Easter is full of symbolism - but one of the more basic Christian themes - is closure and renewal.

I don’t pretend to be in quite the same league as the Good Lord - but in a similar vein at least - I can say the Eie Flud is now truly closed for business.

The blog has become something of an inconvenience - something I feel guilty about - when to be honest I have a million things I need to spend my time doing.

It isn’t an end - but lots of new beginnings for me.

The time is right to stop and move along

To all who have contributed, enjoyed or bought from me - THANK YOU SO MUCH - you have been much appreciated these last few years.

I hope our paths cross again in new avenues - and be assured that me, the MD, Saturday Boy, Eldest and Youngest Eie Fludders - chickens, bees, sheep, pony, dogs, cat - the 2 gold fish will continue to blunder through our animal husbandry, small holding, business running and family life in inimitable style - with tears and smiles no doubt - but always with gusto!!

April 1st last year and we brought home our 6 rescued battery hens and we were so excited - looking back at photos of them - they looked pale, underweight, featherless and scared. But we were so pleased to have them - and they quickly took to freedom, sunshine and grapes.

Myfanwy;Betsy Coed; Red; Gwawr; Gwen and Blodwyn

They all looked different to us - each had a personality surprisingly - Shy Myfanwy, Bossy Betsy, Perky Red, Grumpy Gwawr, pretty Gwen and Blodwyn everyones favourite.

Today - short of a few weeks to their 1st anniversary only Blodwyn remains

Either from the effects of battery captivity, hungry foxes, destructive dogs, bacterial infection illness, or a terrible prolapse - one by one we have seen them go.

I expected - niaively I know - for them to last longer - to finally end their days peacefully in their sleep - not one of them has so far. When I found Gwen this week in a mass of blood and innards having passed quite the most ridiculously large egg - I really felt I would never keep another chicken.

I meant it.

But I do like keeping chickens - they are fun, productive, and just plain nice to have around.

But to look at a chicken that has been attacked by a dog or find what was left by the fox and know a personality or to have to hand one over  the humane dispatcher - however humane - I just think next time it might be kinder on us, not to have a name and personality - which on the whole has made the whole process of keeping our chickens that much more sad.

And I wonder - whether I will keep battery hens again.

Ever played that 6 degrees of separation game? I’m useless at it - but todays post is my version of it.

Last year I was diagnosed celiac which given the seemingly never ending list of autoimmune disorders I was picking up - was just lobbed onto the pile - so I’ll just give up bread I thought!

uh ohh! Apparently not!!

Before Christmas I was becoming quite ill - and it was clear that I had to take that Celiac label a bit more seriously - since then I have had to look at what and how I eat. 3 months on and I feel generally, a woman reborn. Its not so difficult to give up biscuits when you know how much better you’re feeling without!

Its also been a bit of a discovery, food wise. Good and Bad!

Ordering Amaranth and Millet from the Deli in Uppingham who were most obliging - bringing in the weird and wonderful for me to sample - the owner joked that I would be as well to just buy a box of Trill! do they still do that?

He had a point. This morning, in true Brit fashion, I boiled up millet flakes and amaranth (which even with a dummies guide I’d failed to pop) in milk and honey for breakfast. Budgerigars might not have taken to it - but Oliver Twist might have recognised the honeyed mush I produced!

I am happy to accept a few failures in the quest for those precious successes and it is kinda exciting. After 3 months of rice I am looking for new cereals that are gluten free. New textures.

I am in awe however of the versatility of rice - from flakes, puddings, rissottos to noodles - there are very few days go by when it isn’t in my diet somewhere. But after centuries in the paddy fields I can understand that the Chinese might be ready for a change - but instead of taking a tip from Peru or Mexico and having a go with Amaranth or Quinoa they have gone out at a tangent for more Western influence - we’re talking meat - loads of it.

I was quite nonchalant about the impending wheat crisis - only 10 weeks of stock, bread prices set to sky rocket - but thats ok, because I don’t you know!

Problem is that problems like these aren’t localised nor are they quite that simplistic -  the need for cereal for human consumption is far outstripped by the need for cereal for livestock - the food chain is out of kilter - home grown farmers are too busy tied in to hedgerow management and set aside - or other such EU strategems to keep them from producing whilst economically, there is this insidious seduction of China to take on board the very worse that the West has to offer - meat, big cars, unchecked economic growth at certain ecological damage…and British/American Tobacco finding rich pickings amongst a never ending populace.

Bowls of rice, bicycles, farming and chewing on bamboo will be distant images….but China can at least give up on the one child policy because they will be dying in their droves - if the smog doesn’t choke their lungs out - BAT will be there to fill the gaps, and mad cow disease and clogged arteries bringing up the rear.

Saints alive! I would  never have been this journalistic on a bowl of Weetabix!!

I haven’t seen any lambs yet.

Generally I would say thats a good thing from my personal point of view I hate to see them huddled bedraggled in the snow in early Feb.

But spring is around the corner and I have been gearing up to have a look at the bees - have they survived the winter? Are they in need of a feed?

I think I live in a very good part of the world for bee-keeping - well sheltered, with a lot of varied feeding opportunities and little in the way of competition from other colonies for precious resources and by implication I’d like to think reduced chance of catching apiary nasties.

I always get the distinct impression from the old guard at the Association and from reading books that a fondant feed is looked down on - not as nutritious and something of a cheat. But I have always found a block of pre bought fondant works wonders in my hives.

Well mine have survived the winter. They look young and healthy, so I would imagine the queen is laying already - I didn’t look in the brood chamber I think its still a bit early, a bit too cold.

I have been sent this week the Thornes catalogue for 2008 and I already have my wish list for this year. There might not be any lambs around but it really is that time of year and I’m in a much better shape hivewise this year than last and I am really excited.

This is the Manor Crown Business Park in Bourne, Lincolnshire.

This is also the second home of Cumulo Accountancy and Taxation - because as of March 1st- one, becomes two.

For the MD - this is a natural Blofeld progression - to world domination.

For me - its a shock to the system!

or how to be made to feel really useless, effortlessly!

4 Yr Old: Mummy, do you know about planes?

Me: Not much, you’ll have to talk to Daddy.

4 Yr Old: Mummy, do you know about cars and motorbikes.

Me: No, not really, you’ll have to talk to Daddy.

4 Yr Old: Mummy, do you know anything useful?

Me: Speechless

Ahh what a cherub?!

IF YOU DO A SINGLE CLICK ON THESE THUMBNAILESQUE PHOTOS YOU WILL SEE A DETAILED SHOT CLEARLY

Idyllic setting - Rutland water. A charming work buddy in the guise of the very patient, Alan. Glorious weather. And what was laughingly called a hedge - in the shape of a line of very substantial trees. Never has something so difficult and heavy duty proved to be so satisfying!

 Billhook. Axe. Bow saw. Loppers. My arms feel like they are numb - tomorrow they will let me know they disapprove of the weekends pursuits!

 This was mine and Alans bit of hedge laying, we were so proud of ourselves having hacked our way along, pushed and heaved, weaved and staked - sweated buckets and froze in equal measure - but the sense of satisfaction. The loss of calories! I am truly hooked.Tomorrow I order my own billhook and axe - I have hedges a plenty to lay, that is for sure - and I am so looking forward to the challenge.

If you get the chance - this is something worth having a go at - you’ll be absolutely knackered - but you’ll love it!

Ok I know I’ve sounded like a Saturday afternoon down pour in Manchester of late - but truly,  there are very many things I am happy to celebrate…so to quit on the woe for a brief moment or two -

1. Quinoa and Buckwheat (which isn’t!) - good in salads, taste great - every bit as versatile as rice or pasta and my best buddies of a lunchtime at present - filling and gentle - LOVE THEM

2. Yoga - one of the downsides of having ‘Primary Biliary Cirrhosis’ is having all the discomfort and seezing up of the joints (without the inflammation or damage associated with arthritis) - this is a good thing, it just makes you feel miserable and old actually - this from someone who certainly as late on as 35 could get both legs behind her ears - such a party piece!!! - I started up recently with yoga again, having been something of a pilates advocate latterly - but I have to say, for my overall sense of wellbeing, balance and loosening of the joints - nothing tops a yoga session - I feel freer in my movements and it must release endorphins or something - because do I ever feel this chilled?

3. Having a secret! One not shared with anyone at all - not my Mother, sister, MD, not no one - I feel quite naughty - and doesn’t it add just a hint of a sparkle?

4. Having the best friend in the world - never has an overused phrase been so apt - but my best friend is out there in the world - not next door - we can’t pop over for coffee - and that is one of the more sadder points of our relationship. My Buffalo Gal - who I just might share my secret with! We have been friends for 10 years this year and in all that time there have been very few days when she hasn’t at least once been in my thoughts. When we’re reincarnated - I’m putting in the right form early to get us on the same street!

To everyone - the sun here is shining beautifully and I wish you all a very sunny smiley day, wherever you are.

I have spent the weekend dipping in and  out of Shauna Ahern’s ‘Gluten Free Girl’ - much of her health issues and childhood eating experiences rang a loud bell with me and I have overall pretty well enjoyed the book - and I am going to HAVE to find the ingredients to have a go at making her ‘Chocolate Financiers’ - and how!

What had me rueful however was Shauna’s incredibly optimistic outlook - she in person must be one of those uber annoying smiley people - her epilogue ‘YES’ (taken from her blog which was one of the most wonderful blog posts I’ve ever read it has to be said) - seems to sum up her approach and her gluten free life.

I don’t smile, I tend to grimace - and if I were to have an epilogue it would of course be ‘NO’!!!!

Shauna obviously has a lot of time to play with food, to experiment, without the hinderance of kids (I wonder if she even has a cat?) - she and her beloved Chef.

I have an MD - who is stressed and ulcerated most of the time - I have 3 kids all on different eating time clocks - and me - with her myriad of eating issues.

I aspire to domestic goddessdom; like Nigella  I want to bite into ripe strawberries, with a lasciviousness that would stop the MD in his tracks.

If I did, he would stop in his tracks - but more because he is well aware that if I did take that Eve-like bite - I would swell up and choke because - don’t you just know it! I’m allergic to the bloody things.

Yes Yes Yes!!!

One thing I am impressed with however, is the notion of an animateur - specifically someone who connects an orchestra or choir to its audience, to a wider audience potentially. Orchestra’s aside - I think all businesses could benefit from such a concept - for small businesses that means being your own Animateur - and its harder than it appears!

For guidance on a very good example of the genre - watch choirmaster, Gareth Malone on BBC 1 Fridays. Half pint maybe, but definitely not half empty - I think he is an inspiration!

I love food - I’ve never been a petite eater - so in my life I have had to be careful or else be condemned to a life of shopping in Evans (its ok but honestly, I prefer Wallis - who seem to think a UK 14 is outsize!)

The notion of a favourite meal though I sorta struggle with,

For the MD, we’d be looking at Fillet Steak; Saturday Boy it would be Pasta anything, Youngest Eie Fludder = sausages and Eldest Eie Fludder = Fish and Chips.

My fave meal wouldn’t take me to a la carte but who cares? Because it is like Jennifer Hart - GORGEOUS - my idea of foody heaven would be wonderful fresh white French rolls with cheese - Stilton would rate quite high - a great big brick of it with real butter (oh ok a tad of green salad) followed by Apple Pie and cream - and perhaps a bottle of English Beer - WOW, absolutely WOW. The thought of it could make me cry….Foody pleasures indeed.

Ok - add in to the mix:

a dodgy liver

Coeliac disease

Lactose intolerance

what exactly are we left with:

a tad of green salad, a bit of stewed apple and a bottle of water - not exactly worth seeking out Gordon Ramsey for is it?

I am ordering Gluten Free Girls book because I would like some wow factor back into my desperately miserable foody life!