Watercress is the new plums

At the end of our lawn there's a stream. It's the run-off from our spring-filled reservoir. I still can't quite believe we flush our toilet with spring water. Apparently the reservoir used to serve the whole of Trawden. When it was announced that Trawden was going to join the mains water supply our landlady rushed to redivert the spring water to her farm. Well the reservoir is in her field and the water is draining off her land, so I suppose that's only fair. How exactly it's filtered I haven't dared to ask, but it tastes deliciously sweet.

The stream runs fast through a deep channel. We can cross it over a stone slab bridge to a pretty rockery beyond: very tastefully done with the exception of Rosa's Smurf village which is growing in size and oddments.

It was Mum who first noticed that the weeds in the river are actually watercress; in fact it's teeming with the stuff. And so our forager instinct kicks in and we turn to www.watercress.co.uk for tasty recipes: risotto, pesto, salsa, fritattas. Oh there's never a dull day in the country if you're prepared to put on your wellies and wade through a stream.