Filey    March  10th  am

Looking out across the ocean, sparkling in the sunlight.  The jug full of daffodils in my face, with their scent of Spring. The old catchphrase- there may not be a heaven but somewhere there is a San Francisco- equally applies to Filey.  We have had flats here for 34 years, and this one is as perfect as any, with double French windows and a little balcony from which one can peruse the passing scene and across the Bay. The dogs love it here, – out walking with David now.  South Riding has been televised in recent weeks, bit squashed into three episodes, but catches the atmosphere of this coast. I remember reading from Vera Brittain about Winifred Holtby, that she had the kindest nature imaginable, and this anecdote in particular. They could never understand why she chose what she did from any restaurant menu, until in dawned on Vera that it was always whichever meal was the cheapest! Winifred had a natural gift for living frugally and giving away any extra.  Good role model for Lent.

We had out Ash Wednesday service at Edensor yesterday followed by the traditional coffee and home-made biscuits at Gladys’s. ( Not very frugal!) Her husband was head gardener at Chatsworth, working there for fifty years, her uncle was the previous HG, also working for fifty years, and Jim Link, her first cousin took over from her husband, also working for fifty years!  In many ways I think the staff histories attached to Chatsworth are as interesting, if not more, than the Cavendish Dukes.  Gladys is the world expert on melting moments, those little NZ biscuits with oats.

In the garden I have collected seven bags of horse manure from Gloria, stored four and put two round the soft fruit. Julia gave me two big gooseberry bushes which produce large dessert gooseberries so I will transplant them over a pit of pony-poo.  I have 160 onion sets sitting in a warm bed of potting compost waiting for the earth to receive them, and have covered up as much as I could with plastic sheeting to warm the soil.  As we drove over here across the Vale of York I saw that the agribusinesses have done the same, – on a slightly larger scale. (well like x 10,000!) but I must be on the right lines.