Monday has its own set of chores which must be done no matter what else is happening and the first job of the day was baking the bread for the next couple of days. My son,who is working tonight ,and Pa were both fast asleep and I had the kitchen to myself as I greased the bread pans and weighed out the flour. There is definitely something soothing about making bread and although my arthritis can make it painful at times I still love the feel of the softly resisting dough and the fun of forming the loaves into shape.
Today it was two split tins for sandwiches and toast,one poppy seed bloomer for my son and a crown of rolls which tomorrow will hold the lamb burgers I intend to make.
Once the boys were awake breakfast became the next task , Scotch crumpets this hot strawberry jam were requested and were soon forthcoming. Of course all the talk was of the impending loss of the garden and orchard, During the night I had begun to adopt the attitude that perhaps providence was after all being kind to me, I have been finding the upkeep of the orchard and kitchen garden a struggle as my health deteriorates but I would never of my own accord give up working the ground,if it was there to be worked.
Perhaps I should concentrate on the less heavy gardening in my herbaceous front garden,after all I could easily plant runner beans and Swiss chard, among the flowers,always a tradition in cottage gardens of the past. Who am I trying to kid, it is for the wildlife in the garden that I grieve the most and about that I can do nothing.
My darling son spent hours today firing off emails to Ombudsmen and anyone who might have influence,the triumph of hope over experience perhaps but as the old saying goes “You don't ask,you don't get.” Conscious as were are that time is running out it seems better to him to be doing anything rather than just sit and wait for the bulldozers.
Of course we have no idea when the work will begin and until it does we shall continue to care for the garden and to feed our wild birds and although I shall put up new feeding stations in the front garden as soon as I can we shall have no trees in which to re-site the bird ,bat and owl boxes as the trees which house them are to be felled. Perhaps the new Silver hall conservation group will take them ,we shall see.
Pa is worried about ;losing his birds,they mean so very much to him and his chiefest pleasure is feeding them and watching their antics,it is upsetting but I have done all I can for now. It's just that every time I convince myself that it is all for the best something happens to extinguish the small spark of comfort so carefully fanned into life.
This evening it was the collared doves,a recent addition to our wild family,very proudly they brought their second batch of young to the feeding area for the first time,their nest is in the damson tree soon to be felled. They are rather shy and may well disappear during the disruption never to return.
Tomorrow I shall do a little therapeutic gardening, the Michaelmas daisies are in flower and I need to remove the dead solidargo flowers before they seed every where and cause me endless weeding next year. Their removal will mean that the daisies will be more clearly seen from the house,
Tomorrow I shall not check my email every ten minutes to see if there are any replies to our pleas for help, I shall take what comes and be thankful for what I have rather than grieve over what is lost. What more can anyone do?
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