38 of 52 *

 Another week in 2020 has slipped by, a gentle mix of busy and quiet, sorrow and joy, sunshine and rain.

Monday while I worked up in the moorland garden I was surrounded by the sounds of a warm and gentle autumnal breeze rustling through the hedge leaves with the occasional distant lowing of a dairy shorthorn checking on her calf. The herd were high up on the hill and had left all their young asleep in the sun against the garden wall. Over the course of ten minutes or so, the calves awoke, stood up, stretched and bawled back at their mothers. I unintentionally startled them and as one they cantered off in an untidy wobbly blob up to the main herd. Each calf finding their dam, latching on and suckling.

Moss was with me, watching my every move with intense brown eyes. She is good company.

Tuesday was volunteering-at-the-community-shop day and I was fully aware that we would be understaffed - we are usually a group of three but today we were only the two. My volunteering buddy and I worked out a strategy and hoped it worked... and it did - we had a lovely day and enjoyed the 'busy-ness' of it. The afternoon was filled with mask making and slow-sow stitching whilst listening to the rain on the window and drinking coffee.

Wednesday brought hot tears - I worked in a lovely mature garden higher up the village. It is tucked behind an beautiful old farm house and is a multi-layered space completely enclosed by mature hedges and trees. I already knew that the cat ,who usually 'supervises' me as I work in 'her' garden, had died unexpectedly the night before so was expecting a saddened owner, and she was. We shed a tear with a mutual friend, who had been on hand helping with vets and heartbreak the night before, arrived to bury the cat. A special place was selected in the garden - one the cat liked to rest in during the warmth of a summer's day - and a hole duly dug. We were all affected by the loss of one rather small and fat furry cat. The garden seemed thinner that day.

Thursday was rather more joyous. I was part of a small (and correctly numbered and socially distanced) group who walked from a picturesque village over rolling fields, lead by a community outreach officer (a walk leader/ranger in old terms.... why do they change titles??). 

We ended up at a newly acquired space the outreach group had obtained complete with wonderfully old and beautifully maintained barns and shippon and a huge blank space with the remains of a walled garden and raised beds. The long term plan is to have the gardens up and running giving the outreach group a safe space to share with groups of folk who need help with mental and physical health, gently guiding and helping to reintegrate with people, learn new skills and find a place where they can feel safe. There is a long way to go, the site is raw and has been neglected for a long time but with a bit of hard work (ok - a lot) and the right sort of leadership and guidance - I think it could be an amazing place in the future.

While we were there, a dear friend of mine (he introduced me to this group and invited me on their walks) reached a phenomianal milestone.... at the grand old age of 81 years young and post major cancer surgery and a stroke .... had reached his goal of #walk1000miles in 2020 and had beaten me by 150 miles (I am still plodding on ha!) So, I presented him with a specially designed medal and the rest of the group cheered and took photos. He was delighted and kept his medal on for the rest of the day :)

The gardens must have been some one's pride and joy once as the soil is good, the construction strong and the layout well designed and the thick layer of moss and nettle roots has prevented the soil from drying out while the shear quantity of earthworms was fantastic.  

We worked in the garden for most of the day and managed clear one bed completely and made serious inroads in another two. It was most gratifying to plant up the bed with native wildflower plug-plants before we left - a job well done. This space, if taken forward with the enthusiasm that was shared yesterday - will be a lovely one to be in.

Moss was invited too - of course, she makes so many friends as she goes along and as they day warmed up she found her own way to cool off.  Then, at the end of the day, we walked back through the fields and sat on the village green with locally made ice cream cones and just appreciated the day, the weather, friendship and silly wet dogs......

Now, today being Friday - is the 'start' of the weekend. Himself will be home by lunch and the sun is shining with a blue sky and softly grey pink clouds scudding through. It is definitely feeling and tasting like autumn and I am most definitely trying to see the beauty of it. 

Last days of summer .... holding on .... letting go .... cool days and chilly evenings.

Have a lovely weekend where ever you are - hope you find precious moments in your day despite what's going on around us.  xxx

*and the 38 of 52? it is the number of this week..... the 38th week of 2020. Not so many left - wonder how things will turn?