The days are very very long. I get up early and listen to the voices of New Victoria Gardens.  I listen to them all day. I take a break to do some weeding.

When I enter the gardens daily, it is extraordinary. The colour, the growth, the light, all extend themselves. At dusk, the birds sing so loudly – most likely the Robins living around the area, who are often the first ones to sing at dawn and can continue singing well into the night.  Their song is often mistaken with that of the Nightingale, with whom they are distantly related.

Things are sprawling, like a Japanese knotweed, across the grounds of a vast space.

I continue collecting voices, sounds, and begin the epic task of transcribing text from audio recordings.

I speak to many people in the allotments. Over these weeks I have met many people.  I record stories, bird calls and read a lot about the difference between accessing sound and visuals.

Fiona finds the nest of a blackbird on the path in her allotment. She thinks it belongs to a family of blackbirds. She hopes the fledglings were strong enough.

I hand deliver a letter to all allotment users. There are nearly 100.

A lot has happened, although time seems to move slowly now I have arrived in the Gardens, as if my pace slows to match the plants, to match the path of the sun.

The past days have been eventful, full of storms and sunny spells.

The process moves quickly, thoughts and threads changing and shifting as quickly as this weather.

Today outside is full of movement-the birch trees in Tramway’s Hidden Gardens dance madly in the wind-but I sit mostly still.

I am so pleased to be finally beginning this process.  The way my residency will work is that I will do 45 (pretty much) consecutive days on the drive with the odd day off here and there.

I will begin work on Albert Drive in a few weeks, and am very much looking forward to observing and becoming part of the day-to-day life and happenings of this place,
 meeting people, and becoming familiar.