Difficult to believe I know, but, December was wet, warm and unsettled. Very wet. I have never known the paths in the field to be so muddy, even on the top of the field it was squelchy and ankle deep in mud. Storm Bram arrived on the 8th bringing some more buckets of rain with it. Cornwall was one of seven counties to record over 100% of the average December rainfall by the middle of the month. Not surprisingly there was severe flooding, causing rail closures, submerged cars and caravans and gusts of over 70 miles per hour. Around the christmas period the weather became drier and colder – I know this well as I took part in all the usual christmas swims in the sea. Being in the sea didn’t feel too cold but coming out of the water, the biting wind on the beach chilled both body and soul. Obviously the thermos of steaming hot coffee and the hip flask of brandy did ease the pain of numb fingers and toes.
Trekking around the field in the rain, with thick fog draining the colour from the land on a daily basis, everything looked a bit sad and drab and we all felt a bit weary. And then, a few dry, cold and frosty days arrived and suddenly everything looked fresh and beautiful and alive – including the humans. The sheer relief of not having to put on a damp set of waterproofs yet again, was enough to put a smile on anyone.
In the cold, bright sun, any hint of colour stood out in the field. The Oak trees with their glorious warm burnt orange colour, could be seen dotted all over the field in different shapes and sizes, from six inches to 15 foot high – all of them have emerged since our time here. The Gorse bushes were covering themselves with the glory of their golden yellow flowers, always a welcome sight in the winter months. There were lots of red berries on the Holly trees in the hedge that runs alongside the track to the farmhouse. I have never seen such a fine display and I have to admit I took some for our christmas wreath – the birds, however, were left with the best of the fruit, and I saw plenty of Finches and Thrushes tucking into many a meal of these red berries.
In the copse, Lambs’ tails were already adorning the Alders, Hazel and the Silver Birch trees. The Dogwoods, now leafless straight rods, were brightening the hedges with their greens and crimson reds. Inspite of a few frosts, the Sweet Peas continued to grow up the wigwam strucure, vigorous and strong, and the blue Alkanet came out in flower. It’s an indicator of how warm the temperature was, in general this month, and how that continues to create confusion in the environment outside.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill has now gone through parliament but without the vital safeguards that all the nature and environmental groups and charities have campaigned to keep. And just to put the boot in a little more, the Prime Minister announced that the most important protections should not apply to any developments under the UK Industrial Stratagy, this includes new factories, nuclear power stations, data centres and rather bizarrely police stations. What an impoverished view he has for the future of Britain.
The good news is that I managed to make the christmas cake in time for the big day, the freezer is full of soft fruit from our bushes, and that we are still eating fresh Rocket, Cavola Nero, purple sprouting Broccoli and delicious Leeks from the vegetable garden. And if that’s not enough, we actually saw the sun, rising in the early morning on the last day of the month.