The New Season

I seem to have lost interest in writing lately. Not sure why. Maybe it’s since I finished my book and published it. It took a huge amount of effort and time to get it over the finish line. It’s almost a year since she (Honky) left now. I don’t think a day has gone by since that I haven’t thought about her and it’s still like a punch in the gut.

I finally got around to planting a tree for her. It’s a Betula jackmontii (the white barked birch). It’s a small ornamental tree. I was going to plant a tree out where she loved to lie in summer but the goats…….

So I settled for the garden and now I can look at it every day and hopefully think about her in happier times. So here’s to your life Honky and I hope your book will make people think about how we treat pigs and maybe make a small effort to source pork from pigs that had a good life. It’s called Honky and Hugo and the Great Big Pig Heist.

My first Workaway of the year was a German (Monika) who was here for 3 weeks. She was an enthusiastic photographer especially interested in birds and absolutely relished being so close to the sea here. She set off most afternoons on my bike and cycled to the beach to walk, read, birdwatch. The nearest sea to where she was from in Germany was 600kms!

She loved my dogs and cats and they her which was remarkable because she had never even had a pet as a child. She asked for a cat but was told no. I can’t get my head around not allowing a child a pet. Responsibility for animals makes them into a more decent human being.

I have a new Workaway now from Finland. She stays until the end of the month then I have a French girl for June followed by a French lad for July. And one of my German Workaways from late last year recommended my place to her friend, so she arrives for the month of August.

I took the Finn to walk in the woods in Tintern and to see the abbey yesterday. The bluebells were in full bloom and I thought about Monika who had missed them. They were just beginning to appear towards the end of her stay. I took a few photos thinking I would send them to her. Just as that thought went through my mind, my phone beeped and it was her sending her photos. Telepathy or what?

She took some of the animals and some of the various scenic spots I took her to.

Some lovely photos and it was great to get them. I particularly love the one of the cliff walk at Arthurstown. It’s a really stunning walk.

And finally to end, I took the plunge and changed the yellow door. After almost 5 years (and probably at least 2 before that) it was beginning to fade, as it faces due south and there is a lot of sun here. There is more sun and less rain here than anywhere else in the country. Another reason to love it.

I haven’t quite decided if I like it. What do you think?