1st April

These are the best of days.
The sun shone all day with clear blue skies in the afternoon. An early walk with the dog in the nearby woods was a joy. Sheets of white wood anemones had appeared from nowhere amongst the bluebell leaves. There were kingcups in the boggy bit, and delicate wild wood violets.

Last night the light came on in the garden and the fox was there again, picking up grain from under the bird table. It’s the second time we’ve seen her in two days. Yesterday she was strolling around the garden in broad daylight with total confidence. She stood magnificently on the deck by the pond, mistress of all she surveyed.

It’s always the same when I garden after a few day’s break. The first hour is sheer hard work; everything aches and I wonder why I ever enjoyed it. Slow, repetitive, painful, muddy and frustrating. I look for excuses to stop – putting washing on, or hanging it out to dry, making a phone call, having a coffee or taking a photo.
Once that initial hour has passed, and I’ve convinced myself that I really must deserve a break for ten minutes, I return to the garden tasks with a will, and find two or three hours have just rushed by, and ‘ I must just do….’ Before I can possibly stop.

Putting tools away leads to considering what herbs and vegetables we need for supper, which leads to watering in the Polytunnel and tweaking the odd weed or six. “ I’ll just get the stepladder to do that job while I think of it……”, and so it goes on.

When I finally go indoors with armfuls of chard and some fresh herbs, I feed the dog, cat, birds, ducks, tidy the kitchen, sort the washing, decide on supper and get it started.

I feel so tired, but so content. That wonderful physical weariness where you feel both toned and relaxed, and day to day concerns have been put to one side for a little while.

Mind you, I look like a wild woman. Mad hair, half tied back, no makeup, fleece complete with soil, twigs and leaves, and muddy knees and backside.
At this moment I genuinely feel this is the best way to look and to feel. And perhaps a few jobs left for tomorrow?