hunt poetry to take families and small groups through a quick writing technique calling on found and sensory techniques in an old garden, now a commercial site on the historic precincts of Chinese Bendigo.

Its a free day- gardening ideas, preserves, solar energy and little triggers to remember a special garden association through treasure-hunt poetry.

I've been gathering things like seed pods, bits of crockery( found in gardens) feathers, and this afternoon I'll be looking at Peppergreen farm itself to see what herbs, leaves etc can be added to the treasure hunt table.

Here's a little example of what will be created, then handwritten on to paper flags and displayed around the garden.

Mint and knocking on neighbour's door

picking from the moist concrete cracks

for mum's roast Sunday lamb.

(C)  Lorraine Marwood 

What little snippets can be garnered from your garden- a certain texture or smell might take you back to a special memory?

Cloak Parade

The book's written, the cloak's made and the Chantelle book marks

Narelle Stone is reading the book, Meryl has played the harp and Tyson is wearing his magic cloak

Let the cloak parade begin

Twirls and audience clapping

Now to celebrate in style!

Thanks to the wonderful Bendigo library, Tammy Higgs, Narelle Stone, Meryl Wilkinson,
Julie Gittus, and my family for the wonderful launch.  Even thunder lightning and torrential rain couldn't stop the festivities but did stop the Melbourne train from arriving in time with this special guest.

Thanks Claire for making such a super cloak and coming to celebrate-thanks for all your patient critiques of the many drafts of Chantelle's cloak.