Wow, what a world whirlwind we are weathering. Who could ever have imagined how each of our worlds have changed overnight.

What’s the lockdown lowdown in Lavender Land – well ……

New beginnings: Eight little chicks arrived when they weren’t meant to, well that was my opinion but not Mrs Chook. She had disappeared, I really thought she had escaped lockdown, then a while she appeared with eight wee chicks. Very cute, I love little baby animals. They are currently in a separate cage with Mum, they are four weeks old now. We’ll let them out when they get a bit bigger, to save them from hawks that fly around looking for breakfast.

New office experiences: My office has been taken over by husband Stuart, who is also my IT specialist, which comes in very handy. He has his own workstation as do I, but blimey he has a lot of meetings in a day. Can hardly hear myself think sometimes BUT it is really nice to have him home, so that is a blessing. My daily routine (if I really had one) has gone out the window with all the new distractions.

New doggie experiences: Remy has been going for a run with Daddy, but I’m not entirely sure whether he’s enjoying it. Stu’s taking it easy with Remy and himself in the running department. Stu is a gym goer but not generally a runner so it’s reasonably new activity for both of them. If Stu doesn’t go for a run, he goes to the garage and does a gym workout. The dogs sit on his mat which is supposed to be used for his push-ups and other exercises but Remy always gets on the mat first.

Lily is too old for a run but was taken on a walk yesterday. Lily is coming up to ten years old and has developed spondylosis, which is a degenerative spinal condition where bone spurs develop along the vertebrae. She can be in pain and has lost strength is her back legs. Hence, she can’t go running with Daddy, so I take her around the paddocks for a stroll.

New grass: After the drought, the grass has been mowed three times now, it’s turned from brown to lush green and plenty of grass for the sheep to eat. The ram has been with the girls since beginning of February, so he’s having a good time out there. Will have lambs around July, the way this year is going July will be here before we know it.

New bounty: The orchard has been an amazing producer this season, we are currently picking figs every two days and trying to come up with new fig recipes. The best so far is baked figs and mozzarella, wrapped in bacon, oh so good. I’m still yet to make fig balsamic sauce, spicy preserved figs, drunken figs and fresh fig coulis. Glad we like figs!!! Would love to hear some new fig recipes if you have any, just post on FB.

New thoughts: I have to admit, after getting over the lockdown shock, which took about three weeks, I have had a relaxing time after our very busy marketing season. Two of our markets were cancelled, so the season was bought to a sudden halt, after that, I felt a little lost. After being so busy then nothing, I was in a bit of a “unknown” state. But now, my mind is clearer and I need to pull up my big girl panties and carry on. I need to start planning for next season, I can’t sit still expecting the worst, just keep planning, creating, experiencing, like the old saying goes “Build it and they will come”. So I’m starting to plan our market season and ‘pick your own’ lavender events, which we hope you will all come and visit us.

Bye for now lovely lavender lovers and take care out in the big wide world of New Zealand and to our lavender lovers further afield too. x