It’s been a rainy old week, with a subdued mood to match. Thankfully we finally got the roof fixed, so for the first time in a long time the house has stood up to a good downpour. The fixing of the roof means everything inside can now be completed without the threat of becoming water damaged – so here begineth the choosing of colours and wallpapers and tiles and carpets and and and… Exciting and a little daunting all at the same time. We’ve put so much effort into making the house sound we want to make sure we do it justice with the décor.
Of course, me being me, I have chosen and bought the colour for our new chicken houses rather than (the far more important) wall colours! They’ll be duck egg blue! I know, I know I need to get my priorities straight, but I can't help it, I can see light at the end of the tunnel. The dividing wall in the kitchen is out, the floor is coming up this week and once the plastering is done it will just be a case of decorating and moving all our stuff in, right? So I’m looking even further ahead to when I’m cooking home grown veg at my lovely big oven and rearing more chicks with our trusty incubator (though I have promised my current broody girls a go themselves next year). My thoughts have turned to soil PH’s and composting techniques, to the positioning of the bee hive and which breeds of chicken I’d like to have a go with next. I can see BBQ’s by the canalside with family and friends and cosy nights in front of the log burner. It’s a frustrating mix of pushing forward while being held back at the minute. All will be resolved eventually – let us start the 10 week countdown to actually living at The Keep.
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| Now you see it... |
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| Now you don't! |
These pictures make even my toes curl with their stark reality check of just how far we still have to go, but we're positive the next month will see massive change and it should start to look like something inhabitable.
The Keep has already become a place to celebrate in and gather with the people we love. This weekend is Father’s day, so we’re having my dad round to do a spot of fishing off the back. I’ll make us some lunch – probably just sandwiches on paper plates as we have no means to make anything more sophisticated than that right now– and it will be the first of, hopefully, many celebrations at The Keep.
With most of the work left to do needing to be done by professionals, I'm hoping for a weekend cracking on in that garden of mine. If I want to be ready for the season next year, I need to rally. With over 200 concrete slabs to shift before I can even put a fork in the ground, I'm going to have my work cut out for me and I don't just want it to 'work' I want it to be beautiful too. Espaliered fruit trees and well fruiting bushes, greenery everywhere you look and swathes of blooming flowers. I want it to be the edible garden I have dreamed of, while being really beautiful to look at. Of course that's a while off - no good food garden ever happened over one season... I did say I was looking ahead!...
Right that's enough day dreaming, time to get the hard stuff done.
Come rain or shine, it'll still be mine.
G
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