The Old |Parsonage was painted black and white earlier in the summer. Lots of visitors came in July and August and didn’t notice.

The garden produced abundantly and more. The apple harvest has begun.

Red Ellison in the cottage garden - September 2011

As Pentecost arrives, flaming June has left our vegetable gardens gasping for water. A Sister duly baptises the polytunnel with the aid of a hosepipe.

The poppies are privileged for their beauty in that they are permitted to remain wherever they emerge – even in the midst of the broadbeans.

One person’s faith allows them to eat everything, 
but another person, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.
– Romans 14:2

Better a small serving of vegetables with love 
than a fattened calf with hatred.
– Proverbs 15:17

When July comes around, we’re to have a new tribe of hens in the garden. But – shhh – one musn’t tell the older hens, who are very sensitive on the subject. Recently they moved to a retirement hen-house so that the main run can be thoroughly cleaned before the youngsters arrive.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem…
How often have I desired to gather your children together
as a hen gathers her brood under her wings…
– Luke 13:34

After a month of too-early summer dryness in the garden, we’ve finally had some rain. The cats of course love the heat.

This is Taddeo, on patrol, the big softy. He’s an old boy now, and we worry about him.

On the 27th of April our whole community visited the Woodchester Poor Clares for their farewell Mass, since their community is merging with the Lynton community. It is always a sad and poignant occasion when a community leaves its home after so many years – and yet a joy for us to meet so many friends.

The photo below shows the Chapel and part of the cloister at Woodchester. You might also just about be able to make out five of your Freeland Sisters on the stone bench in the foreground. (Many thanks to Mick Orr for the Woodchester photographs).

Lastly, thank you to the very many of you who purchased our Easter cards! Through the rest of the year we also sell general greetings cards – many silk-screened by hand. Please do visit our card gallery and have a look at some of our favourites.

When you finally arrive, the swathes of flowers are just breathtaking. Like something out of a fairytale.

“…yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.”
– Matthew 6:29 

The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good.
– Genesis 1:12 

After her clothing ceremony on March 28th, newly noviced Sister Clare is assigned to dig up the last of the leeks. (Going barefoot is clear evidence of a burgeoning spiritual pride.)

The most amazing blossoms are now appearing all around the garden.

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly,
and rejoice with joy and singing.
– Isaiah 35:1-2

Clodforwch yr Arglwydd, canys da yw! [Translation]
– Inscription above the altar in Pistyll Church, Pwllheli.

Meanwhile, the Crocuses and Snowdrops continue in full display!

We share our gardens with a burgeoning population of muntjac deer, which have no problem finding a way in, but then when startled like to demolish as much fencing as possible on the way out.

We bargain with them, offering them the freedom of the lower orchard if they will stay out of the vegetable plots, but with breeding all year round, there is always a new generation to get to know.

As a deer longs for flowing streams,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and behold
the face of God?
– Psalm 42:1-2

In other news, our Easter Cards for 2011 are now printed and available for purchase. A sample can be viewed online here.

Meanwhile the winter garden work continues. A Sister works on digging her way through the Jerusalem artichoke patch. These tubers can apparently have anti-social effects in some!

Below, the Postulant is rapidly being overtaken by the height of the great wall of composting leaves and food waste. Previous years’ efforts are in the foreground and background covered in old carpet.

When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”
– John 6:12