Our First Christmas Down a Devon Country Lane

 A Very Different Christmas in 2020

Preparations for our first Christmas here took off a little earlier than we normally would. A consequence I suppose of having two young children in our household and schools finishing on the 17^th December. We have three Christmas trees in total, one in Caro and Benji’s sitting room, one in their entrance hall and one just outside our porch, all decorated and lit; with outside lights on gutters, in and around trees and “the deer” grazing on the lawn adding to the festive mood! Two of the trees are rooted and will be planted in the grounds at the end of the festive season.

Like most families we had been planning and looking forward to a full five-day celebration with both daughters, their husbands and all four grandchildren. Covid19 ward duty meant that we might not see so much of Nick, but at the moment that’s simply the life of a doctor in so many parts of the world. As Christmas Day approached yet another U-turn by the government reduced the five days to just 12 hours.

 

We enjoyed a beach picnic at Hope Cove on Christmas Eve. Another plus for our new location! This is a super little coastal village just half an hour away with three small sandy coves, thatched cottages and a great pub (sadly closed).

 

Nick was working all day Christmas Day but a sudden change of shift requirements meant that he was able to join us for a late afternoon Christmas dinner; Clare and the boys having arrived at 7.00am. Half an hour’s drive for them but they still arrived before I was up and about!

It was a lovely day with no politics and lots of fun and food to be enjoyed throughout. Our gifts were very well received – the boys with their fins and snorkelling masks, the girls with roller boots. Ettie decided she wouldn’t take hers off all day and succeeded to learn both inside and out without too many falls. The boys already discussing the best places to explore along the local coastline.

Leaving the younger children at the house with Caro and Benji doing prep for Christmas dinner the rest of us set off on one of our local walks across the fields and along the lanes around us. At one point we look south to the sea and north to Dartmoor before returning along a flooded lane. Half way through the thirty-metre puddle we heard a car approaching and were relieved when the driver waited until we had reached the other end before coming through, lowering a window to call out her Christmas greetings and give a friendly wave!

Considering cooking on an Aga was a fairly new experience for any of us our Christmas dinner was a tour de force and with ten of us gathered around the table we were able to really enjoy our first Christmas here Down a Devon Country Lane.

Our First Month Down a Devon Country Lane

Four weeks in… and what have we learned so far?

Well, firstly, we now know that old farms have rats and, in our case, we have discovered quite a lot of them. They have made their homes in various parts of the property and these include the walls of the walled garden, the back wall of the greenhouse, the walls of the lawn garden and even some in the oldest part of the house! We suspect that they’ll also be in the Devon bank behind the stables. However, we are slowly winning the battle! 

 

The garden hasn’t received much TLC for some time and we are slowly eating away at those jobs which can be done at this time of year, though only when the weather permits. In that respect we have been very lucky with more dry days than wet ones, although when it has rained it has been pretty heavy and most of the water runs onto and across the driveways, then on down the hill.

 

Ivy has overrun many of the old stone walls and, as we start to uncover them, we have discovered some interesting stonework and, buried in greenery by the gate, an ancient plough.

 

A trip to a garden centre at Newton Abbot provided a supply of potting compost and some plants for pots, half baskets and hanging baskets to give us some winter and spring colour. Our tulip bulbs have been potted up and will look fabulous in the spring.

 

We have met our closest neighbours. Michael and Jean from the farm and David and Fran next door. We have been made very welcome, though Covid restrictions have limited social interaction. We are learning a lot about the history of the property as Michael was born in Cross Farmhouse and he has told us about where various doors, windows and staircases have been in the past. He also revealed that there is an old fireplace behind the panelling in our sitting room. We plan to open this up for a log burner in the new year. We knew that there must be something as there is an old chimney stack on the outside wall at that point. It will be exciting to reveal it.

 

We have discovered that the stables and stable yard make a great area for entertaining.  It is one of the flattest parts of the grounds and, although up a steep incline from the house, provides a great space for casual dining, garden furniture, fire pit, BBQ, and, perhaps in the future, a hot tub! Some gravel on the surface will also make it perfect for boules and the odd game of molkky. One thing is certain, one of the stables is set to become “The Stable Bar” and we have already installed the table football!

One of the best things we have discovered is, that at least so far, we all get along very well! Emme often opts to have breakfast in our kitchen and it is lovely to be able to spend more time with both girls, Caro and Benji.  As we are without a kitchen, until at least January, we enjoy meals together, taking turns to prepare supper and often end up in front of the fire in their large sitting room before heading for bed.

 

In addition, in just four weeks, we have also discovered a super local walk up the lane, through a farmyard across the fields and alongside the stream at the bottom of the valley below Cross Farmhouse. There are also super walks along the coastline just fifteen minutes from here and a great farmers market on a Friday at nearby Totnes. There is an abundance of birdlife around with a robin that pops out whenever we are in the garden; and we are frequented by a buzzard and at least one owl. Sunsets, viewed from the stable yard, are spectacular and perhaps most important of all, just a short drive or walk “Down our Devon Country Lane” takes us to the Fortescue Arms in East Allington village which serves an excellent Sunday lunch!