....and this is as far as he's got!

So this is as far as Lester's got with the gate post. 

He is doing very well, this being a big job for an ex-computer programmer,

who has hardly ever done anything for much of his adult life so far,

except sit at a computer and programme for endless hours.

But now has arrived a bit of a prob,

because the wall is flat on top,

but it's partner opposite,

has a peak on its top.

Pow wow time. What to do. 

-Finish the top of the wall......

..... leave to dry,

go down to the river beach and collect some stones,

put a little pile of stones on top of the new wall,

aiming for a sort of pyramid shape,

glueing the stones together with cement where necessary,

then sort of pat-a-cake cement round the outside of these stones,

to give a similar effect to the wall opposite,

this being the project for tomorrow,

because the wall needs to be finished,

because the year is marching on,

and we need to get back to work in the kitchen.

Meanwhile, the harvest is starting to roll in, 

with our first cabbage picked......

which contributed to the simplest meal,

but the most tastiest we have had for a long time,

every single food item on the plates,

being entirely home grown:

roast chicken, new potatoes, cabbage, butter over all.

Sooooooo simple a meal, as I say,

but as I ate every mouthful I was aware of the history of its growing.

It made me feel very humble.

Sometimes we can get weary of the work of running a smallholding,

but to eat a meal which is all homegrown 

enthuses us to keep going.

It has been a lovely few days here,

no visitors, 

quiet,

harmonious,

just two people, on the same page, working together.

Mum piggy has still not produced any littl-uns,

two little chicks disappeared overnight,

rats, we think, came and ate them.

Lissie is now about six weeks off giving birth to her calf,

so I had best start sorting out my cheese making equipment,

meanwhile one of our goats is still giving us enough milk to get by on.

I have continued with my massive 'clear out of the cupboards' project,

we continue to sleep on the settee's,

I have made 38 pots of jam so far,

and all is well here at Labartere.

I am aware that it is the nature of life

that we shall have disharmonious moments,

because life is not perfect,

which makes quiet days such as these,

something to treasure.

Hope you have such days,

and that you hold on to them

for when times are a little bit up and down.

Vx