gently through the days...

we live remotely, tucked inside a forest with very little man made noise to disturb us, so naturally my days are quiet and i wander through the hours gently. i know how lucky i am.

from the moment  i wake up my head starts to think of all the chores that need doing that day and i ponder the best order to do them in so that hopefully, more often not, things are achieved..

at this time of year we are starting to really notice and appreciate the extra daylight hours.

 no longer are we rushing to tuck all the animals into barns and shed beds by 4pm feeling as if we have only just opened the doors on their day. the extra few hours are making a huge difference to them and us.

we are still in the icy grip of winter with the temperature dipping by 3pm and most days are still grey and damp but we are almost there, almost at spring, and certainly today there was a definite warmth to the sun... but i am not to be fooled and will continue to collect dry sticks for the open fires for a good while yet...

all i wish for as i go about the chores is that we will soon have a stretch of dry. crisp days so that the land can start to dry out, we are still ankle deep in mud which makes the days so depressing and the house constantly filthy. my washing pile is endless.

i am also desperate to start seed sowing as plans are afoot for a new and improved garden space of our own, sheep and goat defences are at the drawing and plotting stage and we are determined not to be beaten this year!

saying that i have noticed today that the fresh green leaves that had started to appear on the blackcurrant bush have nearly all been gobbled up. i swear they wait until the house lights go out before forming a sheep ladder and hoiking themselves over our walls - ack....

 it will always be an ongoing battle. us versus the dastardly sheep. we will always lose.