BACK TO GARDENING AT LAST

2 versions of the same morning -

At this time of year the remnants of the past year and the new year are together - old lace cap hydrangea flowers light up the wood with their paper heads.

The buds on the azaleas and rhododendrons are fat and full of promise.

Calendulas are still flowering here and there -

The rose Golden Showers continues to glow in these dark days.

The image below shows the tired steps, these by the beech hedge, which need new risers and a fresh coating of stone chips.

And in the flower beds the first white buds are coming on the snowdrops, the early pale yellow crocus are in bud. They are in the rose bed which, today I began organising. Right roses have been pruned, some of the mass of self sown forgetmenots removed and the underplanting of catmint (nepeta) trimmed back. Then I barrowed up some old compost and started to cover the open earth.

Of course I started with bare hands but a thorn under a thumbnail made me go for the gloves - never learn.

And the wind and rain, with a hey nonny no, came again. It is wild Wednesday, the wind is howling and there will be plenty of twigs etc to pick up in the wood. 

What is it with dreams? Last night I dreamed about the Soggy Bottom Boys (Oh! Brother where art thou? - Coen Bros.) but there were eight or nine of them and I haven't seem the film for years. It makes one wonder what else is stored between my ears.

After many useless attempts (with a too small lens pin the camera) managed to get this image of a long tailed tin in the peanut feeder - poor but perhaps adequate.