25 September 2005 - In spite of good intentions

In spite of good intentions I have failed miserably to keep up with my monthly diary. I would never make a living as an author! So much happens and it all requires some kind of input from us that we finish the day exhausted and just catch the news before we go to sleep.

We had a summer holiday with most of the family and the odd school friend in France. It was lovely but not very restful - a lot of shopping, cooking and washing much like home with things in less convenient places. However we did eat, drink and were very merry much of the time.

We also saw progress on our house over there. The unpromising slow start – I visualised long restful soaks in our new corner bath when they said that the bath was in. Unfortunately this proved over optimistic when we found it free standing in the room!

But now they have raced away and the results are lovely with high attention to detail and real quality workmanship. The French mason is well ahead on cutting out a sitting room from our rock cellar and I believe we nearly have a kitchen.

We came home to definite autumn colours and, I think a super species of bindweed. We began by cutting our prunus hedge along the avenue beds and inspired by the French we have started pollarding many of the badly damaged trees that the squirrels find irresistible. We have some large chestnut trees that are showing signs of real distress and which make the back of our house dark and damp. These will be next, and whilst the results look a little sparse in the first year subsequent years are shapely and prolong the life of the tree.

Removing perennial weeds is such a thankless task when you know that the slightest forgotten piece is busy planning its return by the time you go home. I do know that you can weaken the resolve of even the worst brute by constantly depriving it of light and our heavily manured soil makes weed clearing that much easier but sometimes I wish we were less organic and could blast the real horrors. Saying that makes me think of the huge number of birds and insects we have and I banish the thoughts.

The red admiral and peacock butterflies are fabulous on the buddleia’s late flowers. Have not seen a comma this year though. We do seem to have far more dragonflies this year and there are lots of thrushes too. The afternoon owl has just started to hoot and does not seem to have been put off by the very noisy buzzards.

The kittens from Amy’s kitten, Annie have been named Pansy, Tabitha and Leo and so it looks as if they are meant to stay. Only 3 more mouths to feed! Our friend and neighbour, Lucy has decided on a new direction in life and has given up her organic pork so we have sadly let Mabel and Rosie go to new homes, whilst keeping her offspring for the freezer.

When we need more pork we will run a couple of weaners in the orchard. In the meantime we are very long on homebred, free-range pork so if anyone would like some delicious meat that has a gentle history and tastes wonderful, please get in touch!

The Dexter cows are fine and we spend a lot of time watching the calves romping together. We need to arrange a bull soon. That reminds me that tupping time is nearly here and we need to secure our fences and make the girls attractive for their rams.

We are getting on top of the weeds in the vegetable garden and have even managed some autumn digging. The vegetables have been good this year although we still have an uphill struggle with slugs, snails and squirrels take a lot of fruit. White fly in the greenhouse has also been a problem and I am loathed to bring in the geraniums until I know we are free of them.

Night times are cooler and the dew soddens the grass but we still need to cut the lawns and in the daytime the polytunnel and glasshouses need ventilation. But we can feel the turn and are now concentrating on how to improve things for next year. We will have the tulip festival again and need to sort out our labels.

We have decided to be in the pink in the knot garden and we have found some delicious tulips to set the scene. Before then the snowdrops will start to show and already the hellebores are ready to cut back so as to show off their flowers. I think we may have an early spring festival opening too!

Sam, our 4th son has become residential at Ruskin Mill in Nailsworth. He loves it and the whole set up is an awesome affair that gives young people a wonderful opportunity in life. Luke returns to university next week and life will become slightly quieter at home but I will miss them most of the time.

Still we have a lot to do so no time to think and of course we have decided to decorate the house from top to bottom as if we have nothing else to do. It war ever thus.

posted by Barbara @ Sunday, September 25, 2005   0 comments (Post a Comment)