We have enjoyed the delights of lambing and are on a sharp learning curve as we discover what to do and when! But watching the new born lambs jumping round the field is so rewarding. We’ve not just been busy in the fields, but also in the garden... The allotment area is ready for planting after some de-weeding. We are still harvesting purple sprouting broccoli, curly kale, leeks, chard, celery, carrots and parsnips.
I know some people have already started to sow seeds, but I haven’t. It’s on the job list for the next few days. The problem I have is that as soon as I put any full seed trays out in the greenhouse, they will be emptied of seeds the same day by our resident field mice. This means that I will have to propagate all our plants indoors, which with two nosey dogs might not be easy.
However I’m looking forward to sweet peas, marigolds, calendula, antirrhinums, helchrysum, rudbeckia, to name a few and of course more vegetables to keep us going through the rest of the year. Pam (Mum) has spent time at home drawing up designs to improve the gardens here. The designs look great and I’m excited to be able to put most of the ideas into action. It will take longer than I want to do as I can only do so much each day. We will have to measure up the borders and make a mock up of where they will be.
We have hedges cut, hedges trimmed and hedges planted. The lawn has been mown several times, composts heap turned and one compost heap container blocked in. The sit on mower is at the mower menders for its service. This is going to take longer than normal because they are allowed only one mechanic in the workshop at a time.
In the midst of the human chaos which we are experiencing now, nature continues its rhythm. I’m sitting in the field with the sheep writing this and I can hear the river rushing along just a field away. Blackbirds, robins, chaffinch and various tits are singing at the tops of their voices making a beautifully loud noise. They are occasionally interrupted by a pheasant. How can such a beautiful bird have such an astringent call?
I have opened up both of our bee hives. After getting stung through industrial strength rubber gloves, I changed into a pair of long arm leather gloves meant for tackling brambles and the like. This was a revelation and I can now happily sort through the hives, with bees trying to sting me, but only succeeding in stinging the gloves! We should get some honey this year. I have put a super on each hive. We had a tiny taste of honey from some comb which I had to scrape off because the bees had made the comb in the wrong place. The honey was so sweet and fresh tasting. Knowing it was from our own bees, on our own land was just awesome.
This enforced isolation has given us both plenty of time for reflection. We are so blessed to have our home, land and animals, but we are also blessed with family and friends. Like many other people, we’ve been trying to keep in touch via phone, email, WhatsApp, Instagram and Zoom. Even the Lifton WI committee had a meeting on Zoom! We give thanks to God each day for continued good health, for all those we know, for this beautiful countryside in which we live. We pray each day for our NHS, the country’s leaders, scientists working on a solution to the virus, for those in less happy circumstances than our own, our nation, our family. And we look forward, so much, to a time when we can welcome people back here to Tinhay Retreats in order to share this place of peace and sanctuary with which God has blessed us.