It was a relief on Wednesday to wake up to fine rain after the heatwave, knowing that's exactly what the garden, land and animals need. I had a day off so started it with a walk in the refreshing drizzle, up the hill and across the field where the grasses were beaded with rain.
The woods were lush and tangled, and smelled strongly of wild garlic, now past the picking stage (which I miss every year, I must get around to it).
It turns out there are fairies in the woods according to a sign, which I wasn't aware of.
I hadn't had breakfast yet and considered treating myself to a coffee and pastry at the cafe on the way home, but remembered I had two frozen pain au chocolat at home so I put them in the air fryer when I got back and made a pot of coffee. The rain continued and it felt wonderful to change into dry clothes, enjoy my breakfast and read as the rain pattered on the conservatory roof.
In the garden the raspberries have really taken off, and I love how they look, a pop of red in the green with orange, white and blue flowers scattered over my accidentally permaculture veg bed. I do deliberately mix in veg, fruit and flowers but with no great skill or plan, so any success is accidental, but it makes for a fabulously wildlife friendly mix, hopefully with a crop of some sort for me.
Last night I picked a handful of raspberries and mint to make raspberry mojitos, which Lars obligingly posed with.
I love this time of year, all open doors and windows, gentle temperatures (mostly) and abundance. I feel very calm at the moment, uncomplicated. I've been stripping back what I don't need or want - in terms of belongings and what I do with my time and energy - and I'm in a different place mentally than I've ever been before. I notice and appreciate things more and I feel more creative and relaxed. I'm spending more time outside and walking, which helps me to think without over thinking. I feel like it's shaping me differently and I can't see quite how but I know I feel different, more like myself.
This evening Mr Crafty Blueberry is having a go at making corn tortillas from scratch, and for dessert I've made merengues and will pick more raspberries to make Eton mess. I can't bear to waste egg yolks so I used them to make vanilla ice cream for later in the week. After dinner I think I'll continue quilting my hexagon quilt, which is warm work so I'd just picking it up on cooler evenings.
