Strange times

In these curious times there are many things to be thankful for, and perhaps the sense of threat heightens that feeling. We are in the lucky position of having stopped work, so have the freedom to say, lets just stay at home and do "stuff" and just go out when we need some shopping. Admittedly that does mean one of us is in the "at risk" category because of his age, but that's just more good reason to stay at home.

We both take great delight in our garden, which has grown and changed quite significantly since we moved here in 2010. We have dug and planted, and had a number of very splendid folk in to help us with the proper business of landscaping. When we moved here we both felt that we wanted to give the garden time to tell us about itself; to reveal where the sun would lie in summer, to show us where previously planted bulbs are happy to see the light again and, most importantly, what wildlife we might be sharing it with. The consequence has been a slow transformation, one project at a time as strength and finances have allowed. The first priority for me was to transform the horrible shingle desert in front of the house into a garden that passers by could enjoy and which makes me smile every time I walk outside.

The back garden has acquired a productive area with greenhouse and raised beds - the badgers were particularly pleased the first year the Man provided ready to dig carrots!

The upper space has grown a pond, and much better walking areas. Despite being on top of a hill it gets extremely wet in rainy weather, and the water lies. We've had slate walkways carved into the grassy area over the past two years, that on the left the most recently completed.

the pond was added

and the garden has acquired the sense of something you can progress through; walkways lead to steps, or paved areas and flow round the top space in a very satisfactory manner. Most recently the latest stage of our garden transformation was completed.

I ponder and bask in this new seating area, a combination of fresh and reclaimed materials, with the flow and splash of the pond soothing me from across the grass,

As I listen to the birds in the many trees that surround me I feel deeply thankful to have such a treasured refuge in which to wait out this crisis.

What brings you pleasure at this time?