Snippet in a cloud
How it's possible for there to be a drought in the South West, I do not know. Two days ago we were living in a cloud. Today has been the first passable one for what seems like a very long time although there is till water pouring off the moor into the streams and onto the road through any little channel it can find.
Water still pouring out everywhere
The sun is actually out today and the skylarks are singing again. They seem to just sit sulking on bushes when it's raining. Three Goldfinches in the garden this morning. I'm not even going to mention photography. Talking of the garden, I have one border in which to plant anything which, sadly, faces north, is in deep shade from a five foot granite wall and can be bone dry thanks to overhanging trees. Not exactly ideal growing conditions for anything much. When we first moved here, it was unlike any garden I've had before in that there was pretty well nothing here other than a ubiquitous pink hardy geranium, nettles, ground elder and two snowdrops. Lots of rubble, old plastic and sticks too. Last year, after another three of slowly clearing and getting downhearted about lack of progress, we started to get somewhere and I dug the border. Many, many garden waste bags later I planted it with things I thought might work. Some have and some certainly haven't. My Narcissus bulbs are only just coming out and the slugs are eating them as soon as they appear. Iris bulbs never flowered at all. My lovely dusky cranesbill, which I thought would grow anywhere is not happy at all. Forget me not and other hardy geraniums are doing well, as are the Solomon's Seal and Foxgloves. Any suggestions gratefully received! My poorly son, still at home, made me this lovely daisy chain today. What a sweetheart.
Daisy chain
The fourth foal, yet another skewbald from a bay mare, arrived about four days ago in the rain. It's been playing with foal number one but I've yet to catch them at it. I can see this going the way of the nuthatches. I hadn't seen Betty since last Friday but I saw her in the far distance today; definitely no foal yet. Here are some pictures of the new foal and a great one of foal number one at speed......photographic fluke given the digital camera delay.
Foal number 4 Following Mum
Foal number 4 staring me out
Foal number 1 growing up
I saw the first cows out on the moor today so spring must be here. Test prints are being done today of a few of my drawings so I should be able to get the shop up and running soon. Very frustrating but I'll get there in the end. Thanks so much to Danielle for directing so many people here over the weekend by the way! daniellebarlowart.blogspot.com
