The temperatures have slowly dropped, and then as I write, they have plummeted to extreme lows, for most of the day and night. The pathways & tracks are all hard & icy with huge swathes of fallen leaves whirling into natural mounds under bare hedges. The hedges on the estate are now all cut and neatly they define the field margins, each year they grow thicker for this trimming process, and nests can be seen woven deeply into the fabric of the hedgerows.
The days are at their shortest as we head towards the winter solstice, the nights are long and dark, however, the oak moon was absolutely amazing last week, it was enormous and so bright. The stars have all been so bright and plentiful as you gaze upwards watching your breath disappear into the freezing atmosphere.
The vegetable garden continues in earnest to produce mainly root vegetables, the squash & pumpkins are coming to an end & are safely stored in the cool garden sheds, many herbs continue all winter, the rosemary once rubbed smells gorgeous, and it is cut and placed in the bathrooms for guests to pop into running baths, it looks and smells so beautiful. It is excellent for fighting fatigue and helps us to relax, kind of cleansing our minds.
Lots of winter foliage has been cut for displays in and around the cottages, with container-grown Christmas spruce trees ready to come inside temporarily for the festive days. Then they have to acclimatized to the outside again afterwards, before they spend another year growing happily in enormous pots, being fed & watered & growing a little more for next year! Sustainability is key to us here at Compton, everything cut for decorations is then mulched afterwards for compost.
The Christmas cakes were made back in September, they are beautifully moist with their little tipple added & are now marzipaned, ready for icing next week. Mince pies are on the list to bake next week too.
A few guests have requested them for Pre-Christmas stays, along with chilled champagne on arrival by the fire, hoping that the dog does not get to them first! Our chickens & guinea fowl remain enclosed away from wild bird contact due to the risk of avian flu. We have sadly lost Victoria & Albert our pair of black swans, who succumbed along with a number of Canada geese. So far the peacocks are all okay, it would be unkind to coup them up, as they are so large & naturally flight birds.
The eggs are few & far between, although the ladies enjoy plenty of vegetable garden snacks each day, and we gather all the vegetable scraps from the cottages for them too. They enjoy boiled potato peelings hugely, especially if they are warm, no seasoning added! Although they may enjoy some truffle-infused olive oil drizzled over them!
Have a very happy festive period, stay safe and warm. I will be back in 2023.