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Karen's Corner - Full Hearts, Fiddle Tunes & Farmyard Plans - 29.07.25

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Well, that was a month that packed a punch! July has been full to the brim with people, projects, podcasts, ponies, and the usual mix of garden mud and life admin. But even in the busiest of times, there are these small flickers of magic ... a candlelit music session, a well-packed veg box, a moment in the sunshine with a cuppa that remind me just how lucky we are to be building this life.


The biggest headline this month? John’s Fiddle Weekend, which brought a brilliant group of players from all over the country to Fossoway Stables for a weekend of music, learning, connection, and the occasional mis-timed coffee break (note to self: better pacing next time!). It was a joy to see so many new faces exploring our land and filling the barns with tunes. My personal highlight was the Saturday night’s candlelit session in the barn, where we invited friends and the local community to bring a bottle and join in. The lights were twinkling, the tunes flowed, and there was a feeling, however fleeting, that time had paused. Think we all agreed that we want to do more of that.



As part of the weekend, John also recorded the very first episode of his new podcast, The Fiddle Line, live from the barn with the ever-lovely and insanely talented Laura Wilkie. It’s a beautifully niche wee podcast ... all about tunes, tales, and the craft of playing fiddle. John is such a natural host and I think it’s going to be really special. The launch is just around the corner.


Back outside, the estate continues to grow and stretch and need constant attention .... we’re weeding, cutting, fixing, and dreaming up plans for the next season. With the kids off on their summer holidays, we’re trying to rope them in where we can. Callan in particular has thrown himself into it cutting grass, dismantling old fencing, and building trampolines and Adirondack chairs like he’s on a one-boy renovation show ... we’re very here for it!


Our veg boxes are continuing to do so well, and I’ve been genuinely touched by the kind words and thoughtful feedback from those receiving them. Packing them up and heading out to deliver each week has become something of a ritual ... a small, hopeful gesture that connects our patch of land with your kitchens. I really do love this new part of the business and can’t wait to see how it evolves.



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We’ve also had the Playmakers Summer Camp running this month (week two coming soon!) and a few special Fossoway Farmyard sessions, which have inspired something new ... a Fossoway Farmyard after-school club, launching at the end of August. It’ll run on Monday afternoons and offer local kids the chance to pull on their wellies and get stuck into life here feeding animals, growing veg, building bug hotels and compost heaps, learning where food comes from, and understanding how we care for the land and each other. I think it’s going to be something really special.


Speaking of new after school clubs, our popular performance kids' club, Playmakers has now launched Playmakers Juniors for children aged P1 - P3 ... it'll be on a Thursday 3.30-4.30. If you're interested in booking your kids in to either club, or of course, Playmakers which runs on Wednesdays 3.30 - 5pm for children p4 - p7, just drop me an email at enquiries@fossowaystables.com and I'll get you set up. For more information any of these clubs, please see our kids' clubs page.


By now you guys know I love a new project. July is my birthday month and this year I turned 45 ... a number that feels both steady and full of possibility. I thought that was a good moment to carve out a little space on the internet for my messy mid-life musings (!) so I set up a Substack called 'This is 45' - I'd love for you to have a read of my wry reflections here (next post out tomorrow). This is 45


Over on The Sieve, I’ve had another round of incredibly rich and varied conversations. One of my favourites this month was with my dear friend Kate Latimer ... a true creative and someone who embodies quiet authenticity in all she does. We talked about big topics like teen pregnancy, domestic abuse, the freedom to choose, but also about finding beauty in unexpected places. It’s an episode I’m really proud of. I also had a deeply thoughtful (and funny!) conversation with Dr David Robert Grimes about truth, misinformation, science, and why empathy is as important as evidence when we’re trying to understand the world. In this week's episode (out Thursday wherever you get your podcasts), I speak with the gorgeous Kim Carnie ... Gaelic singer, BBC presenter and documentary maker about her journey to self-acceptance and finding her voice both on and off screen. Each guest teaches me something new, I feel like I’m growing with every episode and between you and I, I'm quietly making plans to host a The Sieve Live event in the Spring - you'll be the first to know once the plans are firmed up!


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Kate Latimer on Teen Motherhood, The Freedom to Choose & Finding Beauty in Unexpected Places.


Listen wherever you get your podcasts or here, via the link .....








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Science, Misinformation & The Search For Truth with Dr David Robert Grimes.


Listen wherever you get your podcasts or here via the link ...








Outside of work, we’ve been balancing the full-on summer family schedule. I took the kids to Centre Parcs with friends, which has become something of an annual tradition. The kids run wild doing everything from ziplining to swimming, and the mums get to sneak in some long overdue chats and glasses of wine while they're busy! John, not to be outdone, took his two to London for a whirlwind few days of shopping, musicals, and eating very well indeed (though I think they all came back needing a nap). To balance out all this activity, John and I are about to sneak away up north for a few days, just the two of us. The plan? Walk, rest, read … and gently re-design our life ... not drastically, just enough to smooth out the chaos and lean into a rhythm that feels better. I cannot wait.



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Oh my goodness I can't believe I just about wrapped up this post without telling you the most important news from July ... we have 4 new (very cute) additions to the family .... our kitten, Marshmallow, had her own kittens!! A few week's earlier I'd taken both Mango and Marshmallow to the vets to be speyed but by the time we got there, Marshmallow was already pregnant. The kids (and Grandma!) have all be super-excited but John really wasn't. You can imagine his joy when the first kitten was born on him, in the middle of the night while he was sleeping! Two weeks on, he's just about gotten over the trauma and we have 4 ridiculously cute tiny kittens here getting bigger by the day! Never a dull moment!



So yes, July has been rich, loud, a bit chaotic but deeply rewarding. A reminder that fullness doesn’t always need to be fixed, that it’s okay to live in the middle of the muddle and tweak things as we go.


Thanks, as ever, for being here and following along with this funny, full, endlessly evolving life.


Until next month,


Karen xx



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WHAT’S ON …


Monday 11th August 2025, 2pm-3pm - Fossoway Farmyard (last session of the summer) - Come and spend some time on our Fossoway Farmyard! Meet and learn about the animals, grow your own vegetables, play games and make new friends (furry, feathery and otherwise!).

Suitable for Tiny Tots (preschool) - A perfect way to spend an hour with your little one. 

£15.00

To book your place, please email enquiries@fossowaystables.com



Monday 4th August - Friday 8th August 2pm - 4pm - Playmakers Summer Camps 

Do you have a budding performer in the family? Our Playmakers dazzle us with their stage and screen performances all year long but these popular summer camps squeeze loads in to just a week. These week long camps are suitable for primary-aged children.

£75.00

To book your place, please email enquiries@fossowaystables.com


Sunday 14th September 2025, 7.30pm - John McCusker Trio with Sam Kelly & Toby Shaer at The Crook of Devon Village Hall. The John McCusker Trio is led by John McCusker, one of the world’s most accomplished and celebrated traditional musicians. A multi award-winning fiddle player, producer and composer, John’s decades-long career has seen him work with some of the biggest names in folk and beyond – from Mark Knopfler, Paul Weller, Eric Clapton and David Gilmour to the BBC TransatlanticSessions. Renowned for his emotive playing and genre-defining compositions, John is a vital figure in contemporary folk music.

He is joined by two of the UK’s most talented and in-demand young musicians. Sam Kelly … a

finalist on Britain’s Got Talent, BBC Radio 2 Folk Award nominee, charismatic frontman of Sam

Kelly & The Lost Boys and member of the Kate Rusby band, brings rich vocals and rhythmic guitar. Completing the trio is Toby Shaer, a gifted multi-instrumentalist whose virtuosic playing on flutes, whistles and guitars has made him a sought-after performer across the UK folk scene with the likes of Cara Dillon. Together, the trio delivers an evening of world-class musicianship, combining original compositions, traditional melodies and compelling songs. With warmth, humour and a deep connection to the music they love, The John McCusker Trio offers a rare live experience … rooted in tradition, alive with innovation, and full of heart. Buy your tickets here; https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1263955778759?aff=oddtdtcreator


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