Day 167 - A very talented young lady. xx

Sunday 16^th June

OMG I have so overdone it and I will probably pay for it.  I was up with the birds and out into the tunnel to get on with so many jobs that I had been worrying about when I should have been sleeping. From about 3pm it is just too hot to work in the tunnel and as I sit down to write this blog I can feel my body objecting.  That said, I made fabulous progress and the Doubledays will eat well this summer!  In the end that is what it is all about. 
 

The biggest job was potting on my many, many tomatoes which should have been in their final place weeks ago.  We now have rows and rows of tomato plants and some even have flowers on them.  I really object to the price of fresh tomatoes in the supermarkets so we always try and grow our own. I feel this year will be a bumper crop.  My alpine and Cambridge strawberries are all fruiting nicely and my courgettes are not far behind.  I also managed to pot up some of my dwarf french beans.  These were gobbled by the slugs last year but this year I have a secret weapon.  On entering the tunnel at silly o’clock something moved.  Resisting the temptation to scream, I look more closely and, to my delight, I can announce that we have the biggest toad in the world residing in our tunnel.  And what do toads eat?  SLUGS!  EXCELLENT!  Before I left the tunnel I dripped some water into the area he was last seen in to keep it damp and cool.  I am a good toad owner.  I have called him Bertie and I happily chatted away to him all day.  I will nip back in later very quietly to harvest gem lettuce and rocket for supper and hope that I don’t disturb his slug munching. 
 

From tomorrow my cut flowers will be available to order from Bay News and Gifts in the village so I still have the sample bouquet to do so I need to focus here. 

I have worked with young people my entire career and, just occasionally, a special individual comes along.  As the hairs gently rise I can still remember those young people that have stood out.  Teaching in the performing arts was a complete joy especially when you witnessed original thinking and highly creative outcomes.  I can remember the very first year 3 group dance assessment on my dance course as if it was yesterday.  The group did a piece that explored the experience of being diagnosed with MS.  Watching the piece my jaw dropped open and I completely forgot to assess what I was watching.  At the end there was silence as the audience took in what they had just seen and then came the applause that brought the house down.  It remains my favourite all time dance piece by any of my students.  I can see it clearly in my mind and note the wonderful use of both highlight and pause in the piece. 

Now another talented young person has entered my life and this one has made a film for the Butterfly Tree charity.  I gave Mollie the brief and then left her to it.  Once again the use of highlight and pause is so impressive that she has managed to take moments from the film and place them in my mind.  For me, Mollie has captured the true spirit behind this particular campaign.  This is a creative campaign where lots of people are making beautiful things to sell for the charity.  It is this work and enormous effort that will stay with us all for a very long time.  As Mollie starts her career in film making she has already produced a piece of work to take enormous pride in.  Words can never express how grateful I am for what she has produced.  Thank you my lovely girl. 

Until tomorrow. xx