 I took this photo on the beach at Saltburn-by-the-Sea at the end of 2024 - the world feels like a pretty scary place right now and its often hard to see how we are going to get out of some of the huge messes we are in. But the beauty of this moment on the beach watching the light fade at the end of a hard day did give me some hope that it is worth keeping on keeping on doing the things we can for better ways to live on this planet. It’s been 10 years this year since I launched my right livelihood project Kt Shepherd Permaculture just after I completed my Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design. Through this last decade this design has been amazing - its been there by my side through some of the most significant events of my life, adapting and adapting again to the flow through multiple grief, illness, a move to a totally different life, slow recovery and new love. Over the last 6 months I’ve had a growing awareness that some of how I spend my days and seasons needs to change though and so through the early months of 2025 I will be designing my new right livelihood project. I’m really looking forward to where this new life chapter will take me and to sharing it with some of the wonderful folk old and new in my life. 
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Card Deck Review The Cultural Emergence Empowerment Deck is the latest creation by permaculture designer and teacher, Looby Macnamara. The deck contains 96 cards, and each one features one of Looby’s beautiful hand drawn illustrations. Although the deck is designed to be used in conjunction with Looby’s ‘Cultural Emergence - A Tool Kit For Transforming Ourselves & The World’ book, published by Permanent Publications in 2020, it's also a great ‘stand alone’ tool.
The deck features cards from the following areas of Looby’s work - The Cultural Emergence ‘phases’ (tools for balancing life), ‘practices’ (tools to embody regenerative habits) and ‘principles’ (tools to support effective decision making), the design framework from People & Permaculture, the Design Web and cards representing the 7 Ways To Think Differently, (growing supportive mindsets from systems of limitations). The last category the card deck includes is about the 8 Shields Model, designed by Jon Young, with the aim of deepening our understanding and practice of nature connection. It was really great to be part of a workshop Looby facilitated at the Permaculture Association’s ‘Festival Of Permaculture’, to explore how the cards could be used both personally and in group settings. Some of the ideas shared in the workshop that fit with Looby’s intentions for the deck as a tool included - creative work, decision making, journaling prompts, problem solving, coaching, designing, and self care practices. I use card decks from a wide range of disciplines in both my personal and work life and I’m really looking forward to seeing how the Cultural Emergence Empowerment Deck can be used on a regular basis, especially as part of my permaculture design projects. Book Review Lyme disease - Borrelia burgdorferi , is a disease transmitted to humans by infected ticks and found throughout all areas of the UK now in woodlands, fields, parks and gardens. It remains poorly understood by public health systems at a time when the number of people being infected with this multi system illness is rapidly increasing. Patients and practitioners have found it difficult to obtain reliable and effective information, test results and treatment. ‘Lost In Lyme’ sets out to address these challenges and is a welcome accessible tool to inform and empower both people living with Lyme and the health care practitioners treating and supporting them.
‘Lost In Lyme’ by extensively experienced medical herbalist Julia Behrens and chef and nutritionalist Daphne Lambert, is a new, well researched and super accessible resource and practical tool kit. Its format is clearly laid out chapters with short blocks of clear text, photos, diagrams, tables and illustrations which is a big help to those of us with foggy brains, one of the most common long term symptoms of Lyme. Behrens and Lambert’s work includes chapters on; An in-depth introduction to the disease, diagnosing and testing, medical and herbal treatments, (including using herbal treatments to support the use of lengthy courses of antibiotics treatments), plant profiles of herbal treatments, nutrition and recipes, growing herbal treatments in pots and gardens and self care. Included in the self care chapter is Julia Behren’s inspired holistic model, STEPS ( Social, Time, Emotional, Physical, Self), a tool about self awareness of concerns, needs and strengths in living with long term Lyme Disease. As I enter into my seventh year of living with a chronic Lyme Disease diagnosis I am once again incredible grateful for the recovery improvements I’ve made since the early long years of some hugely debilitating symptoms. I continue to experience some long term disabling Lyme related issues though and ‘Lost in Lyme’ is presenting me with new and easily applicable ways to start exploring different ideas for improving some of these  I’m excited to be facilitating a series of 11 workshops throughout 2023, about how to use permaculture design in everyday life situations and events. The 2 hour monthly workshops are taking place at my brilliant neighbours, Salts Works in Saltaire, Bradford. Through relaxed information sharing, creativity and informal discussion, these workshops will enable participants to explore how permaculture can be used to navigate everyday life in ways that connect with our values. Each workshop focuses on a different topic and is created to be enjoyed as a stand alone event or as part of the year long series. Access Places are limited to 10 per booking. Salts Works is accessible for people using mobility aids, including wheelchairs. This includes an accessible toilet. There is also an accessible garden for anyone who needs a break from being indoors. COVID 19 Please feel free to wear a face covering/mask in the workshop, if this gives you the confidence to participate. People are asked not to attend if they have any symptoms of a new bug or virus. Cancellations for a full refund are available until 24 hours before the event. Also Each workshop costs £20. The price include hot/cold drinks, vegan & gluten-free sweet goodies and a takeaway mini zine about the main themes of the workshop. The Workshops - Details & BookingEveryday Permaculture - An Introduction
Saturday 18th February 10.00 - 12.00 Everyday Permaculture - Edible Gardening Saturday 18th March 10.00 - 12.00 Everyday Permaculture - Health & Wellbeing Saturday 15th April 10.00 - 12.00 Everyday Permaculture - Wildlife Spaces Saturday 20th May 10.00 - 12.00 Everyday Permaculture - Climate Actions Saturday 17th June 10.00 - 12.00 Everyday Permaculture - Designing Events Saturday 15th July 10.00 - 12.00 Everyday Permaculture - Right Livelihoods Saturday 19th August 10.00 - 12.00 Everyday Permaculture - Caring For Others Saturday 15th September 10.00 - 12.00 Everyday Permaculture - Death, Dying & Bereavement Saturday 21st October 10.00 - 12.00 Everyday Permaculture - Winter Festivals Planning Saturday 18th November 10.00 - 12.00 Everyday Permaculture - Designing 2024 Saturday 16th December 10.00 - 12.00 Please feel free to email me if you have any questions about these workshops Earth, Air, Fire, Water & Spirit - |
