Looking Back over 2020!

Greetings from us all at Torridge House.

Even with all the challenges, it has been a good year at Torridge House, which makes it all the more poignant to recognise how lucky we have been.

We have grown vegetables – well marrows actually – cooked a lot, marrows and umm apples, and Barry has planted his long longed-for vine.

He hopes to emulate Hampton Court, (well he started his working life as a Garden Labourer, Class 2). Centuries on perhaps and with mounds of our black gold manure it could happen – who knows?

While we await grapes, work continues, slowly, on re-building the ancient greenhouse around the sapling treasure. During the latest storm to pass through, we could be seen waving about a tape measure whilst up ladders bracing against the wind. So, if we have remembered correctly, the maximum length of roof span trusses needed is 373cm.

Now, on this bright sunny day, as I write Barry can be seen trundling along on his mower, pulling a mesh trailer and at a distance (social 😊) a set of pram wheels. So arrives the wood for the roof span! Couldn’t get the camera out quickly enough to picture this most serious parade……

Harvest Festival was celebrated suitably masked and distanced. In September wheat was safely brought in despite earlier doubts, so there is straw to be had and feed for the cattle to add to the generous store of hay from what has been a great hay-making spring.

Everyone helped so much to look after the animals, especially the baby rabbits, mice and kittens, that they have all grown on to be friendly and very special!

It was extra special that, mid-September, Posey aka Ginger presented us with six more kittens. They too have had lots of cuddles and play times, delighting us all and especially their mother!

Young Mr Goose has grown into an elegant bird, though less taken to running behind us flapping his wings as he was once wont to do.

It is good though to see that he has now identified with the ducks, spending his days with them, sometimes even leading the line as they parade around!

The good weather continued well into September, so the swimming pool was able to be used for longer. Then table tennis, pool and surfing became more the thing.

We look forward in 2021 to catching up with postponed events and falling back into the comfortable rites of passage of a pandemic free year.

For us there will be positives to carry over, one will be individual cottage sessions (required for Covid-19 safety) for the swimming pool but with a mix open swimming sessions.

The arrangement of age-appropriate toys/activities for each cottage was also very good, so more of this.

It will be good to get back to hatching eggs again next year, and to see if we can be up to the challenge of breeding some lop and perhaps lionhead rabbits again.

Even with all 2020 brought, it had a very “normal” feel here. The space and variety of activities available allowed us to smoothly and discreetly integrate all safety measures.

We look forward to better times ahead, and wish you and yours good health, peace and joy in the year ahead.

Barbara