Rural vignettes

The morning dawns (figuratively speaking) grey, cloudy, misty. Madam Ruby has popped in, deposited the morning rodent into the litter tray, and disappeared again. Fortunately, not for too long.

The doorbell rings while I am in the shower. Later, when I remember to think about it, I find a plastic bag hanging on the door knob, stuffed full with Wensleydale locks. Now, that is a good sort of delivery to have! And I also know that it comes from barely a mile away up on the tops, giving an extra (spin? twist? lustre?) to buying locally. That's a good start to the day.

The weather picks up, after I get back from the local market. It isn't a farmers' market, but I do notice that there are more stalls selling bread, baked goods that are from very close by. That's nice to see, even if I don't often buy from them. The fish, which I do buy, comes fresh every Thursday from the west coast, which is as local as you can get to here for fish, so I suppose that is something.

By mid-afternoon, after I have made an initial browse through the latest Spin Off, the sun is shining warmly, and I make a foray up on to our eccentric garden to pick spinach for our supper. The neighbouring house (not the other half of ours, wherein resides the Troll) is owned by the Trust and is a holiday let. All this week, whoever is in there has been practising the English concertina whenever there has been late afternoon sun, and he is doing so as I go to start back to the house. But it is too nice - the warmth, the bright light on my face, the music (country dance tunes).

So, I sit there for...well, I don't know how long, and it is bliss.

And then a neighbour arrives on the doorstep offering rhubarb crowns. Now, despite the fact that is is a little bit the horticultural equivalent of ginger beer plant, I accept gratefully, as we don't have any at all, and rhubarb is well known as a spring tonic......crumble, anyway.

As I have been feeling....seedy, this week, with the strange non-cold virus, and am only just beginning to feel human again, this is all a most excellent boost. I have AH tomorrow, which I look forward to, but I do know that I have three beginners in the class. This is probably the maximum I can properly manage, and do something meaningful for everyone else.

Which reminds me, I need to add three beginner spindles to the to-go pile.