Green Thumb [Sanctuary Staff]

[Gianne Basete]

Gianne smiled crookedly at Elem. She knew exactly how he felt. The Sanctuary was so different from Zeltiva. And yet... similar, in her eyes. The air was still filled with the smell of the sea, but more dominant was the odor of animals. It was a wonderful mixture. And the rooms were large. They had their own character too, like they were made just for the individual staying in them. Gods, she loved it here. But it was time to work now, not dwell on fanciful thoughts of her old and new home. She leaned against the long handle of her tool, listening to Serrif carefully. She would follow along with whatever she was told to do. The gardens would benefit Elem and Serrif, healers, more than her. Then again, it would really benefit them all. "Don't you think it would be in our best interest to get the medical garden started? I mean, that's just my opinion. If we need food planted first though, by all means let's start that. You know more about this than I do. I'm just here to lend my amazing strength and stamina." Gianne smiled broadly, flashing teeth and hefting her hoe.

[Elem Bree]

Elem listened to the older man, pleased with the idea that there had been planning done ahead of time. Especially since gardens were usually not items of priority in a medical facility. He thought they should be and was glad that they were here. "Hanging gardens?", Elem queried while eying large rocks close to the surface, hoe at the ready. "Sounds interesting and efficient, but I've never seen any myself. Zeltiva isn't quite so industrious with the gardening." He looked over at Gianne, knowing that she would understand.

Listening to the other Zeltivan, he nodded while looking out at the spaces mentioned by Serrif. Her idea made the most sense. "I agree with Gianne. Let's get the medicinal garden going first. i imagine a healing center will have more need of medicinal herbs than fruits, because that's about all we are going to manage this late in the season as far as the other gardens. Now, we can always plant ornamental annuals so that they will come up every year, but I don't think there is much use in planting anything to eat, especially with that giant orchard across the way." he pointed back behind him over the wall with the hoe, meaning the orchards with the large snakes in them.

[Serrif Von Chatlyn]

Serrif shrugged then went on to explain his decision. “I was just thinking that starting at the largest garden would allow us to wind down easier while we finished the work. So as we get tired we get more work done quickly.” Gianne’s antics brought a smile to his face. She was a character.

“I really don’t think anything will come out of the food areas until next season, and I’m unsure as to the extent that the medical garden will get any growth, but we can start there. All we need to do today is clear the areas. Everything else will be done later.” He picked up the handles of the wheelbarrow and wheeled it over to where the medical garden was going to be.

It wasn’t a long walk at all over to where the chicken house and mews were. He didn’t know how long it would be before all this got up and operational again; but he did know that it was all needed in one way or another. The chickens were needed for the eggs and meat and the mews were good for hunting birds. He would have to learn a little about falconry before he even tried such an endeavor. Maybe he could take up some books on the subject? That would be a good start he believed.

He set the wheelbarrow down in the middle of the area, or what he believed to be near the middle of the area and then set to work. He didn’t need anything at first; his hands were good enough for him. There were some larger pieces of debris scattered around still. Things he would be able to pick up with his hands. Things like large stones, slivers of wood and such. He picked these pieces up and set them inside the wheelbarrow. They weren’t heavy but they had memories of a kind.

They were remnants of what was the Sanctuaries above ground structures. He understood now why Riaha had left. Kavala and her had poured blood seat and tears into these buildings. Built them together from nothing and here it all was destroyed. Laid to waste…He couldn’t imagine how that felt for them both. It had to be crushing…and for them to start all over again from nothing? That prospect had to be overwhelming for all of those who were at the Sanctuary. He was glad he was removed enough to set his mind to work when it all happened.

He admired Kavala for this reason. She wouldn’t give up; and even though he would never understand how hard she was being driven to complete this place after the storms he knew she would never stop. She wouldn’t ever let anything get in her way. Nothing would stop her from completing her goals. She seemed to pour everything she had into this place, because it would withstand the test of time. And with the way they were now building everything back it sure seemed like it would withstand another storm like the one they had been through.

He walked the area and bent down picking up any large stones or debris he found. Little by little the place was clearing up. They would have to mix a better soil into these areas in order to make it fertile for plants. But that could be done later. The general groundwork had to be done first. There among the debris he found a somewhat small piece of splintered wood…He sighed. He was glad to be part of this rebuild that would make the Sanctuary stronger.

“We need to come up with an organization scheme for these gardens as well as some things we want to grow for medical uses. That way we can plot out everything that will be going here…or in the least try to.” Serrif said looking to Elem.

“Is there anything specifically you want to try and grow here? Anything you want to have use of?” He wasn’t sure if anything planted now would grow fast enough to be mature before the winter settled in.

The winters here were indeed harsh, there would be nearly a foot of snow on the ground up here and the cold temperatures would pierce all the way down to the within. He wasn’t completely sure though but he did remember that the winters were harsh here. There wouldn’t be much use in leaving the grounds. The only reason he could come up with was to go hunting or run some of the horses for a few hours. He knew Hasmere was looking forward to running through the snow again. The poor horse was almost miserable all summer.

“I know I want the use of poppy plants, and maybe some miscellaneous herbs and such. But I am unsure as to the growing conditions for poppy…so I will have to do some more research on the topic before I try and plant it.” He stretched some and set another piece of debris in the wheelbarrow.

The cleanup was going to take time before they could even lay down the groundwork for the gardens. But it would all be worth it later when the gardens were putting out enough food to feed them. It would require a close attentive eye, and a fair amount of knowledge in order to tend to the gardens properly. Something Serrif would have to develop if none else did. But it seemed like Elem was taking a liking to this garden work. But even if Elem wanted to do it all alone Serrif would want to put a careful eye on some choice plants for medical use.

He had taken notes on the subject while in Mura. What plants were grown and how the garden was laid out. Maybe he could help use that to help them lay out this garden usage. He would need to look over what he wrote carefully in order to glean what he needed. But overall these gardens were a good idea. Well more like a needed idea.

[Gianne Basete]

When the work was to start, Gianne turned into a obedient, sufficient worker. She tended to talk less and work more. It always went faster that way. Gardens were not her strong point, though. It was like Elem said. Zeltiva wasn't very green, if you didn't count the mountains looming up around it. Their home city had other qualities about it. Riverfall and the Sanctuary had lush gardens, while Zeltiva had amazing buildings, the University, and its impressive shipyard. If someone wanted to know the different kind of sea vessels, Gianne was a pretty good source of information. But if plants were the subject, except for the obvious ones a few not-so-obvious, she was not the person to be asking. And so she worked, shifting stones into the wheelbarrow that she could manage to carry. It was a long process made shorter thanks to the help. Pieces of wood littered the area as well. Leftover signs of the destruction caused by Djed. It was a sad thing, that storm. So much pain it caused, chaos and death. But things were healing, like they always did after trajedy. Absently, Gianne wondered how other cities were doing. Were their people cleaning up like they were, preparing to rebuild what had been so quickly taken? She assumed there was. It was a heartening though, and it made her work just a little bit faster. By the time all of the large stones were cleared away, and most of the visible chunks of wood, sweat trickled down her back and front, making her shirt stick to her skin. Gianne rolled both sleeves up to her elbows and flexed her gloved fingers, examining the lines of dirt caked into the leather. "So, I don't know anything about gardens. Let alone what to plant for medicine. Do you think I should go ahead start to churn up the top layer of soil and pick through the finer debris?" She smiled crookedly at Elem. "After all, if I remember correctly you were the one with the garden. At least your parents were." A little mischief danced in her eyes as she remembered the day they met. She'd been "running away" from home, and she had just so happened to have found him that little garden outside his house. OOCWe should just do this without Serrif. Especially if it's just clearing the spaces. This thread actually fell between the cracks for me.