roofing the barn

1-FullSizeRenderHoory hurrah, the roof is being done, almost as I write this. Thanks go to Cyril and Guy for their time and skills. I think Cyril ran out of patience with us ever completing the barn and got his scaffolding up and got on with it. Much appreciated.Though as usual, everyone is trying to get it done between other paid work and full time jobs. We’ve also been trying to take advantage of the scaffolding being up to finish the cladding. So please stop raining.

I never thought that I would be so obsessed about the weather before we had this wood, but it really can determine moving on and getting on, sitting on our impatient hands while the rain pours down and the wind blows through the trees. I’ve become one of those archetypal English women of a certain age,in the country, with ruddy cheeks, rough hands and cracked lips, discussing the subtle changes  in  light and cloud pattern. Do I miss the days of Clinique and Clarins? Not at all. I have a partner who comes home smelling sweetly of pine resin and saw dust and I get to be in a wood that must have one of the best views in the South West. It is especially stunning  from the top of the scaffolding as it happens. So there are some compensations for spending your weekends up a ladder lugging heavy wavey edged boards and hammers around……. Honest.

Mid summer madness

DSC08776IMG_0075Seems like a long time ago, but as the nights draw in and the cold creeps under the door it’s good to remember the fantastic summer we had.IMG_0072

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Burning Down The House

These photos are from the event we had at mid summer.
Please see Events page.
It was a beautiful night, and made completely magical in the wood with the fantastic installations.
The house that Micheal and Louise made so lovingly, burnt down spectacularly.
Everyone was enchanted by the amazingly beautiful music that they created from Micheal Fairfax’s tree instruments, got lost in fantasies of climbing glass ladders to the tops of the trees, imagined themselves in the top of Louise’s watchtowers looking out over the hills, and following the trail of yarn from Jenni’s barn, that had been crotcheted from wool that had wrapped the whole boundary of the woodland,to find an exquisite giant fir cone that Caroline had lain down so carefully on a bed of moss and pine needles. A journey that took you to a beautiful burning and eventually to sleep a tranquil sleep under the stars in Jane’s bed.It was a journey that was described as “sublime”by one visitor. What more could we have all wanted?
A huge thankyou to Micheal Fairfax, Louise Baker, Jane Mowat, Jenni Dutton and Caroline and everyone who came and enjoyed.
THANKYOU
Thankyou to DSC08780

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glass ladders 5

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bed framing ferns

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photo burning down the house louise

Directions

From Wiveliscombe take B3227 to Waterow.

Turn right at Rock Inn

Take 2nd left (signposted Chipstable)

Go through village of Chipstable. Continue and bear left at Chistable Cross

Continue until you see sign on left.

Park here and walk through the wood.

Directions to Burning Down the House

Directions

From Wiveliscombe take B3227 to Waterow.

Turn right at Rock Inn

Take 2nd left (signposted Chipstable)

Go through village of Chipstable. Continue and bear left at Chistable Cross

Continue until you see sign on left.

Park here and walk through the wood.

View from the loo

View from the loo

This view has changed since so many trees have blown over. It’s still a good place to sit, contemplate and watch the sunset reflected on the trees.

Fallen Trees

Fallen Trees

After so much wind and so much rain some of the sitka spruce could not bear to stand any longer. The ground has been so sodden that there was nothing left for the roots to hold into.
About forty trees have come down at the last count, which was about a week ago. Who knows, maybe all those that were going to fall have done so already.
There is quite a clearing now infront of the barn, and one tree just missed the hut by about thirty centimetres. The noise of creaking and cracking and crashing must have been amazing.
So now there is more light for all the spring flowers to enjoy,when it comes. There is lots of timber to sell without having to wait for another felling licence, and lots of work to convert it all. Silver linings?