Ahhhh.
That's more like it! At last I can announce that SPRING HAS ARRIVED!
The
last pile of snow in the yard, blackened with dirt, finally melted at
the weekend. We are now blessed with blue skies and full sun (20°
out of the shade), a brisk breeze and the rich smell of bare earth.
The birds are unstoppable - and so too are we now, having waited so
long to be released outdoors.
Landscaping
and clearing beds are the order of the day, although weeding is still
off limits with the heavy winter moisture clinging to the earth. But
we can sit out here in the fresh evening air (albeit with woolly
jumpers!) and dream up all the things that now so urgently need our
attention.
Doors
are almost done on the polytunnel (after careful measuring of the
remaining strips of tough plastic) bringing peace of mind when
inevitable winds pick up. It feels as though the wind has been
waiting for warm, sunny weather to regularly shake up the false sense
of peace that glorious sunshine brings.
Our
careful re-glazing of the greenhouse requires us to be constantly on the
ball, allowing no loose objects within sight of the large panels -
such easy victims of a sudden gust.
Many
tomato plants (now crowding out our window sills) have made their way
into the warm, sheltered space of the glass house, and the excitable
roots of broad beans have finally found a home in the cleared earth.
The
chickens are much happier to roam in their wild woodland pen, but
with no bounds to their curiosity the extended fenced area must be
completed before more young plants make their way out. Battling with
jagged, reclaimed fencing we begin the painstaking process of
installing the last necessary boundary (protecting the polytunnel and
vegetable patch) in whatever time we can snatch together.
Our
time is made possible by the fact that Maia now has some firm play
dates with our neighbour's girl, as well as the luxury of a Polish
lady dedicating her time to support us in whichever way is called for.
She has emerged serendipitously from my English class in town, so
taken with our endeavour that she is relocating to our village and
committed to coming regularly with any skill that is needed. Her
knowledge and experience are vast and her humble good will truly
abundant.
Dear
friends and family are beginning to emerge with planned visits as
life streams back into our farm in the middle of Europe. We feel
blessed already and welcome every breath of fresh air heading our way,
as 2013 finally finds its feet in the Oberlausitz.
