I HAVE never given birth. Even in these fluid times, it's unlikely I ever will; that would be a transaction too far. However, I have an inkling of what it must feel like when I finish writing a book, which I have just done. The dark February days between the end of the shooting season and the beginning of spring are an ideal time for a 'confinement.'
It is the same feeling (I imagine!) of having a living thing inside that wakes one kicking in the night and causes sharp pangs when pushed into the world. I await the publishing midwives who will bring it back washed and wrapped in time for the christening in June.
It has been peak obstetrics time on the farm and our young team has been working flat out. An average of 17 calves being born each night during the first three weeks must compare to the number of nightly births in a largish hospital. There has been a continuous operation, with the same shift system as they have for midwives in maternity wards.
Esta historia es de la edición March 16, 2022 de Country Life UK.
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Esta historia es de la edición March 16, 2022 de Country Life UK.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
