Hidey-Hole

After my arrival on The Island I decided that I had enough of cold winds and wet. I took the train from Manningtree to London where I visited a friend for a few days.
Afterwards I spent the rest of April in my hidey-hole in Sussex, waiting for the warmth to arrive, and doing all the things which are far better then blogging: emptying the dog, picking weeds, cooking, wading through sea´s of Bluebells, watching the gulls on the beach, making music with friends, and eating fish and chips - just for the sake of variety. ;)

Heracleum Sphondylium

Heracleum sphondylium, common hogweed/ Wiesen-Bärenklau, is my new favourite weed. They are growing near hedges and on grassy places.
The edible parts at this time of the year are those tiny shoots you see in the middle of the first picture. I cut them with a knife as close to the ground as possible. The shoots which are to become the flower stems are especially fleshy and big.
Shoots can be found from  March on until June. Later you can eat the unopened flower buds.

Wheel of Life - Pi

Kate Bush - Pi
With greetz to the Netherlands :)

Through The Netherlands

Shortly after crossing the boarder dark cloudes dumps their waters over me. Since Dörpen I am accompanied by cold wind as well. Searching for hide underneath a bridge I met 2 siblings, both of them looks like drenched cats. Their family went to live in Germany as the housing is less expensive compared to the netherlands. But it didn´t work out for them at the german school, they felt badly treated by the other kids. Now they feel more comfortable on the school in the netherlands and since they are cycling between the countries twice a day.

I am longing for dry shoes and warm tea. The lady in the next cycle shop tells me about the Mini-Camping Kolderweide.
The campsite is empty, nobody in sight. The doorbell in the next house sets dogs off and a man with only one arm opens the door.  I am invited to dry my shoes and socks in front of the fireplace, and am offered hot sweet coffee. His brother and a friend are there as well. They were 5 brothers, all of them farmers. The family always owned land on both sides of the borders. But the german parts has been sold off now.
We are talking about the situation in europe as well, but all these conversations are too big for this place.
I am the 3rd camper this year, I am invited to sleep in the big canteen, and to hang up my tent for drying. I am offered spuds and onions and a hot coffee in the next morning.
What a welcome! Thanks Gerard!

Tom The Toad

Sing on this tune Oh Christmas Tree

Oh Tom the Toad, Oh Tom the Toad
Why are you lying in the road?
Oh Tom the Toad, Oh Tom the Toad
Why are you lying in the road?
You did not see that car ahead
And you were flattened by the tread.
Oh Tom the Toad, Oh Tom the Toad
Why are you lying in the road?

Home Sweet Home - The Herbalist´s Home

Edible Weeds - Spring

I went to Syke for a short stop because of Heike König. We had made up the appointement that I help her with the preparations for Rohvolution. She instead would secure me in my knowledge about the edibles and show me more.
This post contain pictures of some of the plants I more or less am eating regularly since.

Pulmonaria officinalis - leaves and flowers are edible.

Through Germany

The first day of my journey didn´t bring me very far, just around 15 km to Syke. Accompanied by Heike I spent the night on a small space in the woods beside an arm of the small River Hache.