Saturday 8 August 2009

Uncharacteristically sweet smelling.



The 'font of all knowledge' returned from the airport yesterday lunchtime.The first flight of the day from Londons Heathrow airport with British Airways was again on time and 100% full . I'd like to think that it was a clear sign that the economy is recovering but it's just as likely to be the fact that this is the peak tourist season and if the flights aren't full now they never will be. Security at Terminal 5 has reverted to that recognizably British state of surly inefficiency with the lines stretching back into the main terminal and taking 35 minutes to clear. The airport operator seems to have difficulty recognizing that you need more staff,not less, at peak travel periods.
The two boyz heard the car coming down the hill and were in a rapturous state by the time the 'font' arrived. A combined 45 kilogram mass went hurtling down the hill, ears flying, to say hello. When Wilf was a puppy he was remarkably quiet - he left the barking to his little brother. More recently he seems to have developed a vast repertoire of noises . I can only presume this learnt behaviour is courtesy of his rare stays in the local kennels where he has begun to mimic the other dogs. Anyway, yesterday in addition to the welcome barks our little valley had the pleasure of listening to a full symphonic treasury of squeaks, wails, howls,whoops and snorts all delivered at maximum volume and with maximum gusto. Anyone listening to the strange canine hullaballoo must think we torture the two little darlings with cattle prods.
This morning we went on a gentle walk around the fields. I'm going to have to start thinking about harvesting the lavender. Cut it too early and the August sun will dry out the roots, cut it too late and the oils will have burnt away. The two boyz spent twenty minutes exploring the lavender fields and have emerged from their adventure smelling uncharactersitically sweet. Long may it last.

3 comments:

kks said...

beautiful pictures....what will you do with the lavender?

shane rocket said...

they never cease to crack me up!

Angus said...

kks - We'll cut it, load as much as we can on the back of the tractor trailer and take it up to the local village. In the main square there is a man who presses the olives in October, buys the grain in June and distills the lavender into oil in August. On our travels we've learnt that pomegranate juice and lavender oil are two of the healthiest products on the face of Gods earth.

SR- It's like living with two mischevious two year old toddlers - but without the tantrums. We laugh from morning to night at their enthusiasm for life and their determination to cram as much play, exploration, sleep and food as possible into their day.