Almost
one month on, and we still have snow!
The
early burst of snow in October now leaves us in retrospect with the
enduring impression that our winter is close to being six months
long!! This is of course not strictly true. The snow has melted in
between times for a few days here and there and once (about ten days
ago) you could smell spring tangibly in the air.
These
last few days have brought more fresh snowfall – a steady white
drizzle restoring immaculate order and dashing fledgling promises of
life and abundance.
The
birds are going crazy, not knowing whether to come or go, clustering
in conference on the larch tree then wildly cackling off to alight
elsewhere for a moment, filling snow-filled crevices with echoing
song pleading for life, for green, for something to change...
The
chickens have also been getting rather confused, taking it upon
themselves to lay in any comfortable corner they come across on the
days that they have ventured out. It took a while for me to realise
(thinking the changeable weather had reduced their urge to lay) until
I came across twelve eggs in the corner of the sheep shed, three in a
plant pot and a handful in a pile of sand.
Inside,
with all our beds crowded into the big room for warmth, I have now
been able to strip Saskia's room, seal off the hatch and the channels
we had chiselled out to accommodate the new electrical system,
repaint and soon to take up the floor boards and insulate against the
cold air from the cellar steps directly below.
In
the coldest months this room suffered the most from damp, having no
wood burner within reach of it. It is clear that by next winter we
must have some kind of integrated heating system to include this room
and the bathroom that will replace our temporary kitchen.
A
distraction came my way last week in the form of a day as an Extra
for a film being shot in Görlitz. Thirteen hours I spent there,
eleven of which just sitting around in costume in cold, draughty
rooms drinking coffee and eating white rolls with sliced ham and
cheese. Crew received crusty brown bread with salmon and salad and
rumour has it the stars were fully catered for with fresh, organic
food in their heated dressing rooms!
It
was certainly an experience to get a sense of what it is like behind
the scenes of a film and to watch with awe the skill of the
costume-makers and make-up artists: they are truly the backbone of
any film production, dressing up their models to then perform as
puppets at the beck and call of the Director... 15 times we had to
simulate a busy kitchen, me slicing bread over and over with a blunt
knife the first shoot and washing up in a dry sink for the other! It
was impossible to really get into character and stay in it with the
continuous stopping and starting.
I
came away feeling very grateful that my life is my own.
