30th April 2021
We don’t need to tell you it’s been a funny old time. In many ways life has carried on as usual in our part of rural Devon but without the layers of incidental but essential human contact that we would all normally enjoy. Fields have been planted, lambs and calves have been born – and reassuringly the swallows have returned. All very normal and we’re so lucky that many of us have been able to carry on working outside and have not been stuck in makeshift home offices wrestling with patchy Zoom connections.
We’ve been busy through all of this – both in the workshop and also with life away from the sewing machines. And now that we can leave the area and meet up with friends outdoors it’s like someone’s given us a lovely gift.
The first visit to the beach was magical helped by the wonderfully clear weather. Seeing the sea again was actually quite emotional. Some surfing followed shortly afterwards which was amazing – and frustrating in equal measure; time away from the water has definitely had an adverse effect on our board skills.
As the weather has warmed up a few of our neighbours have awoken and been spotted out and about which is lovely – and we’re not talking about those in the houses next door. 
This handsome chap appeared in the garden and then for the last couple of days we’ve been feeding some hedgehogs that had fallen into a cattle grid. They enjoyed their cat food so much they stayed in the hotel for a couple of days, nestling in the dry leaves by day before climbing up the ramp back into the garden last night.
One of our other non-human neighbours has also been busy exploring – Gino’s curiosity got the better of him while the dishwasher was being unloaded and he was MIA for a little bit. He turned up eventually – in the cutlery drawer!
Back in the workshop Hilary has been working on orders for spring handbags. And occasionally something a little bit different. This mystery bag was spotted by Lucy in the shop – she thinks it looks like it should contain arrows and we have to agree although it is actually a prototype for a Japanese flute case.
Back outside the sky has been a magnificent canvas of colour – lots of daytime Cerulean blue which is always wonderful and then in the evening there have been some cracking sunsets. Plus there was the super moon last week which was just amazing. And with all the frosty evenings the stars have been spectacular too.
We really must remember to look upwards more often!
