Less Talk. More Action. And Don't Be Afraid of the Mess.

When my daughters were younger, I had a simple formula for any creative project--if the amount of time it engaged my children was longer than the amount of time it took to clean up, then it was a go.  Period.  It was as simple as that.  Paints were out all the time in my house--butcher paper ready for roving artists was taped all over the walls, and the art easel was always set up (here's a canvas I painted one day in passing, using plants from the garden as brushes).  Glitter glue?  Bring it on.  Rocks and sticks, and seashells from vacation, and dirt from the garden got dragged all over the house.  And I had a sandbox in my kitchen, for goodness sake.  (You know how long it takes to vacuum sand?  Mere seconds.)

Santa Okras!

As I was working on my Santa Okras yesterday (seriously--how cute is this little gang?!), I was reminded of my old "formula" because, at first, I didn't want to drag all the stuff out, although, in reality, it only took a moment to set up and a couple minutes to clean up. The late-afternoon light streamed in the window, and I flung my back door open (I had gotten a much-wanted screen door for my birthday not long ago) and a pleasant breeze blew in. I worked diligently while deep in thought about something that has been troubling me. Something very close to my heart in my life has become more complicated than I think is necessary, and I realized the group was spending more time engaging in conversations about what to do rather than actually doing the things. This presents a conundrum for me--is this a natural "next stage" of an organization, and if so, do I stay and try to keep things simple?  Or do I move on?  How am I most valuable to the people involved and the long-term sustainability of the initiative?  I don't know yet.

This shows what the Better World Books drop box will be like as part of a complete community recycling center

Steve Ward of Better World Books at Wheat Street Gardens

I was down at Rashid's Wheat Street Gardens again this week (Rashid is the first one to add a Better World Books drop box since I've been working with Steve Ward of that company to increase opportunities for people to be involved in the good they do--who else is in?  Email me).  (I love this picture of Steve--here's one from when I first met him).  And I was struck by how much is growing at that urban farm, especially considering that it is just celebrating its first anniversary--something like five tons of food have been produced so far on this previously barren piece of land.  Rashid and Eugene just get things done.  (Here is from when I first met Rashid, and here is from when I first visited Wheat Street Gardens this past January.)  Simple.  Effective.

I attended the Sustainable Atlanta Roundtable meeting (sponsored by Southface) Friday morning for the first time in a year or so, and was struck by how much progress has been made by sustainability leaders in my larger metro-area, and I felt "at home."  (I was even inspired to include mention of it in my "home tips and trends" blog, Hot Off the Vine, for a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises.)  (And I got a kick out of all the bikes parked all over the place--it was like going to a party when I was a teenager!)  These people just get things done.  Simple.  Effective.

The new Plant a Row at St. Pat's

Team Peachtree's bed

I stopped at the community garden and was blown away by how much the middle school kids' raised bed has grown in just a month (they will, in fact, harvest from it this week for the food pantry).  Then, I stopped at the garden at the food pantry itself and honestly can't believe how the new Plant a Row has exceeded my wildest expectations (see the complete series of articles about that initiative linked at the bottom of this blog, or click here).  Simple.  Effective.

And then I met with Nicki Schroeder of High Road Craft Ice Cream again.  She wants to start a garden in her industrial office park to provide ingredients for their small-batch, artisanal flavors (which range from custom chef-blends like grapefruit rosemary sorbet to standards like mint chocolate chip).  (Have you noticed that when people are starting gardens or involved for the first time, they literally explode with joy?  This is about the 6th or 7th time I've gotten a photo like this!)  We selected a location, hatched a plan, and penciled in a date for the build-out (complete with ice cream samples!), once this and that is determined.  Simple. Effective. 

Today, I'm meeting with someone else, for reasons that I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, are meant to be.  And I suspect the amount of time we spend talking about it will be far less than the amount of time we spend actually doing it.  In fact, I'm bringing my pitchfork.  Because I expect it to be simple.  And I want nothing more than to be effective with the non-renewable resource of time with which I have been entrusted today.

I'm thinking a lot about Steve Jobs still, by the way. I'm not done learning from him.  But there is one thing I do believe I've learned for sure already. Less talk.  More action.  And don't be afraid of the mess. 

Less Talk. More Action. And Don't Be Afraid of the Mess.