Well here we are. How many weeks into this ‘lockdown’/pandemic? I’m not sure. Some days I even struggle to figure out what day of the week it is!
How are you doing?
I have to admit some days are better than others here. There are days when I feel like I’ve no motivation, and could quite happily just sneak back to bed!!!
Then there are days when we get lots done. So let’s concentrate on the positive, right?
The weather has been glorious since this all started, sunshine for the most part. April was actually warm. We got to dine al fresco quite a bit. May has not been so warm…. dry but actually quite cold.
The pizza/clay oven has been completed…. eight years after the base was originally built!
New clay oven being checked out as a possible nesting site!!!
My social distancing honesty table has put egg sales through the roof! I cannot keep up with sales. Some days there are no eggs for us.
This week we’ve started on a new evening seating area… will keep you posted on progress on that.
I’ve planted so many vegetables, a few outdoors, but mostly in the tunnel. I’ve tons of vegetables waiting patiently in the polytunnel for the weather to warm up a bit, so I can get them outside.
Harvest 2020 has started with rhubarb and radishes. It looks like we should have a huge crop of fruit this year, the trees and bushes are laden with fruit.
We are thankful for our very fully stocked freezers. There is now space in them for the first time in many years, as we work our way through our stock. There have been a few UFOs discovered… Unknown Freezer Objects!
I’ve been taking a photo or video a day to share especially with people who cannot get out into the countryside.
I’ve also been editing our YouTube channel which I set up, probably 10 years ago, loaded videos to and never did anything more. So this too is a learning curve.
We’re also learning lots about Webex and Zoom. There has been a family birthday party via Zoom, as well as a virtual dinner party with friends via Zoom. Maybe Zoom will be the new ‘going out’?
Like so many other small businesses, we’ve had to rethink ways to make an income. We’re not sure when/if the bed and breakfast business will ever return to a semblance of normality. All bookings for this year (which looked like being extremely busy) have been cancelled, every single one!
And because people aren’t allow to travel beyond 5 km from home, or gather with strangers, our courses were hit hard too. However, we decided we can at least see how they would work online. I know, it does seem strange doing ‘free range pig-rearing’ on line. It is working though. We’ve our third group joining us next week. Over 2 sessions we cover all the theory, and because I’ve been working on the YouTube channel, I’ve unearthed videos of pigs to show everyone!
White soda and griddle bread made during online bread making class
We started the online bread making course last week, and so far, it seems folks like the idea of this class on a Sunday morning. We can’t do the complete course on line, but we do share the recipes, and do two of the three breads over the course of an hour and a half.
A Year In Redwood 
Glad to hear you are doing well Margaret, we are doing the same here. My life isn’t that much different now then it was here on our farm. We just don’t leave the farm as much. I might be drinking a little more these days because of the worry about this country’s situation with our nut case for a President who is just basically doesn’t care if anyone dies as long as the economy is going again so he will get re-elected. Damn Russia for installing this puppet. On a brighter note, the apple tree seeds you sent my I got 3 little trees started that are about 4 inches tall. It’s going to be 7 to 10 years before we get any apples from them but I am still excited. It will be a new variety and I am not sure what I might call them, maybe Beauty of Iowa. What do you think?
Hi Gordon,
Glad you are both safe. We are much the same as always here too, just not leaving the property as much as we would have in the past. Yes, I agree, the government decisions over there are absolutely crazy. Ours may not be perfect, but they are doing their damnedest to keep us safe.
In other good news, another extremely old variety of apple tree that came down in a storm about 10 years ago has resprouted! I shall save some seeds for you. We were never able to identify the variety but it is a lovely apple.
Beauty of Iowa sounds good to me!
Margaret
Sounds great about getting some more seeds from the old variety of apple tree, I would love that. Thanks again Margaret, take care.
You guys are terrific and so positive although you shared you have bad days too like many , pizza oven look fantastic, fair play xx
Hi Lucy,
Thank you! We keep saying it hasn’t impacted much on how we live our lives, as we still go about our daily stuff…. but it is different. Stay safe yourselves.
Margaret
Hi Margaret, you paint a picture of a generally positive approach to our current circumstances. It’s very difficult. I love to see “learning curve” in the middle of your text. Learning new skills and using the “free” time inflicted on us is very good for the mind and soul. Stick at it.
Thank you Conor… really just trying to keep ourselves occupied! And I know there is always plenty to be done around here too! Hope you two are keeping well?
Margaret