How wonderful to be writing with the office window wide open and sun pouring in! Everything feels very alive as we are approaching the Spring Equinox. Days of dazzling sunshine, clear, fresh air and very pretty cloud-strewn blue skies. The cherry plum tree near the meadow gate is absolutely covered in blossom and is vibrant with bees. Every now and then one of us is seen under it, bathing in its scent and wonderfulness!!! The bumblebees seem to be favouring the pulmonaria near the Wellingtonia tree and we’ve seen Peacock and Red Admiral butterflies and masses of ladybirds out enjoying the warmth. Birds are busying themselves everywhere – blue tits, finches, sparrows, field fayre, pheasants, partridges – and the woodpeckers can be heard around the valley.
We’ve been busy doing some Spring tidying outside – Steve has been tying in the white roses on the walled garden walls and Mel has been tidying the kitchen yard ready for planting up our hanging baskets. Everyone’s minds are starting to turn towards seed planting – Gail is getting out all the veg seeds and soon we will be sowing this year’s crops, and we’ve potted up our sweet pea seeds and dahlia tubers ready for our summer and autumn cut flowers. We’re cutting daffs at the moment for the dining tables and the scent is wonderful (as well as the general cheerfulness)!
Joining the daffodils and crocuses, the primroses are coming up everywhere, and the helibores planted a couple of years’ ago have spread and have been providing wonderful winter colour since mid November. If you’re here over the next month or so, do take a look in the walled garden at their exquisite flowers (you need to turn their faces towards you to see all the delicate details).
We’ve had two long retreats in since last writing. We had Burgs’ seven day silent meditation foundation retreat (http://theartofmeditation.org/) in at the beginning of the month and were lucky enough to sit in on the retreat that week. A very peaceful and transformative week. We are now hosting Christian Pankhurst’s Deep Dive Retreat (http://christianpankhurst.com/) which uses group process in the work of awakening. Lots more noise coming from the group room this week! Both teachers are very highly regarded in their respective fields and we are always delighted to host them.
Coming up in the next month and a half we have yoga, two shamanic groups, two more meditation retreats and our annual week-long writing course, so we shan’t be twiddling our thumbs!
The writing course, Freefall, has been booked up since the end of last year but for any of you who have been interested over the years but not taken the plunge, Barbara is offering a short taster workshop in Bath in April. This is a great way to find out more with very little financial outlay – and maybe, who knows, you might be inspired to join us at Poulstone in 2015?! For details, follow this link: http://www.valapublishers.coop/bathfreefallworkshop.
More soon!
Mel & Steve
Poulstone Court Retreat Centre