SPRING IS WITH US

At least for today and perhaps tomorrow then it all goes chilly again. 
No swallows yet but the male skimmia is covered in honey bees!
Our one cowslip is flowering!
For G and L - compost - I have cleared out the small compost heap and it now resides on the veg beds. The large heap has been turned. The willows that make the sides have been trimmed and the white birch have had their ties checked. I have taken off all twigs below head height (and shoved them into some compost - well, you never know?)

In the house the first amaryllis is blasting out its colour - in their third year now.

R has been brambling.
Clearing the persistent plants up in the bluebells and on the woodland bankings. The primroses and daffodils by the stream are a delight.

The white honesty is now self sowing and appearing here and there. We prefer the white to the standard pink.

On the upper bankings the fritillaries have not been chomped and are still flowering and the camass leaves are through. The first bluebells are now coming out and dog violets grow on the mossy banks.
The dead heading of the daffs has begun.
I have gone through my box of seed packets and realise I must sow my sweet peas, in pots, as well as many others. I found the seeds we bought at Greenodd Potato Day - I had forgotten we had them. 
So the veg beds will continue to be prepared. The strawberries are showing a few flowers but too early, I think.

Here is the upper banking by the house full of daffodils. It always amazes me that a winter garden bare of anything much can transform itself so quickly. 

What a week, the Queen 90, Victoria Wood gone, Adele very rich, and we seem to have an endless list of people who are coming to do things but don't.

I thought of sowing some parsley - did in a pot and then bought some on the market in town - better chance of survival.
The poles for sweet peas are in and tied together and I have given the strawberries their first liquid tomato feed.

Now R and I have a difference of opinion regarding euphorbias - she like the invasive green stuff on the left, I like the green and purplish one on the right. In the end we have both in the garden (but a lot more of the green one.) Last year I also planted three Euphorbia characias wulfenii but it looks like they have succumbed to the wet winter.

This is the pond, Wendy House and the hidden seat on the decking. It gets the evening sun and you cannot be seen from the house.
The mallard are asleep by the pond (when they are not on the shed roof.)
R has made an apple cake and brought me a wedge with a mug of tea - bliss.