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It’s World Postcard Day!!

Good Printed Things has done two postcard fundraiser projects over the years, and if you bought one of them and haven’t used them yet, today is your day!

Drop someone a short note to say hello and let’s put more of our messy, fancy, imperfect handwritten words out into the world.

There’s really nothing like getting a real note in the mailbox, and we could all use some extra points of connection these days. 📫

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Joshua on tintype

#tintype #yeahthatgreenville #film #largeformat #analog

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First @poetslive was an absolute dream! ✨🍐

Thanks to the great crowd, to @blankenship for organizing this space for local poets, and to my friend @doucette515 (& @egstephenspoetry too!) for consistently inviting me to go. Idk what took me so long!

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Tour Mandy’s garden with me!

If you’ve been to any of the Plant Share events I’ve hosted over the last few years, you’ve likely met @mrsblankenship. She’s been my partner in dreaming up creative ways to give plants away and meet more gardening friends in our community. (And we have a new project underway…stay tuned!)

The plants she brings to share are usually from her own garden in the Brandon Mill neighborhood (though sometimes from construction sites, when she rescues plants that would otherwise be bulldozed).

Her garden is so special. She’s taken her time, and carved out spaces for tributes to lost loved ones, play areas for her children, a firepit for gathering, and the most stylish chicken coop I’ve ever seen.

She and her husband @blankenship have incredible taste and a knack for thrifting and upcycling. And… moving rocks.

I love when a garden reflects the personalities and talents of its makers.

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There are lots of ways you can lean into poetry this month and one of them is to an attend a live poetry event. The amazing thing is that if you’re in Greenville, you can start tonight with @poetslive at @artcentergvl or @witsendpoetry on Sunday!!

If you live elsewhere, check out @voicesinpower_, a growing national directory of poetry events.🎙️Listen, read, be inspired. Surround yourself with poetry. #nationalpoetrymonth

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Save-the-Date! Saturday, May 2 from 10am - 1pm: Spring plant sharing event in collaboration with @millvillagefarms in @villagewgvl.

I’m thrilled these little events have picked up momentum and that we’re able to keep doing them each year.

If you’ve never been to one, this is all you need to know: We’re giving away free plants.

Cuttings of houseplants, divisions of perennials and bulbs, seeds, seedlings, sometimes full on trees. People who have, bring things to share. People who don’t, unabashedly receive.

That’s why we don’t call it a “swap” anymore…you’re welcome even if you don’t have a plant to trade.

We’ll share more details as we get closer but for now, mark your calendar and make plans to stop by. Hope to see you there 🙌

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Wonderful workshop with NC poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green!

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Such a great poetry night with @poetslive last night! So many new faces!

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If you’re interested in sharing your work at Activate, we are partnering with @poetslive for an open mic.

Poets Live is a monthly gathering of poets and fans of poetry in Greenville, SC. We are a welcoming, encouraging, and inspiring open mic for new or seasoned poets of all ages and styles. We’re excited to bring the open mic experience to Activate this year (with a little musical accompaniment!) Sign up for a 3–5min open mic slot to share your work, or just come to listen.

Joshua and Mandy Blankenship are married artists and writers living in Greenville, SC. They collaborate with their kids to write and illustrate books for Blankenshop, their independent press, and foster creative community through events and teaching.

Click on the 🔗 in our bio for registration. Student discount and scholarships available!

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Not sure if I ever shared this project here, but this is the kind of freelance work I love to take on: print projects about books, for people who love books.

This is a special edition newspaper I designed for the folks at @mjudsonbooks. They wanted a simple way to recommend books and restaurants to their customers when asked.

Inside, there’s a map of staff favorite local food and drink spots, illustrated by @blankenship, and on the back, a timeline of the historic courthouse building their bookstore is located in.

Books, Maps, Greenville, History. All of my favorites.

I was so happy to be included in the making of this project, and also to see a few of my books in their selected local reads list! 👏👏👏

This is why local businesses are so important. They support each other in beautiful ways like this!

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A week from today we will be hosting a FREE plant share event in the “the plaza” aka Oxford Plaza located in front of @theoxfordbarberco @kukajuice & @theanchoragegvl 578 Perry Ave from 10am-1pm. Bring a plant and take a plant. #gvltoday #villageofwestgreenville #yeahthatgreenville #whatsgoingongvl

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[To cut to the chase] FALL PLANT SHARE event coming up on Saturday, October 4!

Now on to rambling but hopefully helpful musings...

Fall is the best time for planting trees, shrubs and perennials in South Carolina. They don’t have to contend with the relentless heat, and their roots get established for strong growth next spring.

By all means, visit a local nursery and get inspired, but before you do let me offer a suggestion… Shop your own plants first!

On cool mornings or evenings in September and October, I like to wander around my property looking for plants to multiply:

Those irises look crowded in that corner, and the border has holes. Dig up, divide, move around.

Some of those lilies repeated across the front bed would round out the design.

The hellebores have naturalized behind the camellias, where no one sees them. Let’s bring some into the woodland garden.

That fern is getting fried. Find a spot for him in a shadier spot.

Anyone can do this: Share plants with yourself.

But it helps to have a few things in the back of your mind: 1) A basic understanding of some landscape design principles, and 2) A basic understanding of what to move in the fall and what to wait to move until spring. I share some thoughts on each in this week's post on substack. [link in bio]

If you find yourself digging up more than you feel so inclined to replant, share them with a friend. It’s just what gardeners do. All of the irises on my property were shared with me. And the blue mistflower. And the fig tree. You get the idea.

If you’re local, let me invite you to come share plants at a free event in the Village of West Greenville on Saturday, October 4! 10am - 1pm at 580 Perry Ave., beside @theoxfordbarberco & @kukajuice. Hope to see you there!

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