We’re having a last little burst of summer sunshine here before the autumn sets in properly. This month we’ve had a seven day silent meditation retreat here with Burgs and a Tai Chi-based long weekend with Richard & Marigold Farmer. Both groups were blessed with some lovely, warm sunny days and were able to do exercises outside and enjoy being in the gardens.
There’s still a fair bit of colour in the garden, most notably the yellows, oranges and pinks in the circular bed by the box hedges, the sweetpeas and cosmos. We’ve just noticed that more butterflies seem to be belatedly appearing as the rainy weather has taken a short break, and they are especially enjoying the last remaining buddleia flowers.
The wildlife is so abundant here. We’ve had the pleasure of encountering a few hedgehogs recently around the place at dusk and we also managed to get a sighting of the kestrel that is spending its nights tucked up in the recesses of the front porch. The swallows and martins are all intensifying their flying activities during the day ready for their migration. Flying school is in full swing and it’s a delight to see them all lined up along the guttering outside our kitchen window preening their feathers before swooping away for another practice run! All rather wonderful!
We now have Jonathan Horwitz’s shamanic group in for the week. Each marvellously sunny morning this week, while we were doing our morning practice at home, we were treated to the lilting, magical sound of Jonathan playing his flute in the garden.
A beautiful start to the day x
Mel & Steve
Poulstone Court Retreat Centre
