SPRING?

This is the path down to the pond and the Wendy House on the northern boundary of the garden. The snowdrops have been here since long before we built our house.

The pond is just out of sight on the top right. The ducks came and went - we wonder if they will return now we have frogspawn. Gill N. says she has newts but not seen any yet here.

Beyond the snowdrops small cyclamen are staring to push out of the leaf litter.

The birds are starting to sing, robins and chirping tree sparrows and the rooks are gathering in the tall trees. They have, as yet, not nested in our trees but next door. There its a flock of redwing in the back field. A pair of moorhen have been spotted by the pond by R.

Friday and Dudley is gone, now Eunice (I mean whoever calls a storm Eunice) and panic in the south with red warnings etc. When we had Arwen that felled 8 million trees and cut people off electricity there was not such an outcry - but then this storm is mostly in the south. Good drying weather for the washing here.

Just seen both bench seats blown over so . . .

It has not stopped the rabbits from coming to dine on the grass from down the field.

Still there will be another stick picking to be done when it has passed. The grass is so soggy my feet sink in two or three inches - stay off lad.

I would go out in then garden but . . .

I can see the quince from my window and that is near enough to outside at the moment.

I can also see the snowdrops and the wind and the chimes blown horizontally and the big ash above the house is swaying and we do not want another tree down.

I am just glad to be going into the kitchen where the Aga range pumps out warmth and put the kettle an and have a cup of tea and read a book - I have finished the crossword.

Saturday morning and a coffee in town. By lunchtime this - 

Then the sun came out and it all melted. The sparkle in the trees was stunning but walking under them was a constant drip on the head and down the neck.

By Sunday morning storm Franklin is on its way with strong winds and heavy rain so I am inside writing my blog having spent most of the morning asleep.

I know the shed needs doing, in fact the garden needs doing but the weather is so bad that not will have to wait - I mean the worst that could happen is we have a semi-wild garden and that is very in fashion.

So Franklin came and covered our windows with sea salt - we are several miles from the sea, and flooded the garden again. This puddle is the result of a new spring forming in there lawn and running down to the veg beds. What do you do in a storm if you are a pigeon - shut your eyes and hunker down until it is past.

The garden is once again strewn with twigs - sigh!

Can't wait for Gladys.