[Part one of the Diary (with a brief introduction) may be found here, part two here, and part four here.]
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Spent quite some time arranging furniture etc. in the new big room. Got a second-hand bed as a gift from Hobson (of all people), needless to say rather a luxurious one! but I’ve no doubt atal that uncle will like it. Put up a shelf on the wall to one side of the bed, for specs, cups of water, &c. &c. For now, a table, an old bench, & a plain chair that I bought from Willow yesterday (mostly with what she would have paid for the piles of Windfall Wood that I foraged recently) — the table and chair will do nicely for Orlo & me to play Dwarf Mining of an evening!
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–day.
Had Fosco Burrows & Mr Sandyman here for luncheon. Am hoping secretly that Fosco’s fine manners will rub off on Mr Sandyman, but somehow I doubt it. Served Oatbarton Soup & The Bywater Dish wh. went over well. Sandyman as surly as ever when he left, though he did give me a recipe for Refreshing Spinach Bread as a thank-you.
Overheard in the Village Square: “The winter makes me want to sleep for ages. Don’t know how I’m even awake now”!
Sold quite a lot of fish and some of my best vegetables in order to buy from Willow Took a small but handsome drawing desk — put it in the window of the new room for the time being, for the northern light. V. pleased with this.
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Monday. Second day of Spring. Fine.
Garden chores, now that the last snow has gone. Moved the rectangular bed from between the gates outside the kitchen door & put in the large-ish half-round instead, a bit snug but there it is. It is more convenient to not worry about barking my shins on the corners of the rectangle bed when I’m dashing past with a heavy watering can. That one I moved to near the front gate & have converted from vegetables to flowers — I will save up for two quarter-circles to go on either side.
Bought an oil lamp from Fosco. It can get uncommon dark when there is no moon. I suppose I could have sent to Michel Delving for one, but of course it would be neighbourly to patronise our Bywater shop.
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Overheard in the Ivy Bush: “This is a good time of day, not too bright, not too dark”! & perhaps even better, “You know, you’ve near convinced me to start fishing!” (I had to laugh aloud, for this in turn reminded me of Old Noakes saying — to someone who shall remain nameless but whose initials are Bowman Underhill — “So you’ve half a mind to go fishing, have you? CLEAR OFF! Full-minds only!”)
Had more Parsley in my backpack than I could possibly use, & so I gave it to Marigold’s pony.
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luncheon at Delphinium’s Tree. It was raining only slightly.
Wednesday.
A dreary morning, more rain. Went down early to Ladle’s Jetty, broke I think more lines than I caught fish.
Spent the afternoon with the Burrowses. Am sorely tempted to ask Nora to teach me how to sew. I can do buttons, of course, & mending (not very well), but real sewing not so much. The party waistcoat that I bought from her is very fine, but I’d quite like a blue one for every-day — I do like a good waistcoat, it must be said!
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Have spent an hour drawing them, and I still can’t tell them apart.
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Thursday. Fine.
Called on Fosco & Nora yesterday — Fosco had a set of Swan Run in his shop, & I couldn’t resist. Haven’t had one since I was a youngling, but have happy memories of playing for hours on end with the cousins.
This is a quick self-portrait done later from memory, of me in front of the club boards. I am indeed very short-sighted.
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Saturday.
Have decided to replace Ruby’s old garden beds as they are a bit rickety & I think they leak as I have to water twice most days. Note to self: The Stone-Stacked beds (the ones I like best) from Farmer Cotton are
- 750 pennies for a quarter-round
- 1500 for a curved sort of shape
- 1500 for a half-circle
- 1500 for a rectangle (good-sized)
- 750 for a small circle
- 750 for a small square
Helped Old Noakes clear bulrushes near Mooma’s Island this afternoon — got surpassingly muddy, had to run full-tilt back home in time to wash and cook for Delphinium & Farmer Cotton — made an Adventurous Shepherd’s Pie & Mrs. Cotton’s Amazing Autumn Tart. The Shepherd’s Pie is just Wood Blewit & Shallot & Peas topped with mashed Taters, but with lots of fresh herbs — especially Thyme, my favourite! — it is quite delicious.
Tuesday. Rain.
A rainy day — visited much of it with the Burrowses & did their portraits. Don’t think I quite caught Nora but Fosco says it’s very like her, with a bit of what Old Ruby used to call “sauce”!
Wednesday.
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with the Burrowses & Orlo. Enjoyed listening to Nora tell stories of that Mr. Baggins’s adventures, but was content to go home to my comfortable hobbit hole afterwards & make myself a cup of tea. Adventures — not for me! Standing on the very edge of the broken stairs to fish from the Old Stone Tower is as adventurous as this hobbit gets, thank you very much!
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Time seemed to stop completely while I was sketching.
Overheard at the Village Square: “Just about time for elevenses!” I had to agree!
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Thursday. Fine.
Fished at Old Ruby’s Pond in the early morning, listening to the frogs croaking.
Friday.
Foraging in the Forest this afternoon. It is very beautiful — the smell of earth & trees. Very restful. I wonder if the Old Forest is like this.
Saturday. Last day of Spring.
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