CATCHING UP

Back from a break in Herefordshire R has attacked the buddleia around the septic tank, finished trimming the grasses and cut down the dead cardoons.
In between baking bread - it stuck again! - I finished the drain by the apple tree and hoed the asparagus bed - mostly goosegrass it seems.
The hen pheasant, looking splendid, if not as gaudy as her mate, is under the feeder.
 

Monday morning dawns with bright sunshine, the moorhen and three ducks on the pond - well two, the regulars, sitting at the side together, and another drake displaying on the water. Ten minutes later the drake has gone, the pair are on the writing shed roof, and so is the moorhen - a strange threesome.

 

The garden is creeping out of winter. Daffodils and primroses, crocus and flowering currant coming on quickly. Even one of the big cherries has fattening buds preparing to release their blossom in a white cloud. 

  Snowdrops are starting to fade forming seed heads. Once the seed is scattered the dividing and replanting can begin. Everywhere the first leaves of later plants - bluebells, hedge parsley, foxgloves - are growing.

    I have repotted the house plants and made a good start on the outside pots. The osteospermums have overwintered successfully like this blue specimen already covered in buds and the odd flower.

We continue to have a large flock of starlings rising from the field into out trees - a good double clap and they are off in a whirl hearing gunfire? The occasional cheeky bird comes to the peanut feeder.

So onward with the bird feeding, bed weeding, rhododendron slaying, pot topping, compost moving, pruning etc etc etc but not mowing (a bit early but thought I would give it a try - mower phut!! So service arranged - R had this idea that we could get away without it this year - won't listen next year.)

It is great to hear from readers that they do not want me to stop. Of course it will happen one day when I am too decrepit to garden (or write)(or both).

This is a scuba diving mallard drake showing off to his other half - who steadfastly ignores him. He throws water about, splashes, completely submerges and all she does is preen a bit.

Finally one of the thousands of starlings rooting in nearby trees has deigned to come in camera range. They have to eat and eat to maintain body temperature and they are also great mimics of other birds - apart from their incessant chattering. We have our own murmuration!

Waiting for the mowers to be collected so cleared and cleaned shed - an annual event. 

Finally the sun is out, spring is springing and the world is waking up - there is warmth in the sun -