WE ARE WITH SNOWDROPS

So it is official - winter is over and the snowdrops are coming out - well, I'd like to think so - but we do have our first flowers. The seasons do seem less well defined than they used to be. Whether that is due to global warming or myself just getting a bit withered? 

And then I turn on the TV to see blizzards in Scotland and the south east of England. Just cold here and one flash of lightning, one rumble of thunder. R has gone and got her torch from the drawer in the kitchen.

Today I was picking up sticks after the gales - a back breaking business and one R steadfastly refuses to do.

I also dug out the spring by the apple tree so the surrounding lawn can dry a little. It will need a length if the old slotted pipe. (In a hill far away was an old slotted pipe - etc.) I went up to a small stream higher up the wood and found a hole in the bed into which all the water was flowing - wonder if that is the source of the spring lower down.

I continue to keep the birds going - this blackbird (I know it is brown) (look at the shadow) has been busy demolishing the apples that have not survived leaving only the skin.

I will not mention the grey squirrel (d*** done so) but it is interesting how much red there is in its colour.
The sneaky video camera has been rather unproductive recently - especially as the grass around it has been excavated by at least one badger. All I seem to capture are images of myself.

I have left the ornamental grasses uncut and they do give some structure to the flower beds. Perhaps I should go for more than odd clumps and do a bit of the mass planting thing? On the other hand I don't think R is too keen on grasses so . . . 

Snow everywhere else but all were had was a sprinkling, a bit of ice and now all gone (Friday morning).

 The sarcococcus continues to flower outside the back door (the one at the side) and its perfume wafts around us each time we pass by.
On the other side of the door, in a disintegrating pot, is a female skimmia (males don't have berries).
It really needs reporting, pruning, feeding and some TLC. After the neglect it is suffering from PTSD.

I have been out trimming back catmint and roses and have tried a new way of getting rid of moss - have descaled the kettle and poured the hot contents onto the stuff. Now we wait and see. It will probably thrive!