Up and down we went, by the end the logs had dug themselves a trench and as Paul said it looked like we were just taking a log for a walk. It would have been a sight to see, mud from head to foot. At the end of the day we had 16 logs at the top of the hill and we were relieved to know that today was shower day. The day the fire was stoked and the apprentices invited in to Ben’s house for a shower and a meal.
It was nice to see the house in the flesh, actually lived in. Ben was running an experiment, that being letting the house age without maintenance to see what would happen. He said that things that use to annoy him because they were mistakes are now his favourite parts because they remind him of the people who helped him build the house. An Australian who had never done a tenon joint before (it wasn’t that good, but it didn’t fall apart), the squeak upstairs because some other fellows put all the joins in the same place, did they ever build their own house? It was a lovely attitude to have.
Clean and ravenous, a feast was delivered. Every dish had something from the woodland. I never knew how delicious crispy chard stalks with capers could be, I vowed never to throw out the stalks again. Then out came more delicious cider and Millar returned with tales from the welsh border. Then my rhubarb pie fresh from garden to oven to table was devoured, a nice comforting meal after a long day.
4 Comments
Oh, this reminds me of just how much I miss rhubarb–the sight of it in the garden, and the taste of it in punches and breads and pies. It counts among the sacrifices one makes in exchange for things like mangoes and a hundred banana varieties. As for Ben’s approach to non-maintenance and the way that changes attitude towards one’s dwellings — yes, it’s lovely. I’ll take that as a reminder not to complain so much about mistakes made, but ways to remember people more generously and forgivingly.
Thanks deepa, a wonderful comment as always. Ah to grow bananas and mangoes, I will have to consider a two storey greenhouse!
Hello! I actually just tried to leave a comment on your Changes post but could not find the comments box, I wonder am I going mad?! Anyway, glorious photos as always. That vegetable garden is truly idyllic as is that oven and the crumble! Life looks good. Happy travels x
Thanks Jane, so lovely to hear from you. You are not going mad, somehow the allow comments box was untitled, the joys of trying to update the blog by phone! All fixed now. Missing the oven now, cycling through france with sandwiches for every meal, but I’m definitely not complaining!