Birds, Buds and Blooms

Birds

 

Buds

 

Blooms

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pancake Monday

 

This is what is needed right now

Batter making for toad-in-the-hole was so enthusiastic last night

that there was plenty left for lunch today

and we are well supplied with everlasting fruit for desert

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More excitement outside

where our skillful neighbour is at work

For six winters we have waded through mud on the much trodden trek between house and stock

now it is getting a hard surface

with some handy topsoil as a by-product

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In here

are 360 litres of compost … from here

Time for a new bin

and an internal Spring Clean

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Meanwhile, food growth is slowly starting

The cherry is budding

The carnivorous plants are waking up

The willow is fluffing

and, even if slightly confused by the ten degree drop in temperature over the last few day, plants are giving it a go

Something to sing about

 

 

 

 

New Life on the Way

In 28 days time

new blood for the Cayuga Duck flock

In 30 days time

our first Silver Fox litter

Any moment now

more lambs next door

Spring is in the Air

We are still reeling from the lack of rain and the presence non-stop sun

The lambs are multiplying

The bees are on the move

The tadpoles are writhing

Other pond life is awakening

The buzzard is cruising

The hens are dust bathing

The newly planted trees are budding

Daffodils and Jonquils are glowing

Other flowers are proliferating

and Jessie is never happier than when she has her head in a bucket

Of course, like everyone, we are moving with the times

Home baked bread

Mainly eating eggs

Waste management seems to have gone by the board when it comes to home deliveries of food

We are only having essential deliveries

and essential visitors

An Outbreak of Dryness

This was our rainfall in February:

and this was our rainfall for the first nineteen days of March:

and then over the last four days something very strange has happened:

There has been a frost the last couple of nights but, rather surprisingly, by mid-morning our bees have been out and about visiting the Hellebores

The dogs have been sitting out in the sun

The Celandines are beginning to shine

and other flowers take on a new face

This pine was broken in half by Ciara last month

Some other sights in the sun:

The Equinox tips and Life Goes On

The Skies may be ominous

but life goes on

Lambs are appearing

The brisk Easterly breeeze is sucking the water from the ground…

…so the hens can almost dust bath rather than mud bath

busy producing

for us

and at what was the local community cafe/shop and now is the local shop/take-away/home delivery to anyone who wants it…

The ducks

have an equinoxial glint in the eye

as do the does

as Rory goes visiting

The bees are flying

The frogs are producing spawn

which is already developing

Jessie remains stoic

Things That Grow in Wales in March

Daffodils

obviously

and Jonquils.

Although some of ours are quite small in recognition of the fact we are not really Welsh

The first sign of a Fritillary

Cowslips

and Primroses

The Yew Hedge round the Orchard has been completed

thanks to Geronimo, who today finished the eBay sponsored mixed beech hedge

which also financed these

Elsewhere, last year’s Beetroot is flourishing

and next month’s salad is starting

The Tarragon is waking up

as are the Delphiniums

This Laurel is ceasing to grow

in order to bring more light into the wood.

And of course the Welsh Toilet-Roll-Tree is proving a boon

Umbratica

This is Nuctenea umbratica

the Orb-Weaving Spider who Lives in the Shadows.

The shadows we found it living in were under a slate in the polytunnel.

We too are living a little in the shadows, keeping out of sight while things go a bit dark outside.

Fortunately we have our own supply of sunshine:

Meanwhile our “turn stuff into trees” project has brought us nearly 500 tree and hedging plants.

The project continues and if you want to turn any money into trees the place to look is

here

Well, February was interesting…

If you live in the UK you don’t need telling that February was wet

(that is not a pond)

Our weather station recorded 410 mm of rain

and when it wasn’t raining it was snowing

or hailing

and we won’t talk about the winds

But as we said previously, our evenings have been taken over by eBay selling and so far we have been able to buy these

So what was a plan

with a bit of help

is turning into reality