The power of word of mouth....

The polytunnel by moonlight.....

Today we had a new visitor. We have lived here sometime and today a neighbour walked up enquiring as to whether it was true that we had chickens and whether she could possible avail herself of some eggs. I loved the conversation that flowed and the sense of community it conveyes:

I was talking to D about their apple tree and they told me that you picked quite a few last summer. You see I give them some of my blackberries as we are usually overrun with them and we talked about omelettes. D told me about your eggs and that is why I am here, could I possibly have some?

We walked around the garden and through the polytunnel full of seedings and plants. Her face astonished at what was growing so early and we were happy to share a lettuce. She promised to come back for more. We heard a bit about others and I sat smiling all the while in the kitchen while she talked about her life in the village, about what a lovely place it is to live and by the way...why would we ever want to leave?

Over a cup of tea, toasting my toes near the Aga, I felt a sense of contentment. Although it was raining, we had time to catch up and listen, to listen to people's fears about their lives in the countryside. Would the post office hold out or will it be one of the closures? Who knows.
The garden is very green after a few days of rain, the lilac blossoms shine in the garden at night by moonlight and indeed I ask myself, who would want to leave this behind?

Every day, the landscape that surrounds us here changes and I am grateful every day that I can look out and am greeted by the power of nature. I don't believe that I am the only one to see this beauty and it is because I value it so much and this community that we want to continue with our plans to enable it to be strengthened.

Word of mouth is powerful in the countryside: we do not tell people about our produce and when people arrive and ask, I feel humbled and blessed that the abundance we have can be shared with others. From townie and city girl to life in the country...it can be done.