Root & Rise Rambles #6: Plums, pub lunches and finding a little space to breathe…

Well, what a week it’s been!

Tuesday brought some very big changes, both personally and professionally, as we finally completed on the farm in Hunningham. There’s something rather surreal about looking out over those spectacular views and thinking, this is actually ours.

I’m so excited to share them with you when you come for your treatment at Root & Rise in September. I have a feeling that sitting in the garden here, watching the countryside change with the seasons, is going to become part of the experience in its own right.

There is, however, a little work to do before we get to that point!

The Root & Rise summerhouse needs some TLC next week, so treatments will continue in Binley Woods for the time being. The sale of this house is running slightly behind the farm purchase, so I’m juggling the two properties for a little while longer.

Next week’s priorities at the farm are removing the decking and repairing the door. Very glamorous. Very exciting. Very much part of the behind-the-scenes reality of building something new.

And talking of new experiences, Tuesday also saw Ruth the Irish Terrier have her first ever pub lunch. We were waiting for our new house to become vacant, so decided to stop for lunch at The Red Lion in Hunningham. We can highly recommend it! Robin opted for cheesy chips, Isabel had the feta and vegetable orzo, and I had a gluten-free roll and fries. Ruth, meanwhile, was an absolute angel and patiently lay underneath the table.

I suspect she may have decided that pub lunches are one of the many excellent benefits of country living.

Dreams of what might grow here

We’ve also started talking about how we might diversify the land at the farm. Glamping pods, a shepherd’s hut and perhaps a bell tent have all been thrown into the mix.

I mean… just look at that sunset.

Who wouldn’t want to wake up, step outside and see that?

And if you’re a fan of blackberries, you’re definitely in for a treat when you visit. We have a plethora of them. I’m already imagining the possibilities.

There’s something quite special about moving somewhere and gradually discovering what it could become. Not having every detail mapped out yet, but allowing ideas to grow alongside the land.

Perhaps there’s a lesson in that for the rest of us too.

We don’t always need to know exactly what the next chapter is going to look like before we take the first step. Sometimes we just need to arrive, look around and think, Right… what could we do with this?

Root & Rise is coming with me

The practical side of the move is happening too.

My Root & Rise business cards and flyers have now been printed by the lovely Stace Payge from Preston and collected by my amazing father-in-law, Vincent, today. One small milestone, but one that makes the whole thing feel even more real.

Root & Rise is quite literally putting down new roots.

And while the new treatment space gets its facelift, I’ll continue welcoming you in Binley Woods.

There are still a few chapters to close here before we completely turn the page.

Including one particularly special one…

The final plum harvest

Our final ever harvest of plums from the Binley Woods garden has taken place.

My Mum planted that plum tree around 25 years ago, so it has a very special place in my heart. It feels strange to be harvesting its fruit for the final time before we move to the farm at the end of August.

But perhaps I don’t have to say goodbye completely.

My friend James has told me how to encourage the plum stones to shoot. Apparently, if I crack them to release the seed, pop them into the fridge wrapped in damp paper towel inside a food bag, they should hopefully shoot in around two months. Then I can plant them up at the farm.

So perhaps a little piece of the old garden will make the journey with us after all. I rather like that idea.

Coping with the heat

And talking of looking after ourselves, how have you been coping with this intense heatwave? When the temperatures climb, it’s worth remembering that hydration doesn’t have to mean constantly forcing down glass after glass of water. Water is important, of course, but fluids can also come from naturally decaffeinated hot drinks, fruit, vegetables, ice lollies and even things like jellies. It all contributes.

I’m also a fan of hyaluronic acid as part of my wellbeing routine. Hyaluronic acid is famous for its ability to hold a huge amount of water, which is why it’s often talked about in relation to hydration and skin.

Sometimes wellbeing really is about the small things we can consistently weave into an otherwise very full life.

A little reminder for anyone feeling the pressure

Today is also A-level results day, so congratulations to everyone who has received their results, and to all the parents, grandparents and families who have been riding the emotional rollercoaster alongside them.

Whatever you have achieved today, remember this:

Your exam results do not define who you are. They are a snapshot of one moment in time. They don’t measure your kindness, creativity, resilience, curiosity, courage, humour, compassion or the countless other things that make you uniquely you.

There may be celebrations today. There may also be disappointment, relief, tears, uncertainty, excitement… or a completely bewildering mixture of all of the above.

Whatever today looks like, you are still the same wonderful human being you were yesterday. Take a breath. Be proud of yourself for getting here. And if you’re a parent or grandparent, perhaps remember to celebrate the person, not just the results.

There is no single route to a happy, fulfilling life. Sometimes the path takes an unexpected turn.

And that’s okay.

Fingers, toes and awards

You may remember that I was recently nominated for an award through the Weird AF Awards. Well, I can confirm that I’ve accepted the nomination and submitted some additional information to support it. So now we wait.

Fingers and toes crossed for the November ceremony!

It’s funny how life can contain so many completely different things at once. One minute you’re completing on a farm, the next you’re repairing a summerhouse, harvesting plums, filling in award submissions and wondering whether you’ve remembered to do all the things you were supposed to remember.

Which brings me neatly to…

How’s your juggling going?

On Wednesday evening, I was driving to Leamington Spa for my weekly full-body massage at Esqué when I caught sight of the partial eclipse. It felt like quite an appropriate moment to pause and look up.

Because after the excitement, stress, paperwork, house moving, business planning and all the other plates I’ve been keeping airborne recently, I very much needed that tension-relief massage.

Sometimes we don’t realise just how much we’ve been carrying until somebody gives us permission to put it down for a while. That’s something I see regularly at Root & Rise too.

Women arrive telling me they don’t really know what they need. They just know they’re tired. Their body hurts. Their mind is full. Everyone wants something from them and they’ve somehow ended up at the bottom of their own list. If that sounds familiar, perhaps this is your gentle reminder that you don’t have to wait until everything else is sorted before you take care of yourself.

You are allowed to pause while life is still messy. You are allowed to receive. You are allowed to have some time where nobody needs anything from you. A little bit of space is enough to help you hear yourself again.

And finally…

Where are my fellow Moomin fans?

I have to finish this week with something completely unrelated to houses, businesses, wellbeing or anything remotely sensible.

Moomins.

Did you know it was Moomin’s Day on Sunday?

I’ve loved Moomins since I was a child, partly because I had a childhood friend who was half Finnish.

There’s something about those strange little creatures, their gentle world and their slightly philosophical approach to life that has stayed with me.

So please tell me I’m not alone…

Where are my fellow Moomin fans?

And perhaps that’s actually not such a random place to finish after all.

Because amongst the big life changes, the lists, the responsibilities, the juggling and the endless things that need doing, it’s important to leave a little room for the things that simply make you smile.

The childhood favourites. The sunsets. The pub lunches. The plum trees. The dog underneath the table. The unexpected moments of beauty. The massage that finally lets your shoulders drop. The dreams you haven’t quite worked out yet.

Life doesn’t have to be perfectly organised to be meaningful. Sometimes it’s enough to stop for a moment, look around and notice that there are some rather lovely things growing here. 

Until next time,