Circle of Life.

I'm not as prolific a writer as I used to be. Sometimes this is because I'm mad busy and life gets in the way of talking about life, other times I overthink it and the moments are lost. Occasionally I know I have something momentous to impart, but by the time I've treated a lamb, fed the alpaca or checked a fence, I have forgotten I ever had a point to make. I also try to make a point of not blogging, posting or tweeting when I'm in poor spirits. Over the past few weeks this has been my excuse, I have been a little low. I'm not depressed, I know friends with depression and I'm aware that this is not me, I've just been a little low.

The weather in August was quite inconsistent and we almost lost our hay, (the positive being that we did not.) Our lambs thrived. We birthed three gorgeous cria, with more due in April, and I was determined not to be disappointed that they were all boys. We've had a bit of a spate of boys in recent years and I longed for some girls. The alpaca babies took a longer time to arrive than expected, also a consequence of the weather and I was restricted to the site, awaiting babies. It makes you a little stir-crazy. But they were happy and healthy when they arrived. Then suddenly one was not; happy or healthy. I worked hard with our vet, but the baby developed an infection, pneumonia set in and he passed away. It hit me hard.

Rest in peace little Diablo.

It's taken three weeks but I'm back on track. The farmers say 'livestock, deadstock,' it's a bit harsh but it means that if you breed livestock, you'll have times when issues occur and you won't be able to save that animal. It's life. I realise I haven't quite come to terms with that. Born in St John's Wood, I'm definitely a smallholder rather than a farmer.

My family, friends and my garden have kept my spirits high. It's hard to be down when you have special people in your life. Nature's bounty is always uplifting and it's hard to be down when the kitchen garden groans with fruit, veg and flowers for the house, dahlias scream hello in their showy way, grapes are ripening, sweet pea are filling the air with heavy scent and fat hedgehogs waddle gown the path at dusk. Life is good and I'm grateful.

Selling our range of natural fertilisers at Chelsea Flower Show and Hampton Court was fabulous this year again, thanks to Todd's Botanics and their wonderful team, of which I now count myself as a virtual member. Don't forget to order Lou's Poo Beans if you are planting spring flowering bulbs and our limited edition Christmas bags are on sale now. www.TheArchersAtTheLarches.com.

A Gentle Autumn....

The 11yo and Fudge, one of the baby alpaca, really do love each other. While I'm busy with hay or food troughs or poo picking, they frolic, snuggle, chill. Occasionally, Sproglet1 will bring her iPod into a paddock, sit on the bank and play, keeping me company. Fudge, who is not too keen on Minecraft, is content to sit beside the girl resting a Thompson Twins hair-styled head on Sproglet's lap. They are an item.

See? Almost no difference.....

Thompson Twins

Last night was a particularly lovely evening, though overcast, it was warm and dry and, having harvested the last of the pumpkins..... and a black cat for luck! [Honest, the 11yo and I are not witches!] we set off to see to the alpaca. Sproglet2 couldn't help as he was detained by Anthony Horowitz!

The alpaca girls were in a particularly social mood so we chatted about what was on telly last night....

Discussed the latest fashions (in welly boots)

..... and then had a snog..

and something to eat. Ouch!

Don't forget to sign up for the Newsletter from my new website TheArchersAtTheLarches.com 

Lovely products for lovely people.

Hi, I'm Shadow....

Shadow is now 2 weeks and 4 days old and utterly bonkers. She races around the field tossing her head this way and that, kicking her ridiculously long legs sideways, swerving as she passes the adults as if she's a F1 car in a Grand Prix. She's funny. She taken a real liking to nibbling ears and hair and the sproglets receive this attention as much as Annabel and Bracken!

No sign of Bracken's baby yet but we're all very chilled about this as those that know assure me it could still be on the way. The 8yo has really bonded with his mother-to-be and can often be found lying in the long cool grass, leaning on her back, both half asleep.

 

The Next Big Thing...

I’m chuffed to have been tagged in a meme entitled 'The Next Big Thing' by the poet Elizabeth Darcy Jones. Elizabeth is an innovative poet and is Britain's Tea Poet. She is currently working on an exciting project for Mothers Day. This blog tag demands that I tell you about my next book so here I go!

What is the working title of your next book?
The Perrys at The Berries is a fictionalised account of a family of four, Sophie and James, mum and dad, and their children Izzy, 5, and Seb, 4, who decide to change their lives by moving from London to rural Shropshire. To be fair, I'm not sure of the title yet, it was born out of the blog The Archers at The Larches which is, as you know, factual not fictional.

What genre does your book fall under?
It is a romantic comedy though some of it is rather black.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Wow, really hard question. Rosamund Pike would be perfect for Sophie. Her characterisation of Jane Bennet in Pride and Prejudice was so endearing.

In my mind James looks like the actor Scott Speedman. James, thirty-something, needs to be vulnerable yet manly.... Let me know if you have any other suggestions.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Moving house from London to Shropshire may have been just 150 miles by car, but to the Perry family, it was a whole new rural world.


Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I will be represented by an agency for this book though my children's ebook Nancy, Peggy and Susan - First Freedom was self published under the pseudonym Pandora Butterfield and is sold through Amazon, Barnes and Nobel's Nook and Lulu in various formats.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
The first draft only took 1 month. I enrolled on the NaNoWriMo challenge (National Novel Writing Month) in November 2010 and sat in my kitchen, close to the log burner, writing the 50,000 words required to complete the challenge. I loved it and would repeat it tomorrow if allowed! My family did not love it: There was scant housework done, pre-cooked dinners were the norm and it would be fair to say I was a little distracted.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?
I was approached by an New York agent to write this book, she had read my blog and thought a twist to a real life memoir could be a fictional account of the situation. I loved the idea and eagerly began to write.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Hopefully it will be a fun read with a good amount of self help information on how to start a smallholding; manage land, grow fruit, veg and flowers and keep sheep, chickens and the like. If the readership of my blog is anything to go by there are an awful lot of city-folk and Londoners in particular, who would love to do exactly what Sophie and James attempt to do.

Look out for The Perrys at The Berries and live vicariously through my book.

Now it's my turn to pass on a Next Best Thing recommendation: I met the most marvelous woman at a New Year party. I am in awe of her life, it's not often someone tells you that they are off to spend a stint in the Amazon as a photographer. Sue Flood has taken stunning wildlife photographs all over the world. She has worked in cold climes taking pictures of penguins, polar bears and more. She has worked for the BBC, The Discovery Channel and has supported David Attenborough in his wildlife programmes. She has swum with humpback whales and told me that once, a baby whale, (sill the size of a school bus,) managed to thwack her with his tail, knocking the camera from her grasp!

She is awesome and I envy her adventures. He wonderful book Cold Places is available through her website here. Check out her blog when she continues this meme.

  

Ten Months...or 40 weeks...or 300 days....approximately

The Archers have been resident at The Larches for exactly 10 months today! It's whizzed by.

Achievements:
1. All four of us are still alive. (Although the 5yo and the 7yo, have made valiant attempts to test this claim...)

2. Also alive, are eight rescued battery hens, one donated rooster and two cats. Kept warm through a pretty chilly winter, I hasten to add.

3. I am loving writing here at The Larches, and have almost finished editing my book for 9+ girls. It's called Greystone School - First Freedom and when I'm completely happy, I'll let you know more!

4. We have almost killed one very persistent 80yo wisteria ....wisteria lovers beware of thy foundations!!

5. We have met lovely horse people, who use our facilities and fields. We have also forced ourselves on the neighbours/villagers, (I think they think we're ok, mad but ok!)

6. We have purchased an ancient and stinky 4x4, which has proved invaluable

7. We have reclaimed the gardens and house, from the grips of Mother Nature ....including ridding the attic of rats, ughhh!

8. The new veg patch, plus the chickens' eggs, should help supplement our food from here on, till September. Plus, we still have the apples, stoned fruit and hedgerow fare, like blackberries, to reap and store. Husband is also learning to shoot. Thus we are beginning to see our smallholding take shape ...I'll let you know as we progress.

9. We have resisted children's pleas, to purchase a horse. (Willy the Shetland doesn't count, as he just lives here f.o.c. and for that, the babies get the occasional riding lesson from the owner)

10. WE ARE BIG-TIME HAPPY.



Failures:
1. My bottom is not as nice as Felicity Kendal's,although luckily my husband, who wears v. strong glasses, thinks it is.

Kittens

We got two rescue kittens on Christmas Eve. Brothers, they were abandoned, left to fend for themselves in a cardboard box. We love them, they are our new babies. The chickens are less in love. Tiger-like, low to the ground, Benny and Tabby hunt together. They stalk and chase and upset chickens scatter. I'm assured they couldn't bring one down so I leave the hunters to their delusion.

We thought we'd lost both of them yesterday. A friend came to visit with a little gun dog. Well trained, he didn't bark or attack, he just give the kittens a nasty look. Hours later, using strong torches, we found them in the attic barn. Fluffy and sad.

When the children go to sleep, husband and I watch the evening show. Up the curtains, round the sofa, tiny and ferocious, our kittens charge at one another intent on dangerous play then flop to sleep on us. I'm pleased we found them, our house is nicer than a cardboard box.