I posted back in Feb about the whirling dance of the male blackbird to a disinterested female. Well I think he won her round as we have fluffy baby blackbirds in our garden. They have fledged, but hang around on the garden fence chirping for food, as they still are fed by the parents for a while. It’s lovely to see it (sings Circle of Life to myself very badly).
Those lilacs are beautiful. I have the first ever blossom on my little apple tree, which is a pleasant surprise because I thought I had managed to kill the whole plant when it was given to me. Also two eggs on the osprey nest I monitor 😍 hoping for a third on Sunday🤞
I have already harvested a bowl of green beans from my backyard garden (Texas early growing season) and will likely make a minestrone soup with them. I feel so accomplished. There's nothing like growing your own food (also it's a labor of love and sadness, it doesn't always work out). I also made a Chimichurri sauce with basil and parsley from the garden (served with grilled chicken and flank steak). I drove to north Austin yesterday and there were yellow wildflowers all along the road.
Love the lilacs - and that they remind you of 1920s glamour - same here! I’ve also seen lilacs but just the first few blooms, not the full show. My three things have to be the Ginkgo trees spindly branches beginning to be covered in tiny green leaves - it’s late to the party if horse chesnut are the first! The smell of spring (the wet earth, the fresh roots, spagnum moss, the rain) as you step out of the house in the morning. I caught an early train on Monday and in the drizzle saw the the most gorgeous female blackbirds picking worms out the earth and two wrens engaged in a very flirtatious dance. And finally - Seeing fuchsia-pink Bergenia (and learning it’s name) bringing that much needed pop of pink to all this sublime green we have at the minute.
Intrepid explorer terrier drew us along animal tracks into the woods, looking for fallen trunks to climb for a view and a treat. We found the bluebells and a beech tree. Fresh green beech leaves are now steeping in vodka in a dark corner.
Gorgeous lilacs, Lia! Our neighbours’ purple ones are nearly out and our white ones are a bit further behind. When it finally warms up things will really get going. The cold and heavy skies have been getting to me a bit, but there are plenty of bright greens around. I’ve enjoyed watching a pair of goldfinches in the garden of our rented cottage and was very happy to see as well as hear one of them singing, so I now have an outside chance of recognising the song in our garden.
You have reminded me of the den I had as a child in a masive old lilac bush, which was at the bottom of our garden. I spent many happy hours in there hidding and playing tea parties with my dolls. Using rainwater and leaves for tea and mud pies were on the menu too.
My three things this week; seeing the tiny black snails that are clinging on around the edge of a bathtub pond that I have in my greenhouse, the first leaves of my potatoes showing above ground and the cherry trees buzzing with hundreds of honey bees busy at work.
3 seasonal happenings, pricked out marigold and tomato seedlings, had numerous wasps finding their way into our conservatory and finally tulip spotting, every where I go!
Yes so cold this week, coat is firmly back on! Went on a hunt for cherry blossom, found some beautiful ones. Tulips still going strong too and waiting for the dark purple ones I planted last autumn to come out.
This week has been all kale flowers, lyre leaf sage looking a tiny bit like your bluebells, and the roses are starting. My neighbors inherited an overgrown garden with three mature rose bushes that you can’t see through the vining weeds until they are in bloom, three different colors, and so lovely. My one rose has died because I can’t give it enough sun.
I live in the American Midwest and we are experiencing a similar temperamental spring. We have had a few weeks of summer-like weather, but now back to dark and wet. It is lovely to see the greens flourish with the moisture, though.
First cuckoo heard on Saturday last and I think the red legged partridges we have had in the garden for months are nesting right here in my garden!!! As you can tell I am rather thrilled.
I posted back in Feb about the whirling dance of the male blackbird to a disinterested female. Well I think he won her round as we have fluffy baby blackbirds in our garden. They have fledged, but hang around on the garden fence chirping for food, as they still are fed by the parents for a while. It’s lovely to see it (sings Circle of Life to myself very badly).
Those lilacs are beautiful. I have the first ever blossom on my little apple tree, which is a pleasant surprise because I thought I had managed to kill the whole plant when it was given to me. Also two eggs on the osprey nest I monitor 😍 hoping for a third on Sunday🤞
I have already harvested a bowl of green beans from my backyard garden (Texas early growing season) and will likely make a minestrone soup with them. I feel so accomplished. There's nothing like growing your own food (also it's a labor of love and sadness, it doesn't always work out). I also made a Chimichurri sauce with basil and parsley from the garden (served with grilled chicken and flank steak). I drove to north Austin yesterday and there were yellow wildflowers all along the road.
Bluebells at Westonbirt, slowworm at the allotment warming under a roof tile, chocolate mining bees nesting under a planter. Glorious.
Love the lilacs - and that they remind you of 1920s glamour - same here! I’ve also seen lilacs but just the first few blooms, not the full show. My three things have to be the Ginkgo trees spindly branches beginning to be covered in tiny green leaves - it’s late to the party if horse chesnut are the first! The smell of spring (the wet earth, the fresh roots, spagnum moss, the rain) as you step out of the house in the morning. I caught an early train on Monday and in the drizzle saw the the most gorgeous female blackbirds picking worms out the earth and two wrens engaged in a very flirtatious dance. And finally - Seeing fuchsia-pink Bergenia (and learning it’s name) bringing that much needed pop of pink to all this sublime green we have at the minute.
Intrepid explorer terrier drew us along animal tracks into the woods, looking for fallen trunks to climb for a view and a treat. We found the bluebells and a beech tree. Fresh green beech leaves are now steeping in vodka in a dark corner.
Gorgeous lilacs, Lia! Our neighbours’ purple ones are nearly out and our white ones are a bit further behind. When it finally warms up things will really get going. The cold and heavy skies have been getting to me a bit, but there are plenty of bright greens around. I’ve enjoyed watching a pair of goldfinches in the garden of our rented cottage and was very happy to see as well as hear one of them singing, so I now have an outside chance of recognising the song in our garden.
The ducks at the lakes on campus have been showing off their new ducklings! Lilies and roses in bloom. Bunnies everywhere on our urban lawns.
You have reminded me of the den I had as a child in a masive old lilac bush, which was at the bottom of our garden. I spent many happy hours in there hidding and playing tea parties with my dolls. Using rainwater and leaves for tea and mud pies were on the menu too.
My three things this week; seeing the tiny black snails that are clinging on around the edge of a bathtub pond that I have in my greenhouse, the first leaves of my potatoes showing above ground and the cherry trees buzzing with hundreds of honey bees busy at work.
3 seasonal happenings, pricked out marigold and tomato seedlings, had numerous wasps finding their way into our conservatory and finally tulip spotting, every where I go!
Finished and blocked a shawl, made bread, went to Wales for a week
Yes so cold this week, coat is firmly back on! Went on a hunt for cherry blossom, found some beautiful ones. Tulips still going strong too and waiting for the dark purple ones I planted last autumn to come out.
I spotted my first butterfly of the year! A male Orange Tip. Joy.
This week has been all kale flowers, lyre leaf sage looking a tiny bit like your bluebells, and the roses are starting. My neighbors inherited an overgrown garden with three mature rose bushes that you can’t see through the vining weeds until they are in bloom, three different colors, and so lovely. My one rose has died because I can’t give it enough sun.
I live in the American Midwest and we are experiencing a similar temperamental spring. We have had a few weeks of summer-like weather, but now back to dark and wet. It is lovely to see the greens flourish with the moisture, though.
First cuckoo heard on Saturday last and I think the red legged partridges we have had in the garden for months are nesting right here in my garden!!! As you can tell I am rather thrilled.