Better Late than Never

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.