 4 March - the wall gap is finished, cleared more brambles, watched a cock pheasant strutting around and listened to a great tit singing its heart out
3 March - still fine but a grey sky. Forgot to mention a honeybee buzzing around yesterday in the warm sunshine, surely a sign of spring
2 March - still beautiful, the gap in the wall is almost fixed!
1 March - in like a lamb! Beautiful day, clearing brambles from around the wall gap, having a bonfire and making a start repairing the wall - a wonderful sense of wellbeing
26 February - later in the evening, the doe and her two young were settled for the night in the rough grass near to the wood
25 February - the two young deer were browsing through the wood this afternoon, no sign of their mother again
24 February - yet more snow overnight, wet and slippery - just a nuisance!
23 February - Cold! A raw day, the snow still lies in the shadows and the fells are re-capped.
22 February - another blanket of snow fell yesterday and froze overnight, but this time a lighter covering which melted where the sun touched today
19 February - two young deer came through around lunchtime, obviously been startled by something and not sure where they were going, constantly alert and looking about
18 February - decided to have a close look along the hedgerows and found a few hazel catkins coming out, dancing when the breeze caught them, there are also one or two leaves, just peeping out, on the elder bushes
17 February - beautiful day following a rag frost, coating everything first thing this morning until the sun rose above the horizon to disperse the frosting
16 February - spring seems to be slow arriving, the countryside still looks stuck in the depths of winter, the fields are pale, any longer grass flattened after last month's snow and no great sign of spring on the trees and hedgerows
15 February - a thick mist enveloped us for most of the morning, lifting just before lunch with a heavy rain shower. Grey squirrels scampered about the wood, showing up in the tracery of the branches against the pale grey sky
12 February - still fine and dry but cold, Friday end of week stuff to be done
11 February - found quite a big wallgap whilst walking round this morning, extreme temperatures and wet weather can lead to dry stone walls becoming unstable - a job for a fine day in the sunshine I think!
10 February - lovely day again but unable to be outside, paperwork calls!
9 February - clear and bright but a chill in the air. More and more clumps of snowdrops are popping up underneath the hedgerows, no doubt encouraged by the lengthening days
8 February - beautiful morning, enjoyed being outdoors having a bonfire and tidying round outside
4 February - there were plenty of footprints in the snow, rabbits and a fox following their tracks. A doe with two young passed through during the morning and then another doe and young one later, the snow has left them hungry and searching for food
3 February - cold and frosty morning but by 4pm all was wrapped in a blanket of snow again
2 February - a flock of pigeons spent a good few hours in the field, probably looking for clover
1 February -Bright, clear and frosty all morning,cloud encroached through the afternoon giving showers, no sign of any warmth at all
28 January - spotted our first snowdrops peeping through the moss and long grass
27 January - wet and windy - miserable!
26 January - so encouraging to see the days lengthening with February just around the corner
25 January - raw and cold, long streaks of snow in gullies still mark the fells, the bracken looks dark and damp
21 January - when the weather has suited and the day been ok we've given all the herb beds a good dressing of lime ready to be washed in when the next batch of rain arrives!
20 January - the fresh green shoots of the honeysuckle (thought not new) are always encouraging but no sign of snowdrops as yet
19 January - still a little snow remaining where any brief glimpses of sun we have had could not reach
18 January - all the herbs look well, having a blanket of snow for four weeks has sheltered them from the frosts
15 January - the thaw has arrived! The ease with which we could see who the night visitors were and where they had explored has gone
14 January - a blanket of snow greeted us again this morning, plenty of tracks around, mainly deer and rabbits
13 January - snow threatened all day, gentle tiny flakes fell throughout the afternoon
12 January - a couple of deer visited the field, searching for available food, odd patches of grass or a cabbage from the veg plot!
11 January - treacherous underfoot with sleet and rain falling on ice and snow. Grey and quite still for most of the day, a gradual thaw allowing patches of green to appear here and there
8 January - defrosting pipes and trying to keep warm was the order of the day!
5 January - more snow this morning and freezing all day, the fells were bathed in pink sunshine late this afternoon and looked breathtaking
4 January 2010 - a very chilly start to the New Year, snow still lying 2-3" thick and frozen hard, walking around is very tricky!
30 December - still a good depth of snow lying, approx 4", lots of visitors footprints, mainly deer and rabbits
29 December - the snow is thawing slowly but remains on the fields, fells and side roads
22 December - travelling around the country lanes is proving to be very difficult with frequent snow showers all day, however, the scenery is breathtaking!
21 December - winter solstice, snow lying everywhere, crunchy on top and soft underneath like meringue
18 December - bitterly cold but fine and sunny
15 December - a couple of rabbits scuttled into the hedge when disturbed this morning
14 December - grey and raw, the frost still lingering from yesterday in places the sun couldn't reach
10 December - dry and sunny, as the dusk came in the ribbon of the beck stood out shrouded in a blanket of mist
9 December - fine and dry with some sunshine, the hypericum plants are showing new growth at the base which will no doubt die off as soon as the hard frosts come
8 December - a promise of brighter, colder weather brightens the grey December day
7 December - walking through the woods at the weekend, an orange ball of fluff leapt into the air from the dead bracken in front of me and dashed off into the undergrowth - a fox obviously disturbed from its morning snooze
4 December - it is so easy to spot the hazel trees at this time of year, bare of leaves but bedecked with hazel catkins waiting for the spring when they open up and dance in the breeze
3 December - proofing labels for a range of creams we will be producing very soon
2 December - moving logs indoors for a large part of the day, the weather has been so damp/wet for so long they are not drying out at all outside despite being in a shelter
1 December - there was snow on the southern fells for the first time this winter over the weekend and sleet at lower levels later this afternoon
30 November - a sparrowhawk swooped down and grabbed a blue tit, swift and deadly!
27 November - much colder, blue sky between the blustery showers - Friday!
26 November - the beck is still flowing fast, quite a number of the larger stones have rearranged themselves and the water is tumbling over them with force creating deep pools beyond
25 November - a doe browsed between the herb beds and through the field earlier today, a little time later a couple of yearlings arrived, sniffing around and followed her tracks exactly
24 November - a young rabbit (the last litter of the season) has spent a large part of the day feeding on the short(ish) grass of the mown paths around the herb beds, quite oblivious to the onlookers indoors
23 November - the herb beds survived the torrential rain! The chickens were a bit damp but absolutely fine and the beck has returned to its bed and flows under the bridge again
19 November - what is there to say! Torrential rain, beck burst it's banks, the road is like a river!
16 November - a sparrowhawk sped down the line of the flowerbeds, startling quite a number of small birds which flew off into the safety of the nearby hawthorn bushes
13 November - sunshine and showers, usual Friday 'stuff'
12 November - a lovely morning slowly gave way to grey skies with rain and increasing winds, a heron sauntered up and down the beck in search of 'something' to eat
11 November - most of the herbs have died back except for the odd calendula dotted here and there, their flowers still bright and cheerful
10 November - grey and still, indoors bottling and labelling
9 November - beautiful day, a frosty morning, clear as crystal and completely still, developed into brilliant sunshine throughout the day. Collected leaves to make leaf mould, wonderful to be out of doors
6 November - there were a great many deer footprints in the wet grass that covers the bridge, obviously pleased they can use one of their favourite tracks again
5 November - the beck flows under the bridge again! Wet, wet, wet again so indoors all day
4 November - still waiting for the water to subside enough to clear under the little bridge - no doubt full of twigs and leaves but waders needed to venture into the beck!
3 November - showers on and off all day!
2 November - the beck is in speight, failing to go under the bridge after an horrendous day yesterday, torrential rain brought leaves and twigs off the trees, blocking culverts and drains
30 October - almost November and weather to match, 'something' has eaten the leek plants - rabbit or deer?
29 October - weatherwise a similar day to yesterday but indoors most of the day doing paperwork etc
28 October - fine but grey day, making ready for winter weather, extra pieces of batten here and there on the greenhouse should help it to stand any buffeting winds that arrive
27 October - watching a heron take off to circle the field never fails to amuse! The gangly legs look so cumbersome until they are neatly in place for the flight, once airborne they look sedate and graceful.
26 October - a weekend of gales brought a great many leaves off the trees, the glorious morning allowed the low sunshine to trickle through the bare branches bringing light and warmth again to some areas that have remained shady for a few weeks now
23 October - very mild this morning, quiet and grey but the sun came through later. Still pleasant weeding weather
22 October - fine, mild day with a light wind, the grass is still growing but everything else is dying back to the earth ready for winter
21 October - a couple of deer visited during the evening, tracking round the paths mown in the longer grass
20 October - a roe doe visited in the afternoon, completely camouflaged in the long grass unless she moved
19 October - the morning greeted us with rain, rain and more rain, the beck, a raging torrent, just managed to sweep under the bridge, leaves tumbled leaving trees stark against a clearing sky by the afternoon
16 October - glorious all day, the leaves are falling fast and frost lingers on the grass until the sun rises high enough to melt it then water droplets hang suspended like baubles
15 October - the cattle in the neighbouring fields were taken nearer the home farm today, a sure sign winter months are upon us
14 October - misty and murky all day, not a breath of wind to help it on its way. Indoors cleaning and filing paperwork
13 October - another beautiful day, outdoors trimming bed edges and preparing beds for winter
12 October - the air as clear as crystal all day, a skein of geese headed south this morning - a hint of colder weather?
9 October - grey and breezy with rain by evening. Wild areas of the field with long seeded grasses have died back, thatching a thick cover for voles and numerous other little creatures to live in
8 October - cut the grass for maybe the last time this year (we'll see) and gave the greenhouse a coat of preservative. Bright sunshine lent a clarity to the air, sharp and still - long may it last
7 October - Frost on the grass before the sun came up, the first real sign of plants dying back, then a repeat of Monday weatherwise - wonderful.
6 October - wet and miserable all day and very still. Plenty of birdlife around outside but a day indoors bottling for us
5 October - glorious autumn day, a nice change from the gales on Saturday - luckily no damage here
2 October - spent a busy day in 'Oats' meeting lots of lovely people, beautiful weather, glorious countryside
30 September - Grey and mizzle again but busy getting ready to travel south tomorrow for a 'tasting day' in 'Oats', Chipping Norton on Friday
29 September - a 'hands off' day in biodynamics so no choice but to spend the day sorting out the paperwork and accounts. The badgers have been visiting, looking for worms, making a great mess!
28 September - drizzle and low cloud for most of the day, we need the rain, it has been dry for most of September!
25 September - the bracken on the fells is changing colour but it is still standing tall
24 September - not many leaves are left on the hawthorn bushes, just hundreds of bright red berries dripping off each twig
23 September - Walking through the wood I noticed quite a number of tiny oaks, ash and hawthorn pushing through the leaf mould, hopefully they'll survive being crushed underfoot or eaten by deer and regenerate the woodland
22 September - the grey start transformed into a bright and breezy day bringing down leaves, past the equinox and autumn is here
21 September - the badgers have had fun with the compost heap again, we've had to put pallets round the heap to keep them off
18 September - the drying seed heads on the inula are a constant reminder that autumn is upon us but almost all the other plants are still flowering, enjoying the late 'summer' sunshine and still days
17 September - sunny spells, warm and light winds, very pleasant for weeding and planting
16 September - 'hands off' day today so no working with the plants, paperwork and work indoors unfortunately
15 September - beautiful day, bees everywhere making the most of the late summer sun, especially enjoying the tall white spires of the black cohosh flowers
14 September - great day for a bonfire, overcast and fairly still, a pile of old brambles and twigs frapped and blazed as the flames took hold reducing them to ash in about half an hour, also managed to cut the grass again whilst lovely and dry
11 September - glorious again so enjoyed more weeding and Friday finishing off, let's hope it continues into next week
10 September - heavy dew, almost a frost first thing this morning. Cut the grass and more weeding. Buzzards wheeling high above all day today
9 September - what a difference a day makes! Glorious sunshine all day, warm, still air, a pleasure just to be outside. Dug up the potatoes, leaving them to dry on the warm earth before storing in paper sacks
8 September - unsetttled yet again! Up to date with bottling, which should enable us to be outside for the rest of the week in the promised sunshine
7 September - turned out glorious this afternoon despite an unsettled morning. The hazel catkins are just forming and hawthorn berries are in abundance
4 September - cool, unsettled morning lead onto a fine and sunny afternoon. Logged up the ash tree that had fallen a month or so ago
3 September - managed to cut the grass but far too wet really, squally showers on and off all day, the herb plants seem very strong but then so do the 'weeds' - other plants that grow in amongst them!
2 September - the blackberries are ready to pick but the heavy showers make it impossible for them to remain dry for any length of time - maybe tomorrow?
1 September - the 'monsoon' weather continues! The poor old marshmallow plants are flattened to the ground and the beck is tumbling over the large boulders with great force, rearranging them as it goes. Unpredictable weather throughout the day - no chance of cutting the grass
28 August - cooler but a fine morning after a squally start. The sloes are almost fully coloured a deep purple with their characteristic 'bloom', but I will wait for the first frost before I pick them for sloe gin
27 August - much better weather today, cut the grass but still pretty wet underfoot. The beck is full, sloshing apace under the little bridge/culvert and gurgling loudly
26 August - wet and windy (as forecast!) so indoors bottling etc
25 August - lovely day again, working with the comfrey in the morning and St John's Wort in the afternoon, a small doe ran through the field about lunchtime startling a heron that had been looking for something to eat in the beck
24 August - glorious, autumnal clear and sunny following a very wet night. Pasteurising St John's Wort and Comfrey Oil most of the day and repairing the compost heap where a badger decided to look for worms!
21 August - same weather as yesterday - monsoon like at times. Friday, end of the week 'stuff'!
20 August - mixed sunshine and showers all day which makes it difficult to plan outside work - frustrating!
19 August - grey and warm in the morning, heavy rain by the early afternoon - the plants are thriving in this warm wet weather
18 August - the young buzzard's constant mewling lessened today - parents were with it, wheeling above for most of the day
17 August - cutting down flowering ragwort today to stop it seeding, pulling up docks and mowing grass in the afternoon - weather, eventually, lovely and sunny but breezy
14 August - the sloes on the blackthorn are quite noticeable now, their colour is changing - the soft green now has a hint of deep purple coming through
13 August - beautiful day, clipping bed edges, the calendula were perfect for harvesting so I took a jar full just before lunch - perfect
12 August - bottling today despite the weather being good, stocks need to be topped up whatever the weather!
11 August - opposite way round with the weather today! Hands off on the Biodynamic Calendar all day so no working with the land, soil or plants etc so started cutting planks to make more raised beds
10 August - grey, drizzly morning, doing accounts and waiting for the sky to clear. Stacked logs in the afternoon, to season for the woodburner this winter
7 August - noticed an ash tree has fallen down, spanning the beck and well beyond, the root plate at right angles to the bank on which it had grown - firewood for later in the year
6 August - glorious again, mowing grass and trimming bed edges
5 August - beautiful day, tidied the sides of the compost heap, put the biodynamic preparations deep inside and capped it with a grass top to shed most of the rain
4 August - wet for most of the day
3 August - fine, but grey this morning, ideal for making yet more compost but rained off mid afternoon. A young buzzard kept its eye on us, mewing now and then letting us know it was there
31 July - sunny and breezy. The Inula plants with their flowers are stunning, majestic, regal, standing tall, towering above all the other plants around them
30 July - plenty of small white butterflies and bumble bees flitting about, threatening showers but basically a fine day
29 July - the beck raged in a torrent, just making under the bridge but the rain has stopped - for now
28 July - wet, wet, wet and windy - bottling indoors
27 July - composting again, another cubic metre done! Still very breezy but sunny too
24 July - breezy again and showery. End of week tidying up
23 July - started making compost - layers of freshly mown grass, dried grass from past mowings, weeds from the weed heap, organic muck and compost preparations - magic
22 July - grey and windy again with heavy showers
21 July - very wet and fairly windy too, plenty of paperwork and tidying the toolshed!
20 July - breezy sunny day, preparing an area to make compost on Thursday (tomorrow and Wednesday are hands off days in Biodynamics)
17 July - showery, indoors - usual Friday chores
16 July - the blackthorn in the hedges is covered in sloes, just beginning to darken. Wonderful weather for growing plants, still warm but frequent showers
15 July - a couple of rabbits lolloped off into the hedge after being disturbed sunbathing this afternoon!
14 July - fat clusters of hazelnuts in the perimeter hedges and bunches of elderberries beginning to form where the flowers were not long since - the seasons move on so quickly
13 July - bright and sunny morning and early afternoon - weeding plantain. Thundery showers late in the afternoon
10 July - lovely day, bright, sunny and breezy, great for working outdoors
9 July - a root day, weeding around inula, in full flower at the moment looking majestic and amazing
8 July - a hands off day from 10am, paperwork and tidying up, root day tomorrow
7 July - a flower day again, harvested valerian flowers before a torrential shower this afternoon - the water butts are full up!
6 July - a flower day (biodynamics) and sunny and warm so harvesting St John's Wort over lunchtime for oil and tincture
3 July - rain, and lovely steady rain, soaking the ground, still warm - ideal growing weather
2 July - hot again, weeding skullcap in the morning but retreated indoors by lunchtime - melting in the direct sun!
1 July - a thunderstorm from 5.30 to 6.30am gave us 2cm rain in our rain gauge but when we scraped the soil it was bone dry underneath - however the water butts are now full again
30 June - still hot, cut the grass but worked inside in the heat of the day
29 June - hot! The thunder showers are all around but not here! A fabulous dragonfly swept past as I paddled in the beck
26 June - the dry warm weather continues, not hoeing round plants at the moment, it releases too much moisture
25 June - a leaf day in biodynamics so harvested plantain, fantastic plants, strong and almost succulent. Sunny and warm with a breeze again
24 June - warm and sunny with a pleasant breeze, not as oppressive as yesterday - a good day for detailed weeding
23 June - a 'hands off' day in the biodynamic calendar today, which means we don't work with the plants at all. Cleared an area outside the greenhouse for a 'potting' or 'hardening off' area - very hot through the middle of the day and a threat of thunderstorms - perhaps the water butts will be refilled
22 June - the hawthorn trees are covered in berries, the blackthorn laden with sloes and the elder covered in foaming blossom - it could be a busy autumn harvesting
19 June - gusty wind again but dry, usual Friday tidying etc
18 June - our Demeter Annual Inspection Day, gusty wind and the odd shower, Richard, our Inspector, was impressed with our growing and working practises - wonderful
17 June - what a difference a day makes! Heavy rain and gusty wind, the water butts were three quarters full by the afternoon
16 June - sunny skies and light winds, preparing new beds and more weeding - hot!
15 June - fixing up new water butts to collect rainwater, mowing grass and weeding - sunny and warm
12 June - visiting Nailsworth and Stroud, warm and dry. Gentle countryside, golden stone, fields of rape with poppies and rollings Wolds
11 June - attended a biodynamic marketing day on a farm near Redditch, fascinating day, fabulous lunch and interesting people!
10 June - travelling down to the Cotswolds, fine and dry for most of the day, apparently the same with the herbs!
9 June - fine, dry, sunny and warm out of the wind. The valerian are coming into flower, dainty heads on willowy stems
8 June - the redstart very busy around the herb beds and the hawthorn bushes again this afternoon along with blue tits and a robin
5 June - very welcome rain but a lot colder too!
4 June - a cuckoo shouting this morning and saw it flying over towards the wood, a dipper appears to be nesting under the bridge over the beck
3 June - a male redstart darted around the hawthorn blossom catching flies this afternoon
2 June - hot with a breeze at times, mowing grass
1 June - harvested May blossom on Saturday, a biodynamic fruit day and glorious sunshine, still very hot and great for growing
29 May - it's hot! What a shock to the system for us and the plants!
28 May - a 'hands off' morning by the Biodynamic calendar so more paperwork inside, but outside for the afternoon clipping more bed edges!
27 May - wet and windy but inside filling in paperwork for our annual Demeter Inspection in June
26 May - lots of small white butterflies flitting about and buzzards wheeling overhead, sunny and breezy
22 May - usual end of week cleaning and tidying, quite cloudy, breezy and unsettled
21 May - clipping bed edges and clearing paths, blue sky with occasional clouds - lovely
20 May - the May blossom (Hawthorn) is stunning, creamy swathes of heady scented tiny flowers
19 May - lovely day, mowed the grass and made the most of being out of doors despite the weather being very breezy
18 May - heavy showers but sunny spells in the afternoon, an enormous cock pheasant proudly strutted up and down the mown paths looking very fine and dandy!
15 May - steady rain all day, filling becks, waterbutts and puddles!
14 May - yesterday's plantings look well watered in after a night's rain, breaking out more new beds today
13 May - planting up new beds with Echinacea, Plantain and St John's Wort this morning, should be nicely watered in this afternoon with light rain
12 May - breezy and sunny again, the smell of pine and noise of chainsaws filled the air, a neighbour is felling about eight very tall pine trees. Breaking out new beds for seedlings all day
11 May - sheltered from the easterly wind and in bright sunshine all day. According to the biodynamic calendar it was a leaf day today so gathered plantago leaves and flowers to make some tincture
8 May - busy keeping up with Friday 'stuff' and dodging the showers - still very windy
7 May - sunny and very windy, cutting the grass and weeding, the swallows were dipping and diving all around today
6 May - incredibly windy with blustery showers, luckily the plants, especially black cohosh, aren't very tall at the moment
5 May - fabulous weekend weeding and getting on top of things! Not a promising start to the week weatherwise - wet and very windy
1 May - Beautiful morning, showers at lunchtime then managed to do some tidying up outside this afternoon
30 April - sunshine and showers, violets, primroses, bluebells, ladies smock, stitchwort are all in full flower now - lovely!
29 April - a heron sauntered up and down the beck during the morning, no doubt looking for the small fry we've seen darting about
28 April - yet more gentle rain today and the rumble of an earthquake!
27 April - a lovely drop of rain through the night and continued throughout the morning, everything looking fresh and bright when the sun came out during the afternoon
24 April - no rain yet, although it threatened all day
23 April - grey and drizzly for most of the morning but fair in the afternoon. Put a handful of compost round all the plants hoping it will be washed in over the next few days
22 April - frost covered the grass early this morning but soon disappeared in the bright sunshine - still a nip in the air
21 April - overcast for much of the day but no rain. The bluebells are showing in the wood along with stitchwort and wood sorrel
20 April - buzzards, herons, magpies and a great many other smaller birds singing their hearts out, warm and sunny from early morning but the wind is still cool and drying the land out fast
17 April - glorious day, with the warmth and a little rain the herbs are growing well (but so is everything else!)
16 April - weeding, weeding and more weeding!
15 April - deer visit the field every night at the moment, telltale footprints in the soil!
14 April - blackthorn blossom in the hedges promises lots of sloes if the weather is kind
9 April - breezy day in Edinburgh but sunny and springlike
8 April - travelled to Edinburgh on business - windy, showery journey but glorious weather in the afternoon - wonderful!
7 April - lovely sunny but very breezy day, finished servicing the lawnmower - spotted a couple of baby rabbits playing on the far side of the field
6 April - a dry, but grey, day, office duties and servicing the lawnmower!
3 April - cooler than yesterday but glorious once the mist faded away, yet more weeding
2 April - glorious day, spring cleaned the garden shed and had a sort out!
1 April - weeding this morning, a buzzard wheeled above and a couple of ducks flew over, very spring like
31 March - beautiful day after a grey start, weeding and preparing beds. The sun feels very warm when the cold wind stops blowing!
30 March - grey and mizzly morning and quite cold. The bluebell leaves carpet the wood but no sign of their flowers yet, a patch of wild daffodils gives a welcome splash of colour
27 March - hawthorn buds are opening, the oak wood still looks very wintry
26 March - very windy but bright sunshine too, working on raised beds, despite the cool weather and strong winds black cohosh growth is showing through the earth
25 March - typical March weather!
24 March - the rain finally arrived accompanied by fairly strong winds - not a day for working outdoors
23 March - extremely windy! Sunny with light cloud but very cold unless you're out of the wind
20 March - a light frost early this morning then another glorious day and evening, daffodils are in abundance
19 March - gorgeous all day, everything is beginning to show signs of life, new and fresh
18 March - misty first thing but a glorious day followed, weeding black cohosh and echinacea beds
17 March - no cold wind today so lovely to work in the sun weeding skullcap and generally tidying up the beds
16 March - Spring is definitely in the air, the sun feels warm when you're out of the wind, so working in the greenhouse is ideal
13 March - noticed the cover had blown off the compost heap but managed to cover it again, the valerian is showing through and lemon balm too
12 March - glorious more or less all day, buds on the blackthorn are swelling into a tiny soft green ball
11 March - grey, misty and mizzly - what a change! Lots of blackbirds and a couple of mallard on the field today
10 March - clear blue skies and still, snow almost melted, the moon looks fantastic this evening
9 March - much cooler with snow on the fell tops, brisk winds and squally showers, spotted a flock of twenty or so greylag geese in a nearby field
6 March - glorious weather again, thoroughly enjoyable week meeting lots of lovely people!
5 March - much colder this morning - frost on the ground - spotted lambs in the fields
4 March - clear blue skies - crocuses, pussywillow and catkins abound around here
3 March - very pleasant morning although grey skies building, the afternoon brought heavy rain and strong winds - non of which spoilt the surrounding countryside
2 March - visiting new outlets in the Cotswolds this week, lovely scenery and lovely weather today
27 February - nearly the end of another month! Sunshine again this afternoon following a grey morning
26 February - the female hazel flowers are just opening with their delicate red fronds, a flock of pigeons had a field day and there were a large number of blackbirds too
25 February - after a grey and mizzly morning, the sun broke through and the afternoon gave us clear blue skies and sunshine but the northwesterly wind was very chilly
24 February - misty and grey, no wind and generally very still
23 February - a young buzzard flitted in and out of the wood throughout the day, the catkins are looking like lamb's tails and the elder leaves are growing fast
20 February - skein after skein of geese flew over heading north again, mild with grey skies
19 February - spotted three Roe deer in the wood today, a buck in velvet and two does
18 February - geese are heading north again, we all seem to be enjoying this mild spell
17 February - new shoots on the young plants in the greenhouse - hurray
16 February - much more springlike, warmer and a glimmer on sunshine around lunchtime
13 February - usual Friday tidy round today, grey and still outside with snow still on the fell tops
12 February - grey and sleety today, a heron spent most of the day on the field flying here and there and a couple of woodpeckers could be heard hammering instistently in the wood
11 February - wonderful weather again and a pleasure to be out and about but very little can be done to the frozen herb beds
10 February - very little snow left, just snatches here and there lurking behind hedges and walls or where the sun failed to reach
9 February - after a glorious weekend, blue skies and sunshine again we had some snow this morning. We tracked deer and rabbits round the field, they'd visited once the snow had stopped and left wonderfully clear tracks
6 February - very cold but bright blue sky and glorious sunshine
5 February - the birds were singing all day today, weak sunshine in the afternoon and no wind
4 February - grey and still, something (I'm guessing a badger) has been rooting around for worms in the grass, leaving quite a trail of grassy tussocks!
3 February - lovely sunny day but raw wind, only the fells remain white with snow
2 February - the snow arrived! Snow flurries all day but not a lot lying in the fields, the fells look fabulous
30 January - very wet morning and grey all day but spotted lots more snowdrops peeping through
29 January - had a great day meeting people and letting them taste our tinctures, positive response and lovely to have feedback
28 January - the new leaves on the honeysuckle are growing slowly, daffodil leaves are through and hazel catkins show signs of opening but the biodynamic calendar hints at a wintry February
27 January - dreary day, low cloud and misty all day. Plenty of blackbirds seeking out worms through the shorter grass
26 January - noticed last week (and again this week) the great tits singing in the dawn chorus and through the daytime, the first bird to sing in the Spring
23 January - have met one or two people recently feeling a bit fed up and down, January-itis I guess, longing for the lighter evenings so I suggested St John's Wort tincture may help to give them a boost (always check with your medical health care practioner if you're on any medication)
22 January - beautiful day, almost like Spring! but we're not fooled
21 January - a couple of times recently a sparrowhawk has swooped down, narrowly missing my windscreen as I drive up the lane - I wonder if I disturb some small birds in the hedgerows
20 January - snowy fells again this morning and a raw day. Had a visit from Emma (Cumbria Business Environment Network) to present us with our Bronze Award - very worthwhile environmental awareness
19 January - cold and grey with sleet and the fells have a coating of snow but spotted a snowdrop beneath a tree this morning - hurray
16 January - a fair morning but drizzle and low cloud came this afternoon, Friday tidy up as usual
15 January - the temperature was 8 degrees this morning, the grass looks green and the buzzard was searching for worms in the field again
14 January - heard more geese flying over in the very early morning. Grey but fairly fine all day
13 January - a skein of about 200 geese heading north this morning - fantastic sight
12 January - blackbirds searching for worms again and spotted a buzzard in a nearby field doing the same, mild and fine all day
9 January - blackbirds were making the most of the thawing ground searching for worms, grey and raw all day
8 January - heard a couple of foxes barking last night, moving down from the fell, through the wood and away again
7 January - grey, misty and heavy drizzle but not as cold although the ground is still hard
6 January - down to -8 degrees last night (in the chicken shed!). Bottling and labelling Echinacea inside where it was warm
5 January - glorious weather, still and cold. Startled a hen pheasant that flew off and spied a couple of buzzards circling
2 January - a beautiful day again although more overcast than of late but still cold and dry
1 January 2009 - All Good Wishes for 2009!
31 December - a cock pheasant strutted round the field today, frosted ground and mist all around.
24 December - Season's Greetings and wishing you a peaceful 2009
23 December - a buzzard sat in a nearby field looking for worms (the field tends to get water logged so the worms come to the surface)
22 December - mad dash with orders, misty and grey but mild
19 December - wet, windy and dark all day!
18 December - a roebuck lay just below the ridge on the fell this morning, he moved off when he saw the dogs, revealing the doe and two younger ones
17 December - wet, windy and miserable! Racking off and filtering filled the day
16 December - similar start to the day but heavy rain followed and by mid afternoon it was really dank and dark - the dark days before Christmas
15 December - grey, foggy and cold in the morning, but the fog cleared slowly. Wood pigeon about and an alert sparrowhawk sat on a fencing post
12 December - awoke to a covering of snow again but melted very quickly with grey skies and showers all day, general Friday duties again
11 December - saw a couple of barn owls in the gloaming this morning as I walked across the fell with the dog, ghost-like and silent
10 December - glorious and sunny again, less than a fortnight to go to midwinter and the days will lengthen again
9 December - blue sky and sunshine, a buzzard resting on top of a telegraph pole, robins flitting to and fro - lovely
8 December - I spotted the roe doe this morning as I went for a walk round, she was foraging in the field under the wood and disappeared through the hedge into the adjoining field. Later, as I looked across she had skirted right round the wood and come back again through the opposite hedge, she had obviously been enjoying something good when I disturbed her
5 December - nothing new today, typical Friday tidying up!
4 December - the snow came in the early morning but not too deep and turning to slush readily with the increase in temperature
3 December - frosty and magical, the high fells are snow covered and all lowland covered with a thick frost
2 December - cold with sleet and snow showers but not lying on low levels, the fells look very seasonal!
1 December - about 5 degrees of frost this morning following a foggy and frosty weekend. The beck has icicles hanging on the banks and the vegetation looks spectacular first thing in the morning with the ice crystals catching the first glimpses of the sun rising
28 November - we've been busy collecting seeds recently on dry days (and fire days by the moon calendar - in biodynamics the best days to collect seeds to ensure they contain maximum plant energy etc) so already looking forward to the spring when we can started propogating and growing again - great!
27 November - gales and torrential rain followed by clear blue skies late afternoon but the whole day spent indoors processing the rash of orders we had today - thank you
26 November - isn't it wonderful - when all around looks wintry and lifeless you can look closely and see the buds for next year's leaves on lots of things, like honeysuckle, are there ready and waiting for the spring
25 November - beautiful day, the fells looked cold and clear with a slight dusting of snow/ice, blue skies and very little wind. A kestrel hovered on high before swooping to pounce on some unsuspecting creature
22 November - pretty chilly here today, a north easterly wind but we were quite sheltered. Busy bottling and labelling, so cosy indoors
21 November - a busy week one way and another, when my mind won't stop turning things over and over at, or during, the night I find taking skullcap works very well and valerian helps with relaxation, maybe next week will be calmer!
20 November - a blustery day followed a very windy night, not many leaves remain on the trees in the wood or in the hedges, just the ash keys hanging heavy and dark, soaked with rain
19 November - looking out across the herbs splashes of orange catch the eye, calendula flowers have their last flush of colour before the winter
18 November - a flock of woodpigeons spent the morning feasting on acorns under the wood, making the most of the winter sunshine and light winds
17 November - following a gorgeous weekend of bright sunshine and some warmth we are back to grey mizzle with flurries of leaves here and there
14 November - grey again today, raindrops hang on branches, nothing moving much at all
13 November - typical Lakeland mizzle today turning into heavy drizzle by the afternoon but a flock of 6 or 7 blackbirds spent the morning deftly picking off the last of the hawthorn berries
12 November - gorgeous day, blue skies, still air and not too cold. Spent the day making the most of the weather clearing brambles to make way for a log store
11 November - I was reminded this morning, whilst observing two minutes silence, that nature carries on regardless, which is why we can only work with nature to gain the most from it
10 November - heavy showers with strong winds during the night and this morning gave way to a lovely afternoon although the wind remained strong. The roe doe visited us in the afternoon in her full winter coat, grazing on the field in the shelter of the wood
7 November - grey and cooler today, the weather forecast for the weekend sounds revolting. General end of week tidying up today
6 November - I have just returned from Manchester having spent the day at 'On the Eighth Day' Health Food Shop on Oxford Road. I had a day in the shop offering tastings of our Echinacea and handing out leaflets, it was lovely to meet people and have a day on the shop floor
5 November - we were pleased to be told by a friend that they had found great success taking Lakeland Herbs Red Clover tincture for a sore throat. They had suffered the sore throat for 4 or 5 days and gargling with TCP hadn't helped really but on reading our leaflet they decided to try Red Clover tincture and were delighted to find the sore throat completely gone in a day and a half - wonderful
4 November - as I looked across at the wood I saw a squirrel scurrying through the branches which are now latticed against the sky having lost, just about, all their leaves, in the summer months the canopy of leaves shields all these 'goings on' very well!
3 November - another month! Glorious weather, cold with clear skies and brilliant sunshine, the birds were out and about, a flock of woodpigeon and one or two blue tits
31 October -fine, dry but cold wind
30 October - quiet, still day with spells of sunshine, a pair of herons spent time in the wetland by the beck this afternoon before taking off and flying over the fell
29 October - frost first thing this morning, snow on the fells, damp and raw all day - it felt more like December or January
28 October - boy oh boy it feels cold, we have dropped straight into winter with frost on the grass and frosted windscreens! The plants are dying back rapidly and autumn colours changing yet again
27 October - well, what a weekend for rain and wind, the beck broke its banks and a torrent washed over the little bridge bringing broken branches and leaves to deposit on either side as the water subsided. Today was quiet and beautiful with a dusting of snow or hail on the fells first thing this morning
24 October - very sad news close to me this week reaffirms my belief that we should appreciate all we have around us, and we certainly have plenty to appreciate here every day
23 October - can't say a lot about today, totally revolting weather!
22 October - beautiful sunshine for most of the day, the calendula continue to flower but the echinacea are definitely in autumn mode with ragged petals on most flower heads
21 October - decidedly colder at the end of today, a northerly wind sweeping hail showers across from time to time. Coniston Old Man looked wonderfully atmospheric this evening shrouded in a pink light basking in a rain/hail shower
20 October - autumnal high winds have brought the leaves cascading off the trees today, great showers of them leaving the trees bare on one side and at the top. Birds were buffeted this way and that and didn't seem to venture far
17 October - repeat of yesterday weatherwise really, maybe a little more cloud but less showers. All is quiet on the wildlife front, we've not noticed any visitors but that is not to say there haven't been any!
16 October - glorious, picture-book autumn day with buzzards wheeling above against a blue sky with one or two clouds and periodically the odd light shower. We added an article about Beating winter colds and flu, with some ideas on how to keep the bugs away and help you feel better if you're unlucky to catch a cold. Do let us know what you think!
15 October - walking through the wood today the canopy overhead is thinning, lace-like, and the woodland floor is a patchwork of coloured leaves
14 October - by the afternoon the rain was heavy and relentless, a great day to catch up on tidying up indoors - again!
13 October - even though the weather is not particularly sunny the colours of the leaves are stunning, nature matches colours perfectly. Looking closely I have found hazel catkins showing and still the odd bramble flower
10 October - blustery, not particularyly pleasant but mainly dry. The ash keys hang in huge dark brown bunches amongst the leaves, we could plant a forest if we collected them all
9 October - a thick mist covered the land early this morning but as the sun rose in the sky it melted away but the grey clouds gathered and we had rain again albeit light rain. The leaves on the trees are still very green in general with just odd trees here and there turning orange and yellow, there are very few sloes here this year and not many hazelnuts either
8 October - we are having a spell of weather with one day wet followed by one day fine, the land is squelchy and muddy. Today was a mild, fine day and tonight the clouds had a pretty pink tinge, hopefully tomorrow will break the pattern and it will be dry and sunny again
7 October - I forgot to mention a couple of weeks ago a sparrowhawk flew very low down the length of the beck, made a backwards loop and caught something in the rushes flying off with it over the hedge, it all happened in a few seconds, I couldn't identify its prey
6 October - having spent a few days in Edinburgh in glorious weather last week, I drove back on Saturday which was appalling! Today it was glorious again and I had chance to pick calendula flowers this morning in brilliant sunshine. I could hear a woodpecker busily making holes in a tree in the wood and the odd bee buzzing about but apart from that it was really quiet
1 October - horrendous weather! No chance of working outside, either lashing rain or squally showers, we even had hail. Plenty of pressing out (of mash) or racking off tinctures to keep us busy
30 September - no change from yesterday really, inside work all day
29 September - back to unsettled weather unfortunately, very heavy showers and quite windy. Heard the buzzard mewling again today. Any birds I saw were being tossed about in the wind heading for safe ground
26 September - still, warm, and blue skies all day - a glorious day finishing off jobs ready for the weekend
25 September - a skein of geese flew over this morning, very high in the sky, about 50 of them heading south east; another sign of autumn
24 September - there is a very old ash tree in one of the hedges; its branches hang so far down they touch the ground in places. The deer love to use the tree for cover and food; they've stripped the low branches bare - not a leaf to be seen
23 September - spent time harvesting the next crop of Calendula flowers, beautiful sunshine and quite warm.
22 September – after the past dry week the beck is back to its normal summer level now having been very full for the past few weeks and months even. Spotted one or two Brown Trout, this year's fry judging by their size – hopefully there are lots more we haven't seen!
19 September - not as sunny but still fine and quite still, the land is drying up and there's a nip in the air but good weather for working outdoor - hurrah!
18 September - a lovely day, very autumnal, the thrushes and blackbirds have had a great time fishing out worms from the ground, a nuthatch busily flitted amongst the hazel trees and goldfinches are still enjoying various seedheads.
17 September - the swallows have been gathering on the telephone wires, another sign of autumn and we've managed to harvest more Hawthorn berries.
16 September - the old doe we saw last week spent most of the day on the field today, browsing through the long grass and hedgerow. She is growing her winter coat and grooming herself frequently (deer pick up wild yeasts on their coat which react with sunlight to make vitamins so as the deer groom themselves they get all these vitamins).
15 September - our neighbours have been struggling to get their silage this summer and this weekend saw them out and about working flat out to finish the summer cropping. The grass at this time of year is past its best but no doubt better than nothing!
12 September - the goldfinches are thoroughly enjoying the seedheads on the knapweed and any thistles they find, flitting about in groups having a field day!
11 September - glorious sunshine and very little wind although it clouded over in the late afternoon. Gathered Hawthorn berries all afternoon, plenty of ripe ones, but again lots to ripen further so we'll be gathering again in the next week or so.
10 September - sunny day, and quite warm, picked Calendula flowers late morning to make tincture, had to gently nudge the bees off some of them, we were all making the most of being out and about in the sunshine. There are lots of buds on the plants still so if the weather is kind we'll have another crop next week.
9 September - three Roe deer visited the field mid morning, a buck and two does. They wandered around happily browsing then passed through into the adjacent field. In the rutting season deer can behave in an uncharacteristic way, appearing out in the open in the middle of the day seemingly without a care.
8 September - a lovely day with warm sunshine. Making the most of these precious days when we are able to work outdoors without a rain coat. Elderberries hang heavily, the rain is spoiling some of them for us to eat, but the insects and flies are enjoying them.
5 September - the fells are covered in deep orange now, the bracken has died down, earlier than usual I think - autumn is well under way, the air smells different and the light is brighter and clearer.
4 September - a sparrowhawk killed a blackbird just outside the cabin today - just a few feathers left as evidence.
3 September - when we arrived at the field in the early morning we could see a horizontal brown shape amongst the rushes by the beck, it was a roe deer. We then noticed another in the corner of the field watching us. As soon as we looked straight at it, it turned and jumped into the wood followed by the first one.
2 September - we regularly have a visiting heron on the field, this morning it gazed at us from next to the beck then, unhurridly, it took off and gracefully flew into the next field. Sometimes it saunters along the grass paths between the rows of herbs like a model with attitude on a catwalk strutting its stuff
1 September - didn't look too promising first thing and we had heavy showers but the afternoon made up for it - glorious. The butterflies and bees were making up for lost time and a flock of sparrows were flitting from hawthorn to hawthorn. A sparrowhawk flew past the window chasing a small bird but I couldn't see what it was or whether it was caught.
29 August - the brown tinge of the bracken is quite pronounced now, underneath the, still green, top canopy. The damp, and at times very wet August, seems to have brought forward the autumn colour on the fells.
August - damp and drizzly again, some of our neighbours are struggling to make silage, the new grass is growing through the mown swathes that haven't been picked up because they are too wet - very disheartening. Maybe this weekend will bring better weather for them.
27 August - grey, fine rain and pretty miserable for most of the day. We might feel a bit fed up with the wet weather but the herbs are looking really well.
26 August - a large flock of 'goldies' (goldfinches) on the herb field over the weekend, 50 or more of them, feeding on the knapweed seedheads - a wonderful sight.
22 August - Friday again! Another beautiful day. We have a friendly toad living amongst the herbs and we're used to coming across him whilst weeding, we also have frogs but they always make me jump because they leap out unexpectedly!
21 August - after a grey start and the odd shower it turned into a real hay day - sunny with a good breeze - ideal working weather! A blue tit managed to squeeze itself down the flue for the woodburner today and tapped at the glass door making me jump - I let it out and it flew around leaving sooty patches before it finally found an open window. I watched it land on a branch outside - it really seemed quite unperturbed
20 August - we struggle to guess what the weather will do during the day at the moment with heavy showers predicted anywhere, which makes planning outdoor jobs tricky, however, another bonus today and the grass was cut and a lot of general tidying up achieved! The bracken on the fells is just beginning to show that it is early autumn, eventually it will turn, firstly gorgeous golden and then deep orange in colour.
19 August - a fine day! Continued pulling docks, a very rewarding job but still quite a few to go. The butterflies were enjoying the sunshine, I particularly noticed a lot of large and small whites and a small copper. A vole scurried across the path today and dived into a tussock of grass hiding its head leaving its entire back end sticking out, I think it thought we couldn't see it - playing ostrich - it really did look very funny!
18 August - the young buck we saw last week passed through again but limping on a foreleg, hopefully he's just strained it and the buzzard swooped low above our heads as we were pulling docks near to the wood to prevent them seeding everywhere - grey all day with some really heavy showers.
15 August - a family of Goldfinches amused us today, feeding on dandelion clocks, bouncing along the stems and generally enjoying themselves. General end of the week tidying up on a dry day with sunny spells - lovely.
14 August - a young doe crossed our path this morning about 8.45, looking startled, she'd obviously been disturbed and was returning to safe cover. A much better day than the weather forecast, high cloud and sunny intervals in the afternoon. The hawthorn berries are slowly turning red, something you only notice when you look closely, another month we would think before they're ready to harvest.
13 August - much better day weatherwise so managed to cut the grass before the next lot of rain heads our way. As we were pulling ragwort in the afternoon we noticed a young Roe buck happily foraging along the hedge of the adjoining field, he probably feeds there regularly, we just don't always catch sight of him. The young buzzard we seem to hear on a daily basis continued its plaintive mewing!
12 August 2008 - the Glorious Twelfth - not so glorious here! A really wet day! Torrential showers turning the beck into a churning, frothing torrent. Nothing achieved outside but had a rewarding day revamping the website |
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