A bit too frozen...

3 January 2025 (Friday)

We both woke early, a bit too early though not too, too early.

As I sat down nice and cosy at my desk at the top of the house well before seven gongs had chimed, the early morning sky was like a Rothko painting - pale and watery up top and a dusty warm orange glowing from the horizon. Plane trails scurried across the nature painted expanse, each so very slowly vanishing in the stillness of the breeze.  Looking out I noticed frost had pasted itself across all rooves, far sharper than the dusting I’d expected.

It would be a paid work day for me today, or at least a paid work morning, though very much admin, sorting stuff out and making notes rather than one needing conversations.  And Richard's off, it being a Friday, and took photos of the sunrise… flinging open the windows and letting the cold, frost crusted air in; if only my fingerless gloves had been to hand!  And so, the day wore on…

Mid-afternoon (as seems usual), a client needed me just as I was about to walk out the door to work at the plot.  Now, whilst I’m flexible with my hours I prefer being available and doing most of my paid work between 8am and 2.30pm.  Outside of these hours I get done all that needs to be done at my desk, at our home, and at the plot.  So, after needing to sort something to make the life of another easier, I had a later start down to the plot than expected, though of course Lady Synchronicity stepped in with an unexpected meeting of a similar soul.

This similar soul has been pivotal in saving Warren Farm from being bulldozed by our local council, and this year the push is for the area to be designated LNR status, or a Local Nature Reserve to me and you.  After a truly lovely chat, where we both put the world to rights and metaphorically rid our planet of the people she could do without, the similar soul went on her way, and I finally got to the plot.

As I unlocked the padlock, the sun was dipping behind the treeline of the allotment site… and a few steps in I heard the crunching of ice-crisped grass beneath my boots.  More steps brought the lid of a water butt wedged immovable in ice, and yet more the sight of the compost I’d put down on Wednesday which was frozen in place.  I then knew the area of ground I wished to work on and turn would have to wait for another day.

I covered a few plants in the greenhouse to give them added protection, collected plastic bottles and bags that had been blown in by the blustery gusts of new year, and did a bit or two of general pottering… then I wended my way home, to the welcome of Richard lighting the paper to kindle a fire in our hearth.

Weather:  Very frosty start, with lovely sunshine, pale skies… definitely colder than yesterday with snow due over the weekend.  

Breakfast:  Bran Sticks, Yogurt, Banana
Lunch:  A brown soup from the freezer (Unlabelled - I think it was Christmas veg blitzed with red lentils and seasoned), Mixed Veg microwave omelette, Wholemeal Pitta & Sliced Cucumber
Supper:  Wholewheat Pasta with homemade (sort of!) sauce (Olive oil, onion, garlic, celery, carrots, tbs miso paste, Loyd Grossman Roasted Garlic Sauce), topped with grated cheese, and side of sliced radish and cucumber.