Suffolk has been kind

Well harvest has long since been and gone and every last bit of green grass has turned yellow. The fields have cavernous cracks in them and the lawns are sandy and arid, resembling a landscape more like Spain or Cyprus than Suffolk. But the world it seems is suffering from extremes and I am grateful for the relative normality that I have and Suffolk still seems able to deliver on sunshine hours and the consistency of sunshine hours and the trees are somehow surviving, turning the landscape into a lavish gold and green.

Never before have I had a summer where I have got used to waking every morning to sunshine. The dichotomy is such a treat. 

Not even in Cornwall, with our unpolluted artist azure skies did waking to sunshine become habitual. And to be truthful august is the 'rainy season' in Cornwall. Popular to book because it is in the middle of the school holidays and expected to be warm, August 'monsoon season' in my eyes. If I had to recommend I would always suggest Feb/March - when Cornwall often has beautiful sunny days and tucked up against the cliff or sea wall .......gorgeous .....

and then June or early July and October when the earth and the sea has had the whole of the summer to warm-up and the days are not yet too short and the leaves are changing and the sun still warm. It is often when the grass has a regrowth  .... perhaps not this year.

In Suffolk, I am still willing the rainy season to start and desperately hoping for some sort of regrowth of grass in October or preferably before. The trees seem to be surviving and we have lots of them. Where they get their moisture from I have no idea and where do all the animals get their water from this year. We see the roe deer and the muntjacs walking across the stubble fields but as I walk the dogs around the plentiful footpaths and ride the horse on the byways, the ditches might be deep and shady but there is no water in them and even the moats have dried up around the Suffolk houses and the ponds that dot the  fields have all but a dribble still left in the bottom of them. 

I have seen pigeons drinking out of the dog bowl, so I have several dog bowls about the garden and Jeffrey my horse has two big water butts to 'share' and there is the birdbath too, which is on the floor, which might help hedgehogs and field voles. However I do worry how the wee small animals are managing. 

The dry ground is turning into quite a challenge for the farmers this year. The land is too dry to plough and get the next crop in, the soil won't break up enough and fine enough to sow the seed and there is no moisture in the ground to feed the seed! That in turn will have an effect on animal feed prices and human food prices, so there are definitely going to be challenges ahead for us all. 

On a more positive note our Piggery which we have been booking-out through Airbnb has been delightfully popular. Suffolk has been kind to me in my new venture of providing overnight accommodation and a token breakfast on your first morning. 

The cabin does look lovely if I say so myself. 

It is light, bright, airy and clean and offers enough kitchen space and utilities to easily provide a meal and a huge TV and two comfortable sofas to collapse on with a good movie in the evening! And the sunshine has meant people can either enjoy cooking outside on the bbq or just sit at the patio table and sip a glass of something in relative tranquility with the paddock and the trees surrounding you.

Most of our guests seem to be people 'escaping' (their words not mine) London for a night or a couple of nights. And we are just perfect for that. Several guests have used us whilst working in the area near Stowmarket or Bury and again we are perfect for them for although set in a rural area we are midway if you are travelling to Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds or Diss. Its a bit further to Norwich and Felixstowe but still do-able from us and if you are holidaying, the coast for a day trip to Aldeburgh or Southwold is only 45 mins away.

And we are a nice place for a romantic evening too, with some good pubs a short drive away and a great vegetarian restaurant nearby, if you don't fancy cooking. The Piggery has a choice of two sofas to cuddle on for a good movie after your meal and a huge bed to snuggle up in after the movie!

All in all, Suffolk has been kind to me and in turn, kind to our guests .......

A bit of work and a bit of play - all in Cornwall

Always a pleasure to spend some time in Cornwall. Especially if the weather is fine. 

My little cabin in Cornwall is off-grid and very tiny but it has a useful bit of decking that when the weather is fine like it has been, the decking creates an extension to the living space. And someone seems to have been watering the plants because they have survived really quite well. So I was able to weed and water and encourage them to grow even more.

Despite off grid living I have a hot shower, gas powered, a compost loo and a generator which just about gives me a fridge (with a little bit of help from a bag of ice cubes every other day) which make life very comfortable. Again it's a little more complicated when it rains, but in sunshine it is an absolute pleasure to live "with the land" and enjoy living so close to nature and wonder at the stars at night and the vastness of the sky.

Mixed a little bit of work with a little bit of play this trip. Visiting some old haunts - lunch at Tremenhere Kitchen in the Sculpture Gardens - and a browse through the art gallery. Very much liked this artist's work. Mafia Tabak.

And a walk at Looe Bar at Helston with friends and Mistythespottycollie - you can find her on Instagram!

Always a magical pleasure to be able to combine sea, sand and a secret castle ..... not so secret I know but it is one of England's little gems, it just creates a fairytale scene. And I love looking in rock pools at the colours and reflections and flora and fauna. To combine the two is a special treat.

But St Michael's Mount is not the only piece of magic in West Cornwall.

There are wonderful walks, meandering streams, secret pools and mythical quoits.

Plus, it is always good to see family again

to reintroduce yourself to the ever increasing sheep flock

and to enjoy the surrounding fields of agapanthus all out in bloom

before returning to Suffolk, where harvest is in full swing.

What an amazing start.

What an amazing start we have had. We went 'live' on the Friday evening ....late....... and had our first booking on the Saturday morning! Slight frenzy Saturday morning, as we finished those things we thought we would have time to finish because "who would book on the Saturday, quite that quick anyway!"

So The Piggery is open and so far so good, lots of happy customers leaving reviews either on Airbnb site itself or in our visitors book.  I will dedicate a page on the blog for comments and reviews because not everyone writes on Airbnb. 

Also a reminder you can book direct with us via WhatsApp or texting or emailing.

As a host it is always good for me to sample what is available locally, so I can first hand recommend places and we had the opportunity to take some time out for a couple of days with friends and visit a lovely pub for some scrumptious grub at The Black Horse, Thorndon and also to visit Aldeburgh and Framlingham.

You really could be forgiven for thinking you were in Cornwall. And I love the way the land just falls off the earth and into the sea.

Aldeburgh is lovely. We were blessed with a warm south easterly wind gently 'caressing' us as we walked along the promenade past rows of fish shacks and ice cream parlours and then along the Main Street browsing in shop windows and galleries and partaking in a little retail therapy - how can you not with a FatFace along the way - and several charity shops to rummage for bargains, whilst the boys 'people watched' from a cafe with coffee and cake!

I was delighted to find that having lived close to Porthcurno in Cornwall, where cable communication first came ashore from India and Australia I was now at the point where a hundred years ago a cable was laid to the Netherlands to link Suffolk to Europe. Quirky to have been to both ends of the communication line - although there are also others.

We also called in at Framlingham. Another lovely little town with a castle, shops, galleries, pubs and ice cream parlour - seriously to be recommended - we walked around the moat of the castle in the sunshine whilst listening to the Ed Sheeran song Castle on the Hill, courtesy of a fan and her phone!

The Piggery at Potters Farm is ready for overnight accommodation

My 'other-half' and I have been busy for weeks cleaning, painting and organising and as is usual for me allowing the accommodation to lead on the decor and letting it 'evolve' as a project. But I am happy with the result, an eclectic mix of old and new, quirky and traditional, calming and revitalising, peaceful and energising. And primarily ... comfortable.

The Piggery offers open plan living with a king size bed and a large dressing table which can double as a work station for your laptop should you be staying with us for work reasons. Two comfortable sofas to relax on and a large screen TV. We have full-fibre to the farm and a good mobile signal from most providers.

There is a shower room and toilet, towels are provided.

Kitchen area is minimalist but well thought out with a microwave, grill and double hot plate, toaster, kettle and an undercounter fridge. You might not be able to cook a Sunday roast - but we have several lovely pubs in neighbouring villages that can do that for you and save you the washing up - however you can conjure up a spaghetti bolognaise or a bacon and egg breakfast with the facilities available and complementary tea, coffee and croissants are included.

Parking is right outside the accommodation with a patio area, bistro table and chairs and a large umbrella for shade, should shade be required. A gas BBQ is on the patio for you to use. 

The vista from the patio looks out onto the enclosed and secluded paddocks bordered by tall hawthorn and beech hedges and towards our farmhouse, which is hidden mostly by trees. The trees extend along the driveway and to the side of The Piggery, offering seclusion and shelter but not overshadowing. The tall hedges which surround our property benefit us as a wind break and yet do not limit the sunshine hours. Your patio has the sunshine from early morning until late evening and the bistro table and chairs can be moved to catch as little or as much of the sun as you personally prefer.

Byways, bridleways and footpaths lead off into glorious Suffolk countryside right from our drive and a gratis Ordinance Survey map is available in your cabin. 

Our geographical situation is perfect if you want to walk or bicycle for miles along footpaths and bridleways, through acres of unspoilt farmland which interlinks with quiet country lanes, passing beautiful thatched cottages and traditional Suffolk long houses, offering peace and tranquility and restoration to the soul!

Having lived in Cornwall for 31 years and enjoyed the coast and the beaches and the long stretches of sand I cannot believe how entranced I am by the greenness here and the peace. I still love the beaches and the headlands of Cornwall, there is nowhere quite like Cornwall but Suffolk gifts me a different opportunity for 'mindfulness' and is equally as wonderful at keeping the soul whole and the mind working. Whoever says that living in the country is too quiet and boring, does not really understand how busy we are "in the country" ....... we never stop!

And I believe the Norfolk and Suffolk coast can be equally as beautiful as Cornwall, I just have not ventured that far yet but you could stay and explore and let me know where I should investigate first!

If you would like to stay with us you can book via Airbnb or you can book direct by emailing or phoning.

Thanks for reading and look forward to seeing you soon, hopefully.