NEED TO GO ON A BUNNY HUNT

They are back again - two fat rabbits in the snowdrops. The question is - where is the burrow? Methinks I shall have to do a search.

I am missing my coffee in town as I am waiting for a delivery of bookcases to store R's library in our her bedroom. Actually I have now built them and have 2 blisters as a result.

We have put the gorgeous (a horrible word but just right) lily on the stair window sill. The little china dog was my grandfather's and sat on his bookcase.

There is colour out in the garden too, albeit foliage - this beauty was bought by R at some coffee morning or other and was a 7 cm cutting in a tiny pot. 

I have just noticed that the first of the pink hellebores is flowering by the shed outside my window. 

The menagerie is now in full swing as the squirrel is here, no two, and a jay is on the banking trying to remember where it buried its hazelnuts.

The pot made from a water tank is doing well.

Now the sun is out, no it isn't, yes it is, now it is windy and snowing, no it isn't . . . you get the gist of the weather.

Now it is dull and drizzly, the rain gives a sheen to my blue fleece and dribbles down my face from my sodden hair.

I have been at the back of the house cutting down the ash branches that have grown too big and are overhanging the house. The flowering currant, elder and privet are left alone, more or less.

Most of the branches will be trimmed of their side shoots and will be used to replace path edging (R wants them for firewood.) The rest has gone to the bonfire - well, not quite, I lie, I gave up and came in for a cup of tea and a shower at 3.30 pm leaving stuff on the paving.

Whilst up there I revealed a bird's nest in the ivy. In view of the many sunflower seed shells in it I suspect this is a finch's nest - perhaps a chaffinch?

Despite the snow showers I was out the next day and trimmed the ash poles. Then I carted the rest to the bonfire. Seeing this pic I also remember that R wants me to stick the fig up on the banking.

Every time I look out of the window I see more to be done - the Rambling Rector rose in the flowering currant is completely out of hand.

Just made some biscuits - Mother called them melting moments if I remember right but in the book she calls them small round shortbread cakes.

8 oz butter
3 oz icing sugar
Vanilla Extract (about half a teaspoon unless you are very vanillary in which case a whole one)
8 oz plain flour
A few place cherries.

Cream butter and sugar together, add vanilla, mix in sieved flour a bit at a time (so it does not shoot out all over you).
Form into walnut sized balls and put on a greased baking sheet.
Press a fork dipped in flour on the top and adorn with half a place cherry if desired.
Cook at 380F (in Aga I did them at bottom of top oven with cold shelf in) for about 10 minutes until just starting to colour at the edges.

Then I ate the four misshapen ones!