I have been a very bad blogger,I had not realised how bad, until several Botany Farmers telephoned to ask whether or not we were still in business,retired or moved out.Well we are still very much here and its New Years Day, its grey and wet and I am in blogging mood.
2011 started with the most ferocious winter we have ever experienced but the wood pile coped and the severe cold produced one of the most beautiful springs ever.It is the farming fashion now not to cut the hedges as often so there was the most magnificent display of catkins from the Hazel and flowers from Hornbeam that we never before realised was in our hedges and host upon host of golden daffodils.
I reached 60 this year and Graham 65 so we spent late January in Venice,again fiercely cold but with sun and cloudless blue skies and oh so very quiet,we even had "Tintoretto" to ourselves.Went to France,Tarn and Garonne early summer to visit our son who was living there.
Grahams winter project is an old camper van to mend,very low mileage but parked up for 7 years and lived in so a bit grubby and in much need of his carpentry skills.Think we will try a few forays in the spring and see if it suits.
Venice started this years obsessive interest for me.Saw in an antiquarian shop a string of beautiful old trade beads,made in Venice from the 1800s and used as currency in the African continent,hugely expensive in Venice but a few weeks later a fell over an old trade bead necklace in Dorchester market.Now I know what I am looking for, find a few more concealed as something else on ebay.com so keep buying as ever,Graham remarks with rancer that at least they dont take up much room.
"Babes" my very tame but wild Sikha deer is still safely around, avoided getting shot or run over.I was looking out of the bedroom window in October when she crept onto the front lawn followed by a very young admirer,it was very much,dont worry,it is quite safe here,this is my private space ,then proceeded to mate with him for a quarter of an hour.My friend Richard the gamekeeper,chortling, told me that we were very privileged to witness this event!
New Years Resolution as ever MINIMALISATION(probably not achievable),get control of Botany landscape keep it tidier,grow more,get control of the bloody rabbits.
High spot of Christmas saw a Red Kite in the field(I know Im sad)but they are so fab and we have loads of Buzzards but I have only seen just one ,over the Bestival site in the summer and one in January last year probably when the food supply was in short supply so there was a need to look further.
Well,heres to 2012,we are still open,still in need of company and extend our good wishes to all the friends we have made B and Bing over the last 25 years.
HAPPY 2012,Thanks and Love to you all.
