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........

What to do...what to do.....

Dear Mr and Mrs Rabbit......It is with much regret that I am writing to complain about your behaviour.

Parties every night are not an option in this garden. A few bunnies for tea, ok I can deal with that, but when numbers are above ten it is getting out of hand.....

I can accept a nibble here, a nibble there but taking the bark from my shrubs.......and damaging my trees are just not on......

And the digging.....what are you looking for, please tell me, maybe I can find it for you????

And this morning I could not believe my eyes......

you have started digging up my bee plants........there is a limit rabbits......

and you have overstepped the mark.......

It is with much regret but I have no option........Nella will be out on patrol more often. I know you don't like her but what choice do I have. Bees are endangered, you are not. Bees pollenate my trees and flowers, you eat them......are you getting my drift??

I will give you a couple of days to think about this.......I hope we can come to an amicable agreement.

I would not like to see a sad ending to our friendship.......Yours sincerely.....wildlife gardener.......

I have indeed got a huge amount of rabbit damage, also the ice, snow and heavy rain of the last two months have taken its toll on the garden.........I shall be blogging here and there....but will be spending a lot of time in the garden when I can.....

I can't wait for the warmer weather to be able to sort this mess out......

Stay well, stay happy........

What does your garden say about you??

A garden that one makes oneself

becomes associated with one's personal history

and that of one's friends,

interwoven with one's tastes,

preferences, and character,

and constitutes a sort of unwritten,
but withal manifest, autobiography.

Show me your garden,

provided it be your own,

and I will tell you what you are like.
ALFRED AUSTIN (1835 - 1913)

Tell me, my blogging friends, what does your garden say about you???