2021

It has been a slightly odd year. For example, here we are at midday on the last day and outside the temperature is around 12 degrees,

and, more to the point, it has been there for the last thirty-six hours.

So, time for a quick look back.

At times, family have appreciated a place to escape to,

and we have been able to provide peace and quiet when work needs to be done.

Our vegetable growing has been more organised

and our Charles Dowding inspired new compost bays attained our Construction of the Year Award.

The greenhouse

and tunnels

have been put to good use. The cherry crop in the larger tunnel was the best yet

As well as the inevitable glut of Runner Beans we enjoyed expanding our growing of Broad Beans and Sugarsnap Peas

We grew our Aubergines in the greenhouse, instead of a tunnel, and had better results.

Having, towards the end of there year, removed some of the sycamores which were shading the greenhouse we hope for more light and more Aubergines next year

As always, we thought the tomatoes would never ripen but in the end we had a reasonable crop

Both our bee colonies survived last winter and seemed to prosper

We even took some honey.

We raised new hen stock from several batches of hatching eggs, using both incubators and Broody Claire.

We managed to sell a lot of eggs during the course of the year.

to which the Ducks occasionally volunteered a contribution

The Rabbits

had a happy year in their summer camp before returning inside for winter. However, they were very resistant to the idea of breeding.

After living with us for six years,

we said goodbye to Bert at the advance age of eleven

We enjoyed the Tulips in the Orchard

and the Dragonflies round the Lake

although butterflies were less plentiful

Jessie was active

and Maisie wasn’t

Normal activities continued

We made our annual batch of Elderflower champagne

and returned to making country wines

All

in all

Stripping away the superfluous

We set off on our Solstice walk

with the idea we would look for signs of new life arising.

We could see some…

…thrusting daffodils and reserved oak buds…

but things gone were more in evidence

We found that the story being told was different from the one we were seeking.

Trees stood still and stark – inscrutable

Having stripped themselves bare

and passed on their surplus

revealing the buzzards’ hidden nesting

they are concentrating on keeping their feet in the ground

holding fast

into the mystery of what is down below.

Some have had a rough time this year

some are bent and battered

some have given up

but most know when to concentrate on the inside.

A few attempt seasonal decorations – grand dressing

or hidden globes

but most are happy to remember

wait

and pause

Winter Warmers

As temperatures drop improvisation is needed

to keep things at a cosy 21 degrees

beneath the table

From here today we moved the last batch of Autumn fruits to the shed we call Wards

These were harvested back in October

A bumper crop

A good washing

and a bit of scratting

Turned this

into this

So we added 30 bottles of Crab Apple wine

to 30 of Blackcurrant

30 of Plum

and 30 of Rowan

Oh, and another 30 of Rowan

Provisions ready in case we are snowed in.