The relentless rain has created a muddy quagmire in the chicken run. Nettle Garden's land is soaking wet and spongy underfoot. But all is not bad.
Now that we managed to treat the scaly leg outbreak in our flock of chooks, the days are getting a bit lighter - in actual light as well as mood!
And we are busy!
The nosy (or should that be beaky?) chickens are closely watching everything that is happening in the garden. From pruning back some bushes to preparation of the beehive.
Yes, the bees have been ordered and the colony should arrive at Nettle Garden in April. I am spending evenings and rainy days building frames for the brood box and one sunny day I even managed to oil and dry the hive.
The Hopper Hut holiday let has been also buzzing despite the weather and people can't seem to get enough walks in the saturated countryside. Our last guests left us with a legacy.
They whipped up their metal detectors as soon as they arrived (after an arrangement, of course) and soon the treasure from our land was poured into our hands. Three days of these crazy people walking in the rain and bending down to dig into the slurpy soil brought us a few copper coins, some buttons, a musket ball, a bullet, a thimble and previous neighbours' dog tag (hmm, now we know where you used to walk those giant rottweilers 😁). Sadly, they didn't discover a treasure that would set us up for life.
But there is that promise in the air. Promise of light, rebirth, blue skies, of sitting in the garden with a cuppa. The young nettles are sprouting everywhere and their fresh, green smell is intoxicating. Yarrow is sticking out the furry leaves that look a little bit like camomile. Cleavers, with their regular, regimented stems and leaves will be soon sticking themselves to the dogs and cats and skirts brushing past. Young bramble leaves are shining in the darkness of the spiky web in hedgerows.
They are all coming. And Nettle Garden is ready for them. This coming weekend (Spring Equinox no less!) I will be leading a Wild Weeds Walk around the farm to meet the pioneers of spring and tell people just how magical they are. Will you come?