today …

The good and the not so good on the farm today. But mainly good. Look carefully and you can make out a vixen staring back at me, while just around the corner two fox cubs frolicked together. Lovely to see when they’re miles from home, but rather less welcome when they’re close to the yard

respect your elders

When an elder bush sprang up in the corner of the garden, I kept very quiet about it so that Bill didn’t wrench it from the ground as he thinks elder is a weed, even though I’ve told him it only thrives near a happy home (according to folklore). The bush isn’t very big yet

birthdays

  As a child I always knew my age down to the month. Birthdays were a longed for day, even if we didn’t have big celebrations, because there was often something we could do when we reached the magic age. I was told I could grow my hair long when I reached ten (though of

violet syrup

We’ve had a long wait for spring this year and now as the sun shines, the desire for rich warming casseroles and hearty pies diminishes and we lighten the food a little. The stinging nettles have provided us with a nettle pesto to stir into pasta made with duck eggs, a few Jack by the

ice

Years ago, I saw a picture in a magazine of a beautiful bowl made from flowers and leaves encased in ice. But beautiful as it was, it seemed fairly unusable. Surely it would melt too quickly leaving a soggy mess. Then I found pictures of ethereal ice glasses with delicate flowers suspended in a ghostly