The Rat

Today was the most glorious day so far this spring, it was warm and sunny and practically windstill.
Had my morning tea in the garden just simply enjoying the early morning sun. As I sat there quietly I noticed that a bluetit was flying in and out of the birch tree near me. Then I saw that is was going into the slate birdhouse I had placed near the roof and the drainpipe several years ago.
WOW! Our first bird family in the slate condo. So exciting, I had been concerned that I had hung it in the wrong place really with it being so close to the front door. But now I can sit on the bench sipping tea and observing the tit family! Hurrah!
Yesterday I brushed oil onto the wooden garden furniture; two benches and a table plus the latest addition a steamer chair. This is very comfy for reading. It smells really nice and should protect the wood for a while. The seasons are quite something around here with a lot of rain and wind. Many of the older trees have moss and lychen growing on them.
Lunch at the Rat Inn with Noah sitting outside in the sun and eating crab sandwiches with real chips, as they called them, with aioli. Yummy.
After that a motoring adventure around Corbridge to this place called Bywell where Basil Bunting liked to go for serenity and peace. It has two very old churches right next to eachother and we walked around the graveyards...Noah loves cemeteries.
In one a group of goths were having a picnic with a basket full of beer! Lovely site.
Had coffee at Noahs and cuddled Sofie and talked, we had a really nice family outing day.
I love exploring. Halcyon days like this are so rare in Northumberland. Tarset seems to have its very own micro-climate anyway.
Coming home makes me happy because I can be in the garden again. I laid out a blanky on the grass and spent time listening to the sounds and looking at the sky. The cats came to visit wondering what I was up to being horizontal rather than vertical as they are used to me being. Luna sat on top of me.
These days of spring are really a treat because every day there are changes in the garden and the nature around us. New blossoms appear as others fade, leaves become greener, and the countryside becomes more and more lush.
I want to enjoy them to the max.
Soon it gets busy again. Dublin for the Writers Festival in June, finishing a film for Northernness a symposium late in June etc.
I do feel fortunate to be able to do work that I enjoy and which is creative. Hopefully some of the things I have completed give something back like inspiration, encouragement and pleasure.

Still

Sitting on the bench outside the cottage door in the morning with a cuppa tea, when the weather is clement of course, I cannot help but marvel at how I can still enjoy the white tulips and the Queen of the Night ones standing amongst the Solomons seal.
I sit and contemplate there visualising the day ahead, looking at the birds help themselves at the Tapas Tree, which we have now placed in the forsythia bush for more protection from the elements and more sitting places too, much like a waiting room.
I also keep an eye on the cats wandering about exploring.
Sometimes the postie comes in his red van and I can intercept and get the post from him directly through the van window without him having to get out and placing it in the milkchurn.
Sometimes a pair of doves with ring markings around their necks come to feed, a pair of grouse and a pheasant couple come too. It is so cool that they are quite calm around me, sitting still on the bench with my tea.
Once a week I also have the local rag the Hexham Courant to read and catch up with local news, which is more like gossip, and events that may be on. I cut out articles and images of interest for a scrapbook. This will be my little bit of local history etc to show and tell!
Those tulips give so much pleasure, mornings and evenings and they have stood up against rain and wind and hail. Extraordinary.
The drive is orange from dropped berberis petals, all the windy rain does do that. The path is red from the quince petals.
These colours are so stimulating with the whites all around.
Sitting still watching, humming sometimes singing, is the treat of the day. Later I go inside and start work on the project of the time, looking out of the window on occasion.

Rainbows and hailstorms

Yesterday as we drove back from Bellingham, our nearest village, where we do our errands; the newsagent for papers, the bakers, the co-op, the bank, the post-office, the chemist, and an occasional Farmers Market or Jumble Sale and my favourite the hard-ware store! Ferreteria!
In any case on the way home there was a large rainbow over the tiny hamlet we live in.
And today we had a hailstorm, but the hail was not round little iceballs but ice triangles like little arrowheads!Fergus came up to me miao-ing away and then ran inside through the cat-door which has a sign that says Cat Cottage.
April weather par excellence in May!
The film is done and I am so glad and relieved. A weekend of post-partum, feeling weepy and little raw. It was an intense time with Samuel Menashe. I think it is good.
Another project to start up on for June and always much to do but today I took time to sit on my bench in the garden, drinking tea and enjoy the sun and plant seeds.
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This is for James

A dragonfly carries the soul of a person recently died. This is for James, think of the soul flying in spring in joy.
Take beauty.

In the garden right now!

Wild garlic my favourite! I am trying to establish a wild patch near the ditch amongst the bushes.

White tulips

Solomon's Seal

Japanese Quince flowering in front of the door.

Berberis in full bloom a great favourite with bees and other insects.

Wednesday again

Every Wednesday when the weather agrees Ben comes to help me in the garden. He is my elf and my green wizard. Since I have fibromyalgia I find some things really difficult to do and so Ben comes and helps with the digging and weeding and in general he is a wise man with plenty of knowledge and experience. One of the most important things he says is to have patience.
Patience and to ultimately have time to enjoy the garden and not always be working in it.
He has been gardening for many years around here in this particular challenging climate and geographical lay-out.

Today he weeded around the roses and put horse manure and mushroom compost on them. He also planted lots of summer bulbs for colour and interest this summer. I let him plant them anywhere he pleased to surprise me when the time comes!
I am very lucky to have Ben I realise this.
He is in great demand. So these Wednesdays have become a joy and anticipation. We talk about gardening a lot and find that most of the metaphors are well-suited to life itself.
Half way through I make coffee for him and tea for me. I give him a Sheep mug and I drink from my I LOVE CATS mug. Usually we have a few bickies too, today we had drop scones and sat on the bench outside the cottage door.

Let's see if next Wednesday brings decent weather. I want to do more planting!

Walpurgis May Day Beltane

These days have brought an awareness of the inevitable arrival of Spring.
A Sweatlodge over the weekend, Morris Men dancing, and big cleansing purifying bonfires.
Welcoming opening up and letting light and warmth coming in.
The windows are open to the cottage, the cats spend more time outside, it is exhilarating...