The Eunice tree

Well, it’s maybe two hundred years old – who knows, but it’s certainly more than a hundred. An old apple tree, but not just an apple tree, it’s probably descended from one of the original cider apple trees that populated the fields, from where the ill-reputed “Merryhell “ cider cottage got its name. And now it’s down, it was corkscrewing in the gales so it’s fate was set, and it came with a crash.

It could only have fallen in one of two directions – the way it did fall, or 180 degrees the other way. Go left and the stable and donkeys would have been hit, go right and the barn would have had a direct hit.

So the task was to open up a space through which to escape in case Joan wanted us, or with the power off maybe get fish and chips. In any case we had to get out to get medication from the vet for George.

By evening we had nearly managed it, without the electric chain saw as we lost power at lunch time. It was a characterful tree beset by Virginia Creeper which was stunning in the Autumn, and the resident Ivy provided food for the Wood Pigeons that nested in the bowl.

Up sides are it’ll make the cottage a little lighter, and the blind daffodils that annually emerge now stand a chance of flowering – and we’ve got a new bed to play with!