Renée Layberry
@rlayberry.bsky.social
GenX publishing pro ☆ lək̓ʷəŋən traditional territory/Victoria, BC ☆ belonging, books, community, creative practice, food security, gardening, mutual aid, placemaking ☆ my rescue dog is my life coach ☆ she/her 🇨🇦 🏳️🌈
https://theverdigrisoctopus.substack.com/
https://theverdigrisoctopus.substack.com/
I've been given a new, better plot for 2026; it was abandoned, so I'm clearing it out and wrapping up my old one.
I've learned that gardening is about planning and working towards the next season, not just tending to the current one. True for life in general, too. #communitygarden #gardening
I've learned that gardening is about planning and working towards the next season, not just tending to the current one. True for life in general, too. #communitygarden #gardening
November 8, 2025 at 8:12 PM
I've been given a new, better plot for 2026; it was abandoned, so I'm clearing it out and wrapping up my old one.
I've learned that gardening is about planning and working towards the next season, not just tending to the current one. True for life in general, too. #communitygarden #gardening
I've learned that gardening is about planning and working towards the next season, not just tending to the current one. True for life in general, too. #communitygarden #gardening
A sunny autumn day and a walk along the water with my wee doggo. Perfection.
October 6, 2025 at 12:02 AM
A sunny autumn day and a walk along the water with my wee doggo. Perfection.
How can I go back to eating pale, store-bought, off-season tomatoes after harvesting and gorging myself on all these tomatoes I grew this summer?
September 22, 2025 at 1:48 AM
How can I go back to eating pale, store-bought, off-season tomatoes after harvesting and gorging myself on all these tomatoes I grew this summer?
Cusp-of-fall bounty, bound for Living Edge Market, which serves those experiencing food insecurity. Herbs, lots of collards, patty-pans, beets, tomatoes, kale and more. #communitycare ##communitygarden ##foodsecurity #gardening
September 20, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Cusp-of-fall bounty, bound for Living Edge Market, which serves those experiencing food insecurity. Herbs, lots of collards, patty-pans, beets, tomatoes, kale and more. #communitycare ##communitygarden ##foodsecurity #gardening
Anyway. Tofino and Ucluelet are gorgeous. So worth the trip.
September 8, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Anyway. Tofino and Ucluelet are gorgeous. So worth the trip.
Driving home after a vacation. Stopped in Port Alberni for food and to stretch our legs. Random dude in a truck loudly yells "Fuck Mark Carney! Fuck Mark Carney!" at my husband, who's wearing an Elbows Up t-shirt and walking our tiny dog.
Sir, this is a McDonald's parking lot. Calm your testicles.
Sir, this is a McDonald's parking lot. Calm your testicles.
September 7, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Driving home after a vacation. Stopped in Port Alberni for food and to stretch our legs. Random dude in a truck loudly yells "Fuck Mark Carney! Fuck Mark Carney!" at my husband, who's wearing an Elbows Up t-shirt and walking our tiny dog.
Sir, this is a McDonald's parking lot. Calm your testicles.
Sir, this is a McDonald's parking lot. Calm your testicles.
Harvested 14 tomatoes today—not even half of what's still ripening.
August 31, 2025 at 4:10 AM
Harvested 14 tomatoes today—not even half of what's still ripening.
The abundance continues. More produce from the garden, bound for Living Edge Market. I'm convinced that food insecurity is more a matter of supply-chain and communication breakdown than a scarcity of produce. Grow food. Share food. #communitycare #communitygarden #foodsecurity #gardening #solarpunk
August 23, 2025 at 5:33 PM
The abundance continues. More produce from the garden, bound for Living Edge Market. I'm convinced that food insecurity is more a matter of supply-chain and communication breakdown than a scarcity of produce. Grow food. Share food. #communitycare #communitygarden #foodsecurity #gardening #solarpunk
Thai lime leaves (aka Makrut) grown and shared by a neighbour. Will freeze these for making curries, soups and other Thai-inspired dishes.
I really love growing, accessing and sharing food outside of commercial channels.
#foodsecurity
I really love growing, accessing and sharing food outside of commercial channels.
#foodsecurity
August 17, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Thai lime leaves (aka Makrut) grown and shared by a neighbour. Will freeze these for making curries, soups and other Thai-inspired dishes.
I really love growing, accessing and sharing food outside of commercial channels.
#foodsecurity
I really love growing, accessing and sharing food outside of commercial channels.
#foodsecurity
This week's bounty, bound for the local free-food market. Underneath all the leafy vegetables are beans and squash. The red-and-green bundle to the right is shiso, a member of the mint fanily, used in Vietnamese cooking. #communitycare #communitygarden #foodsecurity #Esquimalt ##yyj #vancouverisland
August 16, 2025 at 4:54 PM
This week's bounty, bound for the local free-food market. Underneath all the leafy vegetables are beans and squash. The red-and-green bundle to the right is shiso, a member of the mint fanily, used in Vietnamese cooking. #communitycare #communitygarden #foodsecurity #Esquimalt ##yyj #vancouverisland
This weekend's delivery to the local free-food market that serves neighbours in need. We can grow food, share food, have food. In the face of scarcity and loneliness and the housing crisis and the climate crisis and rising food costs, we still have this. #communitygarden #foodsecurity #hopepunk
July 20, 2025 at 1:33 PM
This weekend's delivery to the local free-food market that serves neighbours in need. We can grow food, share food, have food. In the face of scarcity and loneliness and the housing crisis and the climate crisis and rising food costs, we still have this. #communitygarden #foodsecurity #hopepunk
Remember that pile of mint and lemonbalm that a neighbour gave me a couple of weeks ago? Dehydrated it and mixed it together for a delicious calming tea. Kind of blown away by how little came from all those fresh herbs, though. #gardening ##greenwitch #herbalremedies
July 17, 2025 at 3:40 AM
Remember that pile of mint and lemonbalm that a neighbour gave me a couple of weeks ago? Dehydrated it and mixed it together for a delicious calming tea. Kind of blown away by how little came from all those fresh herbs, though. #gardening ##greenwitch #herbalremedies
Dehydrated the calendula and have started to do the same with some borage. Soon I'll be making a soothing, summery salve.
Am I...becoming a green witch?
#gardening #greenwitch #herbalremedies #borage #calendula
Am I...becoming a green witch?
#gardening #greenwitch #herbalremedies #borage #calendula
July 17, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Dehydrated the calendula and have started to do the same with some borage. Soon I'll be making a soothing, summery salve.
Am I...becoming a green witch?
#gardening #greenwitch #herbalremedies #borage #calendula
Am I...becoming a green witch?
#gardening #greenwitch #herbalremedies #borage #calendula
About 16 cups of calendula, given to me by a neighbour. Will dehydrate it and infuse the petals in carrier oils to make salve. #gardening #herbalmedicine
July 15, 2025 at 4:30 AM
About 16 cups of calendula, given to me by a neighbour. Will dehydrate it and infuse the petals in carrier oils to make salve. #gardening #herbalmedicine
Pondering the truth and consistency of nature's cycles and how we are bound to them—whether or not we realize it. There's a lot I don't know, but I know we can count on that. How do we want to be with that? How do I want to be with that? How do you want to be with that? #creativepractice #dailyart
July 14, 2025 at 4:42 AM
Pondering the truth and consistency of nature's cycles and how we are bound to them—whether or not we realize it. There's a lot I don't know, but I know we can count on that. How do we want to be with that? How do I want to be with that? How do you want to be with that? #creativepractice #dailyart
Put together some herb bundles (mint, sage, oregano) for my colleagues, as a thank-you for supporting my balcony garden at the office. #foodsecurity #gardening
July 10, 2025 at 5:21 AM
Put together some herb bundles (mint, sage, oregano) for my colleagues, as a thank-you for supporting my balcony garden at the office. #foodsecurity #gardening
Making unholy sounds as I sample this cilantro-and-garlic-scape chimichurri made from ingredients grown at the community garden. This stuff is going on *everything* and won't last the week. In fact, it'll probably be devoured by Wednesday. #communitygarden #foodsecurity #gardening
July 7, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Making unholy sounds as I sample this cilantro-and-garlic-scape chimichurri made from ingredients grown at the community garden. This stuff is going on *everything* and won't last the week. In fact, it'll probably be devoured by Wednesday. #communitygarden #foodsecurity #gardening
Today a neighbour gave me this massive bounty of apple mint and lemon balm. Plucked, washed and dried what I could and now it's in the new-to-me dehydrator, on the lowest setting overnight. Hoping I'll wake up to some lovely tea leaves. #foodsecurity #foodshare #gardening
July 2, 2025 at 4:59 AM
Today a neighbour gave me this massive bounty of apple mint and lemon balm. Plucked, washed and dried what I could and now it's in the new-to-me dehydrator, on the lowest setting overnight. Hoping I'll wake up to some lovely tea leaves. #foodsecurity #foodshare #gardening
Sweet little bounty for the local foodshare organization, as shared by community garden members.Thyme, rosemary, a huge bunch of French tarragon (not showing all that well in the photo), lettuce, rainbow chard. #communitycare #communitygarden #foodsecurity #gardening #localfood
June 28, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Sweet little bounty for the local foodshare organization, as shared by community garden members.Thyme, rosemary, a huge bunch of French tarragon (not showing all that well in the photo), lettuce, rainbow chard. #communitycare #communitygarden #foodsecurity #gardening #localfood
Harvested about 5 cups worth of cilantro today from my three cilantro plants. Also, scored some free bok choy from our shared produce stand. If you're on a tight budget, find your local community garden—they may have a free produce stand.
#communitycare #communitygarden #foodsecurity #gardening
#communitycare #communitygarden #foodsecurity #gardening
June 18, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Harvested about 5 cups worth of cilantro today from my three cilantro plants. Also, scored some free bok choy from our shared produce stand. If you're on a tight budget, find your local community garden—they may have a free produce stand.
#communitycare #communitygarden #foodsecurity #gardening
#communitycare #communitygarden #foodsecurity #gardening
Fortified my pea trellis, tied back the peas, trimmed the borage, replanted some greens, used some borage leaves as temp shading. Will later shade those areas w/cheesecloth so the seeds can germinate without excessive heat. Going to try eating the borage leaves tonight. #foodsecurity #gardening
June 15, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Fortified my pea trellis, tied back the peas, trimmed the borage, replanted some greens, used some borage leaves as temp shading. Will later shade those areas w/cheesecloth so the seeds can germinate without excessive heat. Going to try eating the borage leaves tonight. #foodsecurity #gardening
My borage, planted from seed in late April, is getting big and is about to blossom.
#communitygarden #gardening #flowers #pnwlife #yyj
#communitygarden #gardening #flowers #pnwlife #yyj
June 11, 2025 at 12:45 PM
My borage, planted from seed in late April, is getting big and is about to blossom.
#communitygarden #gardening #flowers #pnwlife #yyj
#communitygarden #gardening #flowers #pnwlife #yyj
Came home to a sweet, surprise art care package from my fave local artist @jbirdmclaughlin, and the infusion of joy to my soul is DEEP. #abstractartists #yyj
June 7, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Came home to a sweet, surprise art care package from my fave local artist @jbirdmclaughlin, and the infusion of joy to my soul is DEEP. #abstractartists #yyj
Love this rose campion growing next to my workplace.
June 6, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Love this rose campion growing next to my workplace.
June vibe: Sitting in my #communitygarden after a watering sesh. The breeze and sun on my hair and skin. Listening to birdsong and the hum of bees. Two dudes nearby have a lively, sweary discussion about linguistics and the usefulness of different letters and break down pronunciation and sounds.
June 1, 2025 at 5:15 PM
June vibe: Sitting in my #communitygarden after a watering sesh. The breeze and sun on my hair and skin. Listening to birdsong and the hum of bees. Two dudes nearby have a lively, sweary discussion about linguistics and the usefulness of different letters and break down pronunciation and sounds.