Spring??

Mr and Mrs Magpie are building a nest in one of the hedgerow trees in the garden.....

Mr and Mrs Blackbird have finished their nest.

Mrs Mallard walks the garden most mornings......

and Mr Mallard is never far behind....isn't he a handsome chap?

The bees are busy.....and are frequent visitors......

They have been busy around the hellebores today.........

Nesta's cowslips have appeared. When I lost my friend, I rescued them from her little cottage garden. They are a sweet reminder of our strolls together, talking about our plants and the wildlife, sharing precious moments. I still miss her.

Don't you just love hellebores. I cannot get enough of them. They are so graceful.....so elegant........

The garden is full of spring blooms.......and after the dull and dreary days of winter, it brings such a lot of pleasure. Colours I would never have in a summer garden, never fail to please me at this time of year.

I wonder if anyone can tell me the name of this hellebore. I bought it last year from the supermarket. It did not look very healthy when I brought it home, but just look at it now, its a beauty.......

Snowdrops have usually finished by now but they are still blooming.....the copse is full of them and looks so pretty.....little flower heads dancing in the breeze......

The whole garden says spring.......the bees and birds talk of spring and yet it is so cold.....the wind is cruel......it makes my eyes water and my skin chap. It will not leave. I have worked in the garden for the last week.......as many hours as I can get .........clearing, cutting back, planting new shrubs. It has not been easy when it is so cold......I long for warmer days.

Tell me what is in your garden?

It's good to be home.....

Poppi planted seeds today....sunflower seeds....from Beckie and Rose in Illinois. We put them in the greenhouse to keep them snug and warm......

We hid amongst the trees to try and get a photograph of the goldfinch......

We looked at the flowers that were coming into bloom.....

Poppi is trying to remember their names.......

and she loves to smell them....especially when the perfume is as sweet as the witch hazel......

just like her grandmother......she gazes at the blooms....lost in her own little world......

totally connected with all that is around her.....

she studies each flower.......just in case......

a fairy may appear and sit on the collar of the aconite.......

or maybe........

a beautiful ladybird.......
or if you are really lucky........and wish hard enough......


Mrs bumblebee.......sweet bee..........we saw five on the Mahonia........

The joy on a childs face says more than words ever can........we had a beautiful day..........it is lovely to be home..........

Cornwall in February......

As we drove towards our hotel at Mawgan Porth, I noticed that there were many plants in bloom......

including daffodils.......

Our hotel was on the cliff and this was the view from our room.....

the tide was in when we arrived......

properties were dotted all over the cliff tops..........

we decided to follow the winding paths down to the beach........I loved the way you could not see what was ahead
seagulls flew overhead....they spoke of fishing boats and smugglers.......

the reflections were beautiful.......

the cliff face was full of plants and some were in flower.......

there was so much to see........so many memories.......

Mr P and I spent our honeymoon in Cornwall.......just three days.....we had little money.........but we shared dreams and hope for the future.......

We bought our son here as a baby.....his first holiday.........we stayed in a caravan....again money was short, but we had a wonderful time.....

and then our daughter arrived and made our family complete........we spent summer holidays here.....in my mind's eye I could see their little bodies running across the beach, bucket and spades in hand......."Mummy can we make a sandcastle".........

Cornwall in February is silent...........its beaches deserted...........its scenery soft..............we needed space and time to talk...........quality time........

Unexpected friend.......

I heard her, but I could not see her.......be still my racing heart. I knew where I would find her, she would head straight for the Mahonia. The scent would draw her in........

and there she was......a queen bee.....Bombus Iucorum......the humble bumble.

Of all the creatures that visit my garden, this without doubt, is my favourite.

I took six photographs and decided to sit with her and just take in my first visit of the year. I gazed as she pumped her little body, she needed to warm up.

It was not long before she started to enjoy the blooms....and for a moment, just one brief moment, I was a child sitting in Nannie and Gramps cottage garden, amongst the foxgloves and hollyhocks, watching the bees. I have never been afraid of bees....they have always captivated and fascinated me.

They charm and delight me.......take a look my friends, are her wings not exquisite?
And this photograph, for me says everything. It is soft and pretty........the humble bumble is a gentle creature.......I have spent time with bees all through my life and until this point have never been stung. If one comes to say hello I allow them to sit on my sleeve......flapping arms makes the bee think she is under attack....sit quietly my friends and she will leave in a short while.....this is her way......

I shall leave for Cornwall in the morning...........

Stay well and happy and I will be in touch when I am back home.......

It has been hard work but I'm getting there.......

The milder weather has given me a chance to repair some of the damage caused by the rabbits. I have been netting vulnerable plants, cutting out damage where possible and digging up the plants that are simply not going to make it......

Last Thursday while walking across the garden with some netting, my right foot went down a hole that the rabbits had dug. It has left me with a very painful ankle.........and has meant that I have not been able to get on as quickly as I would have liked.......

but there are a lot of plants in bloom......and a feeling of spring has definately been in the air........

I must say I have not been able to appreciate the flowers.........I also had a chest infection a couple of weeks ago and it has left me feeling rather tired......all in all I have felt a little sorry for myself.......

But it is not all gloom and doom.......the lovely Mr P is taking me away for a mini break.......

We are going to Cornwall next week.......a place that I love.....we used to take our children for holidays when they were little.....lots of memories.....

I hope to visit the EDEN PROJECT and THE LOST GARDENS OF HELIGAN while I am there.....

I shall take my camera with me and hopefully will have much to show you when I come back.......

and now I am going to spend some time visiting your lovely blogs........