We are enjoying one of the first sunny days we have had in probably eight weeks. We are sitting here feeling unusually relaxed because we have just finished our first wedding.
Even though it poured with rain, the couple were delighted with everything. Knowing that we made them happy is a huge relief and a real milestone for us.
That calm will not last long. We have another wedding coming up at the end of the month for friends, but this time we feel much more prepared. We have a system now, which makes all the difference.
The most important update this week is that we are finally back to building the stone garden wall behind us. It is a key feature of the wedding garden, and we are glad the weather has improved enough for us to continue. The stones we are using are huge and all sourced from the garden itself. Some need breaking down; others we simply pick up from the ground.
If you could see the state of Zion, you would understand why he looks like he has been dragged across tarmac. He has been modifying digger buckets again. One bucket from a different machine has been adapted to work with our quick-hitch system, which allows buckets to be released and picked up without lifting heavy equipment by hand.
This new bucket is needed to dig the drainage for the wedding garden. Once that is done, planting can finally begin. I am very excited about that. After months of it feeling like a building site or a wild, unmanaged space, the château will finally start to look as it should. I have been longing to plant shrubs that will be here for years to come.
At the same time, Zion is working on another modification: a bucket nearly a metre wide that will be used to level the garden properly.
The stress of preparing for the first wedding is the reason we missed a few vlogs. Something else we had to abandon, reluctantly, was the swimming pool project. The ground is still far too wet to dig safely.
We have had lots of friends and family visiting recently, but we also had a complete surprise. A couple drove all the way from Australia just to see us. We had no idea they were coming. The wedding couple who were still staying here were incredibly gracious and happy for us to invite them in for coffee. In a lovely moment, the groom even took a photograph of us all together on the château steps.
As we walk around the garden, you can see the progress clearly. The stone wall behind us is today’s work, and the size of the rocks really gives a sense of scale. This area will become the wedding terrace, and from here you can already see the view our guests will have. Until now, we have not been able to set foot on this land since April because it has been so muddy.
At the back of the château is Zion’s workshop area. This section of the building is the original farmhouse, dating back to around 1100. He has been using a petrol saw to cut through steel nearly an inch thick to modify the buckets, which explains why he is covered in oil and soot. It is heavy work, but essential for scraping and smoothing the slope of the wedding garden.
We are finally underway again. The momentum is back, and I cannot wait to see the garden finished.
See you next week.