Here in Wales, lockdown is still very much in full swing. Although BBC news appears to forget that Wales exists ("UK Government relaxes lockdown! The nation enjoys new-found freedom!"), we are trudging on, several weeks behind England and Scotland. Whilst English friends and colleagues are sending their kids back to nursery and meeting in groups of 6, we have only just been allowed to meet one other person, outside. Still no non-local travel, no childcare, and most pertinently for us, no way for my mum and step-dad to complete their house move to the village (which was just about to happen, before COVID-19 hit).
But, my goodness, we are probably some of the luckiest people in the world, to be locked down here in this paradise. We are far away from other houses (our nearest neighbours are 15 minutes walk across the fields), so we don't need to worry about passing people during our daily exercise, and we can stroll about round the farm and look out at the beautiful countryside.
We are hunkered down for a long, hot summer. It still hasn't rained, for three months now. The countryside badly needs water (as do our vegetables...and the well is almost dry!) - but what a delight to be able to stroll outside to see the chickens, sit on the grass and play with Willow, and have all the windows and doors in the house thrown open to let in the breeze.
Rich's dog walks up into the hills behind the Old Sheep Farm, looking back at Anglesey over the Menai Strait:
Hello Polly and Wendy! Our Light Sussexes enjoy a morning forage before they retire to the shade of the elderberry bush to sit out another long hot day. I do enjoy hearing an elderberry bush clucking gently as I walk past it....
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