A Letter from Cornwall: April

Swallows in the living room, The Other Bennet Sister, and my veggie garden wins! 🍅

While spring is stirring in March, I don’t think I’m alone in saying that my body hasn’t fully woken from the gloom of winter. When April hits spring seems to rush in; suddenly my body is alive and ready to go - planting, sowing, baking, walking, foraging, bird watching, swimming - despite the broken sleep.

My husband and I started the month by taking our little ones to an immersive theatre in the woods! Wandering along a forest trail, we met woodland creatures and listened to the story of a fox’s search for the wild narrated by the Woodland King. I mean, come on! 😍 It was heart warming to see my daughter’s awe inspired face as foxes, birds, and even sea creatures danced around her. I too felt like a child again, learning that nature lives in us all.

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My Wildlife List

Yay for April wildlife! I haven’t seen, or rather heard our swifts return yet. That first screech overhead is tantalisingly close, I can feel it. However, we’ve been surrounded by swallows, darting around the house and garden, twittering and warbling at one another. We’ve even had two fly into the living room (and safely back out.)

Last month I posted a note sharing my April wildlife bucket list. I’m chuffed to say I’ve ticked off 4 out of 5, and, in fact, added one I’m embarrassed to say I forgot - Chiff Chaff!

Here she is - my April ‘hit’ list, not counting the usual suspects (blue tits, chaffinches, goldfinches….ya regulars.)

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Swallows

Sand Martins

Oystercatchers

Chiff Chaff

Green Woodpecker

Ladybugs

Large and Small White Butterflies

Orange-Tip Butterfly

Speckled Wood Caterpillar

Mullein Moth Caterpillar

Common Carder Bumblebee

Garden Bumblebee

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Tales from the Veggie Garden

As usual this month has flown by. We limp through the tail end of winter just longing for warmer days and the blooms that April brings. Before we know it, she’s over!

I’m pleased to report that, for the most part, the veggie garden is thriving - she’s small but growing fast. At the beginning of the month I had a porch full of seedlings. It was a joy to come downstairs and greet them ‘Good morning’ on my way to the fridge. So, how are they doing?

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My successes:

My Gardener’s Delight tomatoes have been transplanted into their big girl pots and they’re growing nicely. Now living in the greenhouse, they’re slowly filling the space with their earthy, tomato tar aroma…a scent I love carrying away on my fingers.

My First Early Potatoes are, in true style, shooting skyward at the rate of knots. My daughter and I have earthed them up with some fine, smelly horse manure. I’ve also sown some into the vegetable patch; they shot up within a week or two. I have a hunch they’re going to grow some lovely, fat taters.

The cauliflowers! They were a concern at one stage. With a string of sleepless nights, I couldn’t keep up with their watering. As it turns out, they’re hardy plants. Over the weekend I planted them into our second vegetable patch which was, serendipitously, treated to an afternoon of rain, giving them a good long drink.

I transferred two Chamomile seedlings into larger pots in the greenhouse, causing me no end of anxiety - they are fragile little buggers! But, to their credit, they’ve acclimatised well.

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My failures:

The leeks are nowhere in sight. I blame old, duff seeds.

The same goes for my beetroot seeds, which I sowed into the first vegetable patch. A neighbouring cat has audaciously claimed the veg patch as their litter tray, disturbing the seeds. I’m pretty pissed off with them but I’m moving on. (In lieu of some mesh, they have since been tucked in each night with a bed sheet.)

Sadly, the sweetcorn plants that my daughter and I grew together have wilted. I can’t say for sure why - it could’ve been the week of no sleep, transplant stress, or I may dig them up to find pests crawling all over their roots. Who knows. We’ll just try again.

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My April Forages

Our local patch is still carpeted in Three Cornered Leek so, naturally, they are a regular addition to any meal - chopped and mixed into tofu bowls, their white flowers sprinkled over the top, or whipped into mashed potato with a big dollop of butter 👌🏼

Another favourite is Sea Beet. We’re lucky to have plenty of these succulent plants tucked into the rocky cliff face of our nearest cove. After a dip in the sea, I felt like I was living out my Famous Five fantasy, clambering up the rocks in a baggy, damp shirt and sandals to pick a handful of leaves for my dinner. They are salty and delicious; I sautéed mine in butter and toped with a fillet of salmon…..*chef’s kiss*

April is clearly the month of leafy greens. A new friend is creating a community garden next to our house. Having signed up as a member of the co-operative, I receive a box of freshly picked, mixed leaves every Friday. They’ve included Ice Jack, Rocket, Mizuna (they blew my head off!), Pea Leaves, Miners Lettuce, and Mountain Orach (it’s stunning. I removed the lid to find a layer of rich red/purple leaves almost sparkling in the sunshine.)

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April’s Watch List

In March I shared my new audiobook obsession: Grimoire Girl by Hilarie Burton Morgan, and I recommended her debut book: Rural Diaries. I actually spent April rereading Rural Diaries because I love it so much. Nostalgia and familiarity are an overtired mother’s best friend.

April has actually been the month of new tv series, and it’s been a rich one.

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🌼 The Other Bennet Sister

I love me a stylized, revisionist period drama. Something with a little more colour and wit. This series showcases Mary Bennet’s qualities in a way Pride and Prejudice doesn’t - she’s bright, unique, and an independent thinker. It’s got comedy, quiet rebellion, and adventure, and I’ve watched it twice.

🦮 Beef season 2

I’m new to Beef and I’ve jumped straight to season two, largely for Carey Mulligan who did not disappoint. Bordering on the absurd, I loved the tension and bizarre alliance that forms between the two main couples. I can’t compare it to the first season but, either way, I recommend it.

🥾 Pilgrimage (BBC iPlayer)

I stumbled across this show searching for the latest Race Across The World episode. I’m not religious but I’m fascinated by it and practice spirituality in a way, through nature connection and mindfulness rituals. I’m a sucker for wild adventures, hiking trails, and breathtaking landscapes, which this show has in spades. So, while I nurse my son and pick up after my daughter, this show provides a level of escapism.

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I had hoped to share a picture of my very first sourdough loaf….after dedicating two weeks to feeding my starter. But my flour was out of date so, instead of growing and bubbling, she sat still and turned orange. I’ve started a new one with fresh wholemeal flour and it’s fuullllll of bubbles! Subscribe to be the first to find out how I get on in May’s Letter 😉

Until next time,

Krissy x