niche

Welcome back to foxslane! Gosh, it feels like I’ve been away from here for so much longer than two Fridays.

So anyway, how’ve you been? Has much been happening in your world while I’ve been gone?

I’ve been good. For the first time since Covid we flew up to Queensland with Indi and Pepper and Bren’s parents and had a proper beach holiday and it was wonderful. It was hot and humid and we had nothing to do but walk on the beach, swim, read and spend time together. I really feel like we recharged our batteries. . It was a true break. Exactly what we had needed.

We were away from the farm for 10 days and while we were gone the seasons completely changed. Before we left we were wearing tee-shirts, picking baskets-full of produce, marvelling at the sight of butterflies we’ve never seen before and spending as much time as we could in the rows of flowers and berries.

We came home to a completely different picture. The rain gauge was full so it must have absolutely poured, the veggies and berries have slowed right down and and some (like the cucumbers above) are ready to be pulled out. The leaves on the trees are turning and we’re wearing layers of tee-shirts, shirts, sweaters and often even raincoats too. It’s so cold.

And the flowers…even though we’ve spent hours dead-heading and tidying them up over the past week, they’re really fading. We’ve had the most incredible season and I’m super grateful for that, but I’m also feeling deeply melancholy about the nearing end. About the months and months of nothing but green in the garden. Of no excitement over new buds and blossom and shapes and explosions of fabulous colour. Of no big showy arrangements, and little bedside-table vases. Next flowers season feels so far away.

Since we’ve been home we’ve been enjoying all of the spaces that we scrubbed and cleaned and reorganised before we left. Do not underestimate the joy that a cobweb free, pressure-washed hot-house brings. I get such a happy surprise every time I walk in there.

Since we’ve been home we’ve been looking after the seedlings, watering them and repotting them. Some to plant outside on the next sunny day, and the rest to wait until springtime.

Since we’ve been home we’ve continued on with the enormous job of cleaning up after last June’s storm; cutting trees off fence lines, fixing fences, cutting firewood and burning the heads.

There was one particular paddock that looked so smashed up in the aftermath of that storm that we kept walking past it and putting the repair job off. Feeling energetic after our holiday and ready to take on what we thought was going to be a massive task, we got to work, but it only ended up taking us two days. Isn’t it interesting how tired, worn down eyes look at things so differently to fresh.

We’ve still got a bit of work to go before we’ve cleared all the fence lines, but hopefully now that we’ve got our confidence back, we can get the rest done too in the next few weeks.

On the morning of the second day of working on the fence in the back paddock, I was talking to Indi while I was pulling branches onto the fire we’d lit the day before. ‘Getting yesterday’s fire going again the next day is one of my life’s joys’ I told her ‘it just makes me so happy!’ ‘You’re so niche’ she replied, ‘you’re doing that while I’m walking down Chapel Street looking for a cafe to sit in and do my uni assignment’.

I love that story. My beautiful big girl in the city. Sometimes I forget that not everyone sits on a log by the fire eating their breakfast out of a bowl turned from wood from the forest they’re sitting in.

Since we’ve been home Bren’s been turning bowls, I’ve been making ceramic vases and I’ve started dreaming of knitting and macrame projects to begin. It really must be heading towards winter.

Since we’ve been home I’ve been reminded of this beautiful space and thinking of all the words I might write there at that desk over the cooler months.

We’ve been spending time in this space which really comes into its own in autumn and springtime.

We’ve been hanging out with the cats, the dogs, the sheep and the goats who we missed while we were away.

And I finally had my post operation surgical consult (which was very delayed because of covid) and the results were perfect. The surgeon agreed that the scar on my breast is so neat that I could still be a topless model if I wished to be. Haha

And last Monday we were featured on The Design Files which was such a thrill. Originally when they approached me I was hesitant, not believing for a second that we are the designery types, but after much discussion we agreed and I’m so pleased we did. The photos that Amelia Stanwix took are beautiful and the story that Christina Karras wrote about us sounds like us. But I think the best part of the experience has been the feedback. People have been writing me the kindest messages all week. It’s been truly heart-warming. Such a thrill.

Please click on this link to take you to The Design Files.

But before you go please I’d love you to tell me how you are? What have you been up to? What’s going on in your garden? In your craft space? In your family? What projects have you been cooking up? I’d love to hear.

Gosh that was a rambly, all over the place blog wasn’t it.

See you next week.

Lots of love, Kate xx