Design

It was raining yet again this morning so I finally got down to doing some school work in preparation for the final half term of the year. Our school issue diaries run from September to September and it is amazing how quickly we are coming to the end of yet another year. (It has been a very hectic year but at least we got outstanding for our OFSTED inspection.) Once the SATs tests are over and the reports done there will be lots of fun activities to do with the children including a whole school outing to the beach. (No going in the water because of health & safety rules! ) The rain was slowing down by mid-day so we went for a stroll down at Barricane Beach. I feel sorry for all those people who have come down to 'sunny' Devon for the half term holiday. There were lots of people at Woolacombe and we were very lucky to get a parking space on the road (£1 for an hour instead of having to pay the whole day charge in the private car parks.) When we left a man rushed up and asked ...

The Purple Beech starts the year with autumnal shades of orange. It's days like today that make it so hard for us to even imagine leaving the peace and beauty of our little valley. I think even Peter is rethinking his plan to live closer to 'civilisation' when we are older but it is going to be hard to find somewhere that matches this place. The atmosphere in the garden has been truly magical as all weekend long the air has been filled with a blizzard of fluffy white willow seeds blowing and dancing in the gentle breeze. (The white specks on the picture above.) The sound of birdsong resounded through the valley, apart from when Paul got on his industrial sized ride-on mower to cut the field or the contractors zoomed around at the top of the hill collecting the cut grass for silage. The song thrush sat in his perch almost at the top of the highest tree to sing his heart out both morning and evening as he does every day. I'm not so sure that the spiders appreciated th...

It was a pleasant end to a productive day. Sitting outside in the sun, (at last) in the peace and quiet of the evening, watching the swallows swooping about and the clouds wafting across the sky. A cup of coffee to hand and the satisfaction of washing and replacing all the gravel. I could do with more gravel , maybe when we get a big load in for the drive and yard. Now all I have to do is tidy up the various blocks and stones that are scattered artistically? about the paving and make those steps. As well as watching the ponies and their foals I had the company of my neighbours' son and his dogs for a while. It is hard to garden when a dog is trying to lick your ear and then runs off with your gardening glove. I was also watched intently by the Canada geese who had brought their goslings up to the field, not a good idea with my cats around. I dried and ironed my multicoloured t-shirt before putting it in the washing machine with a dust sheet. The result - one light pink dust sheet...