Been incredibly busy working this week, but I have noticed that I am now driving to work in daylight and have been able to see the beautiful array of spring colours in the garden as I walk from the car park into the hospice. (Up until this week it has still been pretty dark when I arrive, still arriving before sunrise this week though) Some late snow drops planted by the squirrel 🐿️ and a scattering of crocuses in the grass (I don’t have a lawn, as I don’t mow I let it do its own thing) which I am pretty sure are courtesy of the squirrel 🤔
We really are in that liminal crossover between winter and spring. I had a gorgeous half hour on the beach real warmth in the sun, but only because we were protected from the northerly wind by the cliffs. Once up on the top all winter accessories were needed!
I also had the joy of my first Skylarks on that outing, that wondrous crescendo of golden notes that will now accompany all trips onto the South Downs.
Otherwise is been lots of desperate searching for nature's spring progession, searching for the swathes of primroses I know come in the cemetery, only to remember I first found them during the 2020 lockdown meaning they are at least a couple of weeks away. But compensation came in noticing these daffodils had tiny white points on their petals.
I’ve spotted small lupin leaves growing in the garden, the chives have suddenly sprouted and I’ve got tiny tomato seedlings just peeping through the soil in their indoor pots. It’s still absolutely freezing though, I am working from home in my thermals today!
Today there has been a conference of the birds in the garden blue tits coal tits blackbirds and magpies -strange companions deep in conversation in the trees and in particular where the clematis buds are unfurling . Bulbs are shooting up the snowdrops gather under trees and on the verges .Warmth comes from eating Aroukha Ceremonial Cacao Chocolate from cococaravan cherishing the natural wealth of South America brought to us by chocolate makers .🥀🕊🍃
that cold north wind, relentless; and maybe connected? in influx of cold hungry mice, 3 cupboards now have humane traps in, they even sampled the dishwasher salt; picked the first 5 daffodils from the orchard, just the ones that had flopped over.
Daffodils from the farmers'market in a jug on the kitchen table. A couple of clear clear nights so could really see Jupiter and Venus doing their conjunction thing, really close the other night - and someone in Finland posting up an identical image - I love that the sky is exactly the same for them. But best of all, seeing the ever-so-mini (just a handful of birds) starling murmuration over Vauxhall Bridge. There's not many places you can see starlings doing their thing in central London but Vauxhall Bridge is one of them.
Ditto back pain been taking it very easy with meds too 😣 but I’ve walked every day and seen the snowdrops fade as the daffies open. I did a review of February on Substack (my first one!) and thoroughly enjoyed As the Seasons Turn...
Flowers everywhere! Trees leafing! A fine covering of pollen on the cars and not so fine pools in the ponds. It is really springlike out there now. Two nights ago we had a thunderstorm, so now I’m counting 10 days and watching for snow to see if the old wisdom holds.
I went to the garden nursery and bought geraniums, herbs, tomato seedlings (I KNOW--but I live in Texas). We had a ferocious storm last night and today it is blue skies and crisp air. I will be spending most of the day outside if I can. Lastly, we ate our Sunday dinner OUTSIDE last week.
Sorry to hear about your back pain and cold Lia - no fun, hope you recover soon. I am frankly very glad February is over as I find it the hardest month for seasonal things. So here is the last week of feb- rain falling in a sheet across my face and being able to taste it metallic in my mouth - a return to drizzle that really made the landscape feel bleak and wintry again. Turning the calendar over to a clean, fresh side and seeing the beautiful illustration by Gemma Koomen full of spring things to light up my Wednesday (and listening to this months As The Seasons Turn, of course!). Suddenly realising clouds of creamy blackthorn trees were framing every view as we drove and drove along the motorway - they accompanied as the landscape gently rolled from countryside into city.
The little scrap of lawn in front of our house continues to fill up with crocuses; I loved the clear starry skies this week; I set up a worm farm yesterday that I’m very excited for 🪱 Have a good weekend all!
Just a thought ... wild garlic is so much tastier and flavourful when it has had a chance to grow. Not much point in picking the really young leaves. (I know you were just identifying it Lia not picking).
I planted garlic in the fall, and saw the first ones poking their heads through the soil this week. I was so elated to see signs of life after so many months of hoping everything was going well underground.
An unexpected close encounter with a Little Egret in a field a couple of hundred metres from my local town centre in South Oxfordshire. I know there's quite a few of them in the UK nowadays but I've never seen one here before. Another small - albeit beautiful - reminder that fings very much ain't what they used to be where our climate is concerned.
Been incredibly busy working this week, but I have noticed that I am now driving to work in daylight and have been able to see the beautiful array of spring colours in the garden as I walk from the car park into the hospice. (Up until this week it has still been pretty dark when I arrive, still arriving before sunrise this week though) Some late snow drops planted by the squirrel 🐿️ and a scattering of crocuses in the grass (I don’t have a lawn, as I don’t mow I let it do its own thing) which I am pretty sure are courtesy of the squirrel 🤔
We really are in that liminal crossover between winter and spring. I had a gorgeous half hour on the beach real warmth in the sun, but only because we were protected from the northerly wind by the cliffs. Once up on the top all winter accessories were needed!
I also had the joy of my first Skylarks on that outing, that wondrous crescendo of golden notes that will now accompany all trips onto the South Downs.
Otherwise is been lots of desperate searching for nature's spring progession, searching for the swathes of primroses I know come in the cemetery, only to remember I first found them during the 2020 lockdown meaning they are at least a couple of weeks away. But compensation came in noticing these daffodils had tiny white points on their petals.
Hope you feel better soon Lia.
I’ve spotted small lupin leaves growing in the garden, the chives have suddenly sprouted and I’ve got tiny tomato seedlings just peeping through the soil in their indoor pots. It’s still absolutely freezing though, I am working from home in my thermals today!
Today there has been a conference of the birds in the garden blue tits coal tits blackbirds and magpies -strange companions deep in conversation in the trees and in particular where the clematis buds are unfurling . Bulbs are shooting up the snowdrops gather under trees and on the verges .Warmth comes from eating Aroukha Ceremonial Cacao Chocolate from cococaravan cherishing the natural wealth of South America brought to us by chocolate makers .🥀🕊🍃
that cold north wind, relentless; and maybe connected? in influx of cold hungry mice, 3 cupboards now have humane traps in, they even sampled the dishwasher salt; picked the first 5 daffodils from the orchard, just the ones that had flopped over.
Daffodils from the farmers'market in a jug on the kitchen table. A couple of clear clear nights so could really see Jupiter and Venus doing their conjunction thing, really close the other night - and someone in Finland posting up an identical image - I love that the sky is exactly the same for them. But best of all, seeing the ever-so-mini (just a handful of birds) starling murmuration over Vauxhall Bridge. There's not many places you can see starlings doing their thing in central London but Vauxhall Bridge is one of them.
Ditto back pain been taking it very easy with meds too 😣 but I’ve walked every day and seen the snowdrops fade as the daffies open. I did a review of February on Substack (my first one!) and thoroughly enjoyed As the Seasons Turn...
Flowers everywhere! Trees leafing! A fine covering of pollen on the cars and not so fine pools in the ponds. It is really springlike out there now. Two nights ago we had a thunderstorm, so now I’m counting 10 days and watching for snow to see if the old wisdom holds.
I went to the garden nursery and bought geraniums, herbs, tomato seedlings (I KNOW--but I live in Texas). We had a ferocious storm last night and today it is blue skies and crisp air. I will be spending most of the day outside if I can. Lastly, we ate our Sunday dinner OUTSIDE last week.
Sorry to hear about your back pain and cold Lia - no fun, hope you recover soon. I am frankly very glad February is over as I find it the hardest month for seasonal things. So here is the last week of feb- rain falling in a sheet across my face and being able to taste it metallic in my mouth - a return to drizzle that really made the landscape feel bleak and wintry again. Turning the calendar over to a clean, fresh side and seeing the beautiful illustration by Gemma Koomen full of spring things to light up my Wednesday (and listening to this months As The Seasons Turn, of course!). Suddenly realising clouds of creamy blackthorn trees were framing every view as we drove and drove along the motorway - they accompanied as the landscape gently rolled from countryside into city.
The little scrap of lawn in front of our house continues to fill up with crocuses; I loved the clear starry skies this week; I set up a worm farm yesterday that I’m very excited for 🪱 Have a good weekend all!
Just a thought ... wild garlic is so much tastier and flavourful when it has had a chance to grow. Not much point in picking the really young leaves. (I know you were just identifying it Lia not picking).
The first sightings of blossom - blackthorn by the river and bright pink on the common 🌸
Spotting these made me much happier than I realised it would!
Not much sight of spring yet unde r a foot of snow but the increasing and welcoming early morning light
I planted garlic in the fall, and saw the first ones poking their heads through the soil this week. I was so elated to see signs of life after so many months of hoping everything was going well underground.
An unexpected close encounter with a Little Egret in a field a couple of hundred metres from my local town centre in South Oxfordshire. I know there's quite a few of them in the UK nowadays but I've never seen one here before. Another small - albeit beautiful - reminder that fings very much ain't what they used to be where our climate is concerned.