It's all in the wood

These are "spars", which in our case are made of hazel. So you split the lengths of hazel and point each end using a bill hook. Then you fold in half and twist at the same time, to create  a sort of wooden staple.  These are then used to fix the straw to what is the roof. Apparently they have tried to reproduce these in plastic but just cannot get the same "springiness" in the man made staples and so the tradition carries on. If the spar is not bent then it is called a "ligger" and this is used on the outside of the ridge for decorative purpose. I'm heading off to see if I can get a picture...

Thatches, matches and no dispatches.....

So the Thatchers are now here, and rather than think of it as a messy straw fest of inconvenience, I'm seeing it as another opportunity to wonder at the glory of this house made of mud and straw. Yes there are ladders and scaffolding everywhere but with Terry and Wayne working their straw filled socks off, it's just great to see a work in progress and learn a little about the art of thatching. 

'twas the night before........

.....The wedding. Richard and Amy celebrate their marriage here at Great Gutton tomorrow and as you can imagine, this week has been hectic as we prepare for their big day. Whilst we grandly call our barn, The Party Barn, it really is quite simply a barn.

But with some muscle defining work with a broom, a huge dollop of gluing and sticking, miles of ladder climbing and some wonderful imaginations, Richard, Amy and their dedicated team of family and friends have transformed it to a Wonderful Wedding Barn. It's all the little touches that I love, spraying baked bean tins for flowers, hand crafting banners and flags, a whisper of netting transforming dull ivy clad walls into a wonderful back drop, drippings of fairy lights.......ooooh I could go on and on, but instead will settle with a few pictures now and the promise of lots more when the big day finally arrives. So it's fingers crossed for sunshine and all the very best to the Delicious Bride and Groom for tomorrow and always.

PS. Did I mention the GLITTER BALL I spotted - dancing shoes are at the ready!

You don't bring me flowers..........

Well actually, 'im indoors may not but some of our guests do and last Friday got off to a great start with the arrival of guests bearing flowers - not just any flowers but a balloon bunch. Fabulous. Rich and his family and friends were returning to Great Gutton for their first weekend  "Gathering" as part of City Life Church Exeter. It was all go as they and our other guests settled in with the promise of sunshine for at least part of the weekend. Now' I'm not saying the BBQ's all came out and folk were sunbathing but I did spot some bare feet in flip flops and there was the odd shiny red nose on Sunday morning. The group marked their gathering with the planting of a tree and so first off they dug up the old tree that 'im indoors had mistakenly slaughtered with some over enthusiastic strimming and replaced it with a Sorbus Commixta Embley to be precise, but to you and me, a Rowan Tree. I now feel the weight of responsibility in getting it to flourish and grow amidst attack from errant strimmers, run away sheep and general neglect. I accept the mission.......

Jumping For Joy........

Our two orphan pet lambs have finally been let out to play with the big kids - Lamby Whammy and Jeremy Nom Nom loving the warm sunshine and opportunity to join the other lambs in the Orchard field. Spent the afternoon running and skipping around the paddock and came crashing into us when we took their afternoon bottle out to them. Headed back into the warmth of the stables at night time for a much needed sleep.

The sun has got its hat on....

and what's more it has truly come out to play. After the cold and wet, we are seeing sunshine and what a difference those rays make. Grass has been cut to within an inch of its life, washing is on the line, guests are arriving, Great Gutton is glowing and I just heard a cork pop. It's that Friday feeling BIG TIME!

Toowit Toowoo.....

It was sad to hear on the radio today that the Barn Owl silently flying in the Orchard and Yurt field during day ight hours is actually desperately hunting for something to eat. The recent cold spell is likely to have killed much of its natural prey, usually abundant in Spring time and so times are hard and food is scarce for this beautiful and rarely spotted bird. The picture is not our owl but gives you an idea of what we are lucky enough to see most afternoons.