Rain Rain Rain

Hello
We have had such a lot of rain the last week with puddles everywhere. The streams are all flowing in a hurry and are so high I cant get over to the meadow, well I suppose I could jump over the stream but I don't fancy falling in. The water is nearly up to the top of the village bridge, if it over-flows it will be a different route (the long way round) into town. We so need the rain but it is very extreme at the moment, how come when we get the heavy rain we get such strong winds as well, the kind that blows your umbrella inside out and makes you feel like you are going to take off like Mary Poppins. Yesterday we had hail-stones and then a few minutes later brilliant sunshine and then rainbows. With so much water it seems hard to believe we have a hose-pipe ban. But there is something so invigorating about walking in the rain when you are wrapped up and warm, the heady woody smell that is so fresh and earthy. Everything within days looks a healthy bright green and any seedlings in the greenhouse that had started to look a bit parched and pale light green are now looking strong and dark green.
The ducks are loving it and the ladies in the orchard hate it, they spend most of their time sheltering in the hen-house, this is when they tend to go broody in the dry, clean and warm meadow hay.
 Well hope you all keep warm and dry.
Sarah xx