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The sun has come out again – in all respects!
Suddenly the weather got milder, and then the skies cleared, and we have had a few warm sunny days, which have been so very welcome after this miserably cold winter.
And sunshine has returned to our lives in other ways too after a somewhat cheerless year so far.
We have had the real pleasure of having our daughter Kerry come over from her home in Wales, to spend a few days’ holiday here with us. She brought her friend, and they much enjoyed relaxing on our balcony, taking in the view and the antics of the birds on our feeders, as well as seeing a little of the surrounding area.
Then at the weekend we were lucky enough to be part of a large family party at the Theatre Royal in Winchester to see our granddaughter Vicki play Ruth in a youth production of G & S’s ‘Pirates of Penzance’. She sang, she danced, was witty, dazzling and totally beguiling. The cast were breathtakingly energetic and enthusiastic, and to see 15 year old Vicki strutting her stuff so confidently out in front was such a joy. I had been saying how much I needed a good laugh during the past few gloomy weeks, and my Goodness this was a real tonic!
Back home in the garden spring is definitely in the air, with birdsong greeting us whenever whenever we venture outside. We have been thrilled to see a couple of tits come to look over the birdbox on the fence where we can keep watch on it from the garden room. I’m not sure which of the couple, male or female, actually did the viewing, but it was very thorough – popping inside for moments on end whilst its partner sat twitchingly impatient on a budding forsythia twig just outside. They both did a very thorough inspection of their possible new home and its surroundings – sitting up on the fence, then flying down to the roof of the box, going inside again and again – before finally flying off together. They obviously decided it wasn’t their idea of a des.res., but we are intrigued to know how they conveyed their decision to one another. We also wonder what is wrong with our birdbox? Perhaps they feel it isn’t safely enough protected by leaves and branches – though very soon the whole fence will be covered with the flowers, then leaves, of the forsythia, as well as a rambling rose which is already bursting with buds.
However, a robin has decided that the box hedge along the opposite side of the garden is JUST the place to set up home. We have been able to observe him with bits of dead leaves in his beak frantically flapping his wings and gliding along the side of the hedge like a helicopter, then suddenly diving into the foliage. Soon he emerges again and scrabbles about the rockery before repeating the process all over again. We haven’t dared to take a look for fear of disturbing him, but if ‘location, location..’ is relevant, then the various birdfeeders hanging in the nearby apple tree provide a very useful local ‘takeaway’.
Suddenly the weather got milder, and then the skies cleared, and we have had a few warm sunny days, which have been so very welcome after this miserably cold winter.
And sunshine has returned to our lives in other ways too after a somewhat cheerless year so far.
We have had the real pleasure of having our daughter Kerry come over from her home in Wales, to spend a few days’ holiday here with us. She brought her friend, and they much enjoyed relaxing on our balcony, taking in the view and the antics of the birds on our feeders, as well as seeing a little of the surrounding area.
Then at the weekend we were lucky enough to be part of a large family party at the Theatre Royal in Winchester to see our granddaughter Vicki play Ruth in a youth production of G & S’s ‘Pirates of Penzance’. She sang, she danced, was witty, dazzling and totally beguiling. The cast were breathtakingly energetic and enthusiastic, and to see 15 year old Vicki strutting her stuff so confidently out in front was such a joy. I had been saying how much I needed a good laugh during the past few gloomy weeks, and my Goodness this was a real tonic!
Back home in the garden spring is definitely in the air, with birdsong greeting us whenever whenever we venture outside. We have been thrilled to see a couple of tits come to look over the birdbox on the fence where we can keep watch on it from the garden room. I’m not sure which of the couple, male or female, actually did the viewing, but it was very thorough – popping inside for moments on end whilst its partner sat twitchingly impatient on a budding forsythia twig just outside. They both did a very thorough inspection of their possible new home and its surroundings – sitting up on the fence, then flying down to the roof of the box, going inside again and again – before finally flying off together. They obviously decided it wasn’t their idea of a des.res., but we are intrigued to know how they conveyed their decision to one another. We also wonder what is wrong with our birdbox? Perhaps they feel it isn’t safely enough protected by leaves and branches – though very soon the whole fence will be covered with the flowers, then leaves, of the forsythia, as well as a rambling rose which is already bursting with buds.
However, a robin has decided that the box hedge along the opposite side of the garden is JUST the place to set up home. We have been able to observe him with bits of dead leaves in his beak frantically flapping his wings and gliding along the side of the hedge like a helicopter, then suddenly diving into the foliage. Soon he emerges again and scrabbles about the rockery before repeating the process all over again. We haven’t dared to take a look for fear of disturbing him, but if ‘location, location..’ is relevant, then the various birdfeeders hanging in the nearby apple tree provide a very useful local ‘takeaway’.
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This warmer, drier weather has made it possible for me to make three forays into the garden in recent days, in order to try to clear up the detritus left after the wealth of flowers we enjoyed all last year. Having heard that my 92 year old mother had got a back problem following an overly long first session digging in her garden recently (yes …. she WAS digging ….. she’s an amazing woman who still enjoys looking after her own garden)…. I decided to tackle the work ‘little and often’. I have now cleared the front garden, and have just one large bed under the garden room window to sort out. John gave the lawns their first mow this year a couple of days ago, so for the now everywhere looks very ‘kempt’ and we are able to enjoy the snowdrops, primroses, and daffodils now they have been rescued from under the dried up remains of last year’s glory. .jpg)
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At last – the First Day of Spring officially on 1st March (Jenny informs me it’s the first day of autumn Down Under ….. as she left these shores in the middle of summer last year, she must be more than ready for a change of season!) After this unusually long cold winter, everything in the garden is very late appearing – but then, much more appreciated when it does eventually materialise.
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