Lilies of the valley have returned, and this week's veg bag had a celeriac - it felt like a very French May Day with the lilies, sunshine, and celeriac remoulade for lunch.
Sounds lovely! The lily of the valley rarely flower properly for May Day here in Sheffield, but a lot of things seem early this year. I have a little vase of them on the table. As you say, a French May Day.
I spent Beltane Eve dancing around flames in the back garden with my little boy who was delighted to get to stay up late. We toasted marshmallows and walked around the fire-pit holding hands, blessing the past season and welcoming the new. And we danced like wild savages! It was tribal and connecting and more than a little smoky!
May birthdays are the best (but I might be biassed!). The days have been bookended by cuckoos and nightingales,we are very lucky. Evening dog walks still warm and softly lit at 9pm, and the skylarks were still singing!
The garden is taking off and all the things I should have got out of the borders before now (tree saplings, various invasive things that have shown up uninvited…) are out of reach. I have decided to be at peace with this. The local horse chestnuts are looking magnificent and the hawthorn we planted about twenty years ago has flowered beautifully for May Day.
Bringing in a posy of muguet (lily of the valley) to celebrate May Day! And cascades of fragrant wisteria scenting the evening air, the sight of which makes me want to start singing 'Purple rain, purple rain...'
Whilst gardening it has been delightful to find little “free” plants. Either they self seeded or perhaps a bird played its part. Often I leave them just where they are, their chosen spot other times I pot them up.
This week 2 ferns, 2 ladies mantle. 1 as yet unidentified evergreen which is familiar and 1 cowslip.
Had an absolutely perfect May Day evening - a walk onto the moors, the most perfect sunset, hearing my first cuckoo of the year, the meadow pipits have returned, and finally a pit stop at the pub on the way home. A cracker!
A big splash of yellow on the end of a fallen tree is a new growth of ‘Chicken of the Woods’ fungus. I last passed by five or six days ago and there was no sign of it.
Walls garlanded with Wisteria, hawthorn heavy with blossom, and a Mayday return of the swifts too! Two perfect sickles reacquainting themselves with their suburban summer home. Whoop whoop! How clever they are. Happy birthday and publication day Lia.
The first cuckoo I have seen in our garden ,and his song as my alarm call ,a pair of ducks ,husband and wife I think ,on our small pond , I am hoping they may nest here too ……
Happy Birthday Lia! I also just preordered your book. I love reading everyone's comments this week! It's like the whole world is coming out from behind the curtain of Spring. We are having an early presentation of green from our deciduous trees up here in Southcentral Alaska. Looking out the windows towards the mountains it is like we are floating in green clouds. The Trumpeter Swans won first place in returning north followed by the Sandhill Cranes and then the Canadian Geese. We are already getting so much daylight that where one day the ground was bare now is producing fresh rhubarb, chives and dandelions. My greenhouse is literally bursting at the seams. It looks like it's going to be an early planting season....I'm hoping....just maybe.
The birds are singing. Swooping in and out of the trees. My first roses of the season, feels very early with the really warm weather everything has grown and is blooming at quite a rate. I've even planted my hanging baskets for the summer, am I too early?
Thrilled to have ‘our’ Swifts back this week. It’s also very much about the white flowers, hawthorn, cow parsley and lily of the valley. A little fruit tree blossom is still hanging on too. Have a wonderful week ahead everyone xx
Lilies of the valley have returned, and this week's veg bag had a celeriac - it felt like a very French May Day with the lilies, sunshine, and celeriac remoulade for lunch.
Sounds lovely! The lily of the valley rarely flower properly for May Day here in Sheffield, but a lot of things seem early this year. I have a little vase of them on the table. As you say, a French May Day.
I spent Beltane Eve dancing around flames in the back garden with my little boy who was delighted to get to stay up late. We toasted marshmallows and walked around the fire-pit holding hands, blessing the past season and welcoming the new. And we danced like wild savages! It was tribal and connecting and more than a little smoky!
May birthdays are the best (but I might be biassed!). The days have been bookended by cuckoos and nightingales,we are very lucky. Evening dog walks still warm and softly lit at 9pm, and the skylarks were still singing!
The garden is taking off and all the things I should have got out of the borders before now (tree saplings, various invasive things that have shown up uninvited…) are out of reach. I have decided to be at peace with this. The local horse chestnuts are looking magnificent and the hawthorn we planted about twenty years ago has flowered beautifully for May Day.
Bringing in a posy of muguet (lily of the valley) to celebrate May Day! And cascades of fragrant wisteria scenting the evening air, the sight of which makes me want to start singing 'Purple rain, purple rain...'
Whilst gardening it has been delightful to find little “free” plants. Either they self seeded or perhaps a bird played its part. Often I leave them just where they are, their chosen spot other times I pot them up.
This week 2 ferns, 2 ladies mantle. 1 as yet unidentified evergreen which is familiar and 1 cowslip.
Had an absolutely perfect May Day evening - a walk onto the moors, the most perfect sunset, hearing my first cuckoo of the year, the meadow pipits have returned, and finally a pit stop at the pub on the way home. A cracker!
The cotton grass is opening up on the moors. Tufts of white stretching for miles. Every year I take far too many photos!
Oh that stuff is magical!
Yes! Love to see it too, a welcome sign of summer to come
A big splash of yellow on the end of a fallen tree is a new growth of ‘Chicken of the Woods’ fungus. I last passed by five or six days ago and there was no sign of it.
Walls garlanded with Wisteria, hawthorn heavy with blossom, and a Mayday return of the swifts too! Two perfect sickles reacquainting themselves with their suburban summer home. Whoop whoop! How clever they are. Happy birthday and publication day Lia.
The first cuckoo I have seen in our garden ,and his song as my alarm call ,a pair of ducks ,husband and wife I think ,on our small pond , I am hoping they may nest here too ……
Happy birthday-publication day.
I was so happy to see the swifts back here in London too, and the bats that take on the night shift.
Happy Birthday Lia! I also just preordered your book. I love reading everyone's comments this week! It's like the whole world is coming out from behind the curtain of Spring. We are having an early presentation of green from our deciduous trees up here in Southcentral Alaska. Looking out the windows towards the mountains it is like we are floating in green clouds. The Trumpeter Swans won first place in returning north followed by the Sandhill Cranes and then the Canadian Geese. We are already getting so much daylight that where one day the ground was bare now is producing fresh rhubarb, chives and dandelions. My greenhouse is literally bursting at the seams. It looks like it's going to be an early planting season....I'm hoping....just maybe.
The birds are singing. Swooping in and out of the trees. My first roses of the season, feels very early with the really warm weather everything has grown and is blooming at quite a rate. I've even planted my hanging baskets for the summer, am I too early?
when i drew the curtain on a very early misty morning there curled up on my neighbours roof was a small ball of russet fur
Deeply asleep . I was enchanted!
then it turned its head and looked ...a young face , very young, long pointy ears white markings
Yet those eyes , steady, canny , wise
Thrilled to have ‘our’ Swifts back this week. It’s also very much about the white flowers, hawthorn, cow parsley and lily of the valley. A little fruit tree blossom is still hanging on too. Have a wonderful week ahead everyone xx