The Whoosh of the Unblocked Stream...and no Kicking

This evening I walk to the village community hall to vote in the local elections....with little faith that my ballot will make much difference to wider issues. At least I've met the woman I  voted for. She came to talk to me and give me a leaflet while I was weeding the front garden the other day.

Back home I wade along the middle of the stream looking for wild garlic on the far bank.

While I'm negotiating  my way through the nettles and cow parsley and sticky goosegrass to cut some leaves and flowers,

I hear a rustling sound and look up to see the curious heifers have come right up to the wire fence, 

to see what I'm doing. They just stand and gaze at me while I chat away to them.

And then move off to more interesting pastures. I collect a whole colander full of huge leaves and their white starry flowers  - as soon as I cut the stems the perfume of garlic is overpowering.

I bring them back to the house and then return to the stream as I've noticed there is a blockage at the wire fence between mine and my neighbour's boundary - the water backed up into a  small stagnant  pond.

My wellies sink deep into the silt at the bottom of the stream but I kick away all the twigs and leaves and branches and mud which have collected against the mesh and with a great whoosh the water starts to rush through again and the pool disappears showing the muddy bottom of the stream again.

I add the chopped up wild garlic leaves to the leek and tomato omelette I'm making for my supper. The  omelette turns into more of a scrambled egg veggie mush ( the tomatoes make it a bit wet) and the flavour of the wild garlic disappears into the other vegetables. So I shower it all with the starry white flower heads and sliced stems..... and then I know exactly what I'm eating.

Later I receive a long email from my architect....suddenly, like the whoosh of the unblocked stream, the house plans are flowing again. And I didn't have to do any kicking....maybe my patience strategy is working.