Let's grow food! A simple idea that got… complicated

So here's the thing - my parents gave all us siblings a little patch of dirt to grow things in, in our suburban backyard as kids. They probably had these sweet visions of us all tending to seedlings and learning about nature, and passing on their love of gardening.

Instead, for me, it my patch became a forgotten corner around the side of the house.

Oops.

"I'm not the gardening type" - well, that story started pretty young for me.

Then I met my former husband, Nick, whose Croatian dad had a legendary suburban veggie garden situation going on. And Nick? He found a way to grow food wherever we lived. Even when we were crammed into this tiny place with a concrete courtyard in Sydney's inner west for five years, he somehow made it work. Those cherry tomatoes were absolutely chefs kiss - the kind that spoil you for life.

But then, when Nick died at 40, suddenly the gardener was gone. The grower, the harvester, the one who actually knew what he was doing, and loved it.

And me? I definitely did NOT pick up where he left off.

I mean, I let the orange and lemon trees in our tiny courtyard do their thing because what else was I going to do? And there's a ridiculously sturdy rosemary bush that just keeps going no matter what. But all those beautiful plants people brought us when Nick passed? They slowly withered away under my spectacular lack of green thumb skills.

"I'm not the gardening type" felt like... fact.

But then I started learning about climate change and how it's going to mess with our food supply in ways that honestly terrify me. And there's this part of me that's been craving something more connected to nature, to seasons, to what's actually REAL

So I decided it was time. Time for the permaculture dream (fantasy!) to actually happen.

Now, a normal person would probably just get some decent soil and plant stuff in the existing garden beds, right?

Nope. Not me.

I decided I needed veggie planter boxes. Custom ones. Made from sustainable timber (yes, timber - apparently calling it "wood" makes Instagram followers gently correct you).

‘Not wood Lisa - timber!’ OK - got it team 😉

Which meant learning how to use a drill. And getting spiritual with a spirit level. And basically making my life way harder than it needed to be.

Here's what you need to know about my DIY skills: I literally didn't know the difference between a nail and a screw when I started this whole adventure. We're talking absolute beginner territory here.

But I'm actually pretty proud of what I've managed so far, even if the learning curve has been... let's call it steep. And messy. And occasionally rage-inducing.

Oh, and the jokes. The ‘wood’ jokes I've discovered along this journey... if you didn't already know I had a filthy mind, well, you're about to find out just how deep that rabbit hole goes.

The whole ridiculous story - complete with all the missteps, the swearing, and yes, all those inappropriate jokes - is over on Episode 3 of Women on the Verge. Because some things are just better told with actual sound effects and dramatic pauses, you know?

Here’s the truth… Sometimes the things we think we're "not the type" for are exactly what we need to lean into. Climate change isn't waiting for me to figure out which end of a drill to hold. And maybe being ‘the gardening type’ isn't something you're born with - maybe it's just something you become when life kicks you in the right direction.

Consider me kicked.

Ready to start your own food-growing adventure? Maybe start simpler than I did. Just saying 😉

And if you’ve got any tips - hit me up!

The Unexpected Camping Essential I’ll Never Overlook Again

When I first started camping with my kids, I thought the biggest challenges would be setting up the campsite, figuring out how to cook over a fire, or maybe just surviving the night without panicking over every little sound in the dark.

I didn’t expect one of the biggest lessons to be about footwear.

Why Footwear Caught Me Off Guard

Here’s the thing:
I’m not really a footwear person.

Living in Brisbane, I spend most of the year in thongs, sandals, or light shoes.
I especially don’t love wearing socks. #sensoryissues

So when we headed out on our first little camping trip to Misty Mountain in Kyogle, I confidently set off in my Havaianas, figuring they’d be perfectly fine for a casual, warm-weather overnight trip.

What I didn’t account for was the weather.

On the way there, it rained. And it kept raining on and off.
By the time we arrived, the ground was soft and muddy, and pretty soon, I was struggling.
My thongs kept getting stuck in the mud, my feet were cold and dirty, and the whole experience became way more uncomfortable than it needed to be. I was seriously grossed out and just quietly borderline on tears.

Enter: My Merry People Gumboots

Later that afternoon, after I washed off my feet and cleaned up, I pulled on some socks and my Merry People gumboots - and immediately felt like a new woman.

These boots have already earned their place in my life.

I initially got them when I was doing a dog training course with our overly anxious Covid Puppy, Frida (a Labradoodle who obviously got more of the “oodle”genes) and there was an old Lady there who looked fab in her boots.

Meet Frida - my anxious Labradoodle.

Side note: Frida was initially part of a breeding program. I needed to get her ready to spend time away from us while she had puppies, and didn’t want the breeder to know she was such a neurotic mess (or that we’d done such a terrible job socialising her).

Plot twist:  The breeder was at the course.  Busted.

Subsequently, Frida was removed from the program 😂.

Back to the boots. These little minx’s are a mini gumboot and you can get away with wearing them under a dress / jeans / whatever.  I wore them for a winter trip to Sweden, where I walked 10,000 to 20,000 steps a day through cold city streets and countryside, and they were super comfortable, warm, and durable.
They’re kind of a cross between a gumboot and a work boot, with great quality and a cute look (mine are a cherry red color).

On this camping trip, they became my new non-negotiable.
From the moment I leave home to the moment I return, I’ll be wearing proper, protective, supportive shoes.

Planning Footwear for the Kids

The kids don’t have gumboots yet, but after this first trip, I know we’ll need to invest in something sturdy for them too.
My son has already asked for hiking or work boots for his birthday, and my daughter definitely needs proper boots for future trips.

And as for socks - well, that’s a journey all on its own.
As someone who doesn’t love wearing socks, I know I’ll need to experiment to find pairs that won’t drive me crazy or make my feet overheat. But I’m determined to figure it out, because the right socks and shoes can completely change the comfort level of a camping trip.

Final Takeaway

If you’re new to camping like me, here’s my top tip:
Don’t overlook your footwear.

It might seem like a small detail, but good shoes (and socks) can be the difference between a muddy, miserable mess and a dry, confident, happy experience.

I’m grateful for the lesson, even if I learned it the hard way, and I’ll be sure to keep my gumboots close on every future adventure.

How I Became a Camping Mum

(Even Though I Was Scared of and Allergic to Everything Outside)

Let’s not sugarcoat this:
I am not a natural camper.

I’m high maintenance. I don’t do well roughing it. TBH I’m a bit of a b#$%@ after a bad night’s sleep.

In addition:
I’m afraid of snakes, spiders, mud, grass.
I’m allergic to half the things outside.
I didn’t grow up camping.
And up until recently, I had no idea what I was doing.

But when I separated from my partner after 20 years, I looked at my life and at my two teenage kids, 16 and 14, and realised something important.

1) Why not do the thing you’ve built a personality on HATING your whole life?

B) If we were going to become a camping family, now was the time. 

#divorcelifecrisis

I only have a couple more years with the kids while they live at home, a couple more years where they’ll (maybe grudgingly) come along and do things with me.

But honestly, it was more than that.

Facing Fear, One Campfire at a Time

Post-divorce, I realized just how many fears I was carrying.

Fear of repairing things.
Fear of fixing up the house.
Fear of being alone at night in an empty house.
Fear of making big decisions alone.
And yes, fear of doing things like camping without a partner.

Even though the kids would be with me, I was now the adult, the one responsible for their safety and all the logistics out in “the wild”.

AND FFS…I was tired of being scared all the time.
Camping felt like a challenge I could take on, one that would create memories with them and help me grow braver.

Packing was a bit full on. A full car. For one night.

Why I Wanted This for My Kids

I grew up in country NSW, in Tamworth, where in the 80s we were outside all the time.
When we were teenagers, we spent birthdays on properties in the middle of nowhere, sitting around campfires, listening to music under the stars.

I wanted my city kids - indoorsy, non-sporty, more into gaming - to get some of that too.

Not just fun, but also basic survival skills:

• Being able to sleep outside

• Feeling okay without a fridge or a roof over their heads

• Cooking over a fire

And honestly, for me, I’ve become obsessed with the idea of outdoor cooking as a skill, a kind of culinary adventure, a little bit of magic under the stars.

(Again… #divorcelifecrisis. I have no idea what I’m doing.  All I know is my kids think I am Cringe).

One day, I swear, I’ll master smoking a fish nailed to a wooden board by the fire, and that’s when I’ll know I’ve made it.

Our First Trip: Misty Mountain, Kyogle

We decided to ease in with one-night trips within a two-hour drive from Brisbane.
Our first destination was Misty Mountain in Kyogle, and it was beautiful.

It rained a bit, but we camped on top of a hill, watched an amazing sunset, and the kids got to be loud, fight with sticks, swim, kayak, and play with fire (safely, of course).
It was exactly the kind of experience I wanted for us (maybe minus the rain and mud).

But let me tell you, the lead-up was hectic.
I had no equipment, had to borrow and buy a bunch of things, and did a lot of research.

The Hero of Our Trip: The Big Daddy Deluxe

When it came to choosing a setup, I wanted something physically easy because let’s be real, I’m not super strong yet.
After a lot of searching, I landed on swags instead of a tent, specifically the Big Daddy Deluxe.

For anyone not familiar, a swag is like an Aussie mini-tent-meets-bedroll, based on the old-school ones drovers and herders used. Modern swags are like little domed tents with a mattress built in.

We bought two Big Daddy Deluxes secondhand on Facebook Marketplace.
The kids shared one, and I had the other.

✅ Took about 90 seconds to set up
✅ Stayed dry even in the drizzle
✅ A little claustrophobic at first, but I got used to it
✅ Super comfy double mattress inside

The only downside is they’re big. We had to use roof racks to get them onto the car, but that’s a story for another day.

If you’re considering getting into camping and want an easy, stress-free setup, I highly recommend looking at swags, especially the Big Daddy Deluxe.

What’s Next

We’ve got another trip coming up in a couple of weeks, and I’ll report back on how the Big Daddies hold up in heavier rain or heat.

For now, this is our “tent” of choice, and we’re excited to keep exploring together, braver, and a little more outdoorsy each time.