Two big achievements

It’s been a bit of a project but we have finally finished the atelier. Brian finished laying the floor today, so we can start to move stuff over there and tidy up the barns. It will be so good to get ourselves organised, it’s been a big project - removing the old oil tank, clearing the loft in the barn and removing all the old rotten ceiling and beams, having the shell for the room built, building the staircase, insulating the roof, plaster boarding it out, painting, grouting with lime mortar, building a stud wall and laying the floor. We still need to sort out the banister, but we have an idea how we can make this safe as an interim. Brian still has a few finishing touches which he would like to do, but the main thing is the space is secure, clean and dry, but the great thing is it’s better than either of us ever expected. Tomorrow we will be moving stuff up there.

Another big achievement this week was the Blackbirds fledged. They left their nest, to our dismay, by just tumbling to the ground. I didn’t know that’s what happened, I had a romantic idea they would know how to fly. But, they then spent the next 3-4 days fluttering around the rose bushes on the ground learning how to fly and find their own food. Miraculously, with a little effort on our part also, all three survived and have flown off to establish their own ‘turf’.

We are thinking we will probably see them again next year.