Wow, what a difference a fortnight makes. Just over one week ago we were still having log fires in the evenings and in the last few days I've been outside in a sundress.
I've heard comments that spring is a little topsy turvey this year. I have to agree. Some things have come out early, others have come late. Almost as though Mother Nature realised everything was happening too fast a few months ago and slammed on the brakes. Only she pressed a little too hard.
But the grass is lush, the nettles are growing fast, the celandines have given way to buttercups and finally my native bluebells are looking glorious.
In the field we have dots of forget-me-not, some tiny pink flowers, white and purple dead nettle and ground ivy. I rather like ground ivy but prefer the other names it is known by: creeping charlie, alehoof, tunhoof, catsfoot, field balm, and run-away-robin. Rather charming.
The blossom on the apple and pear trees are telling me we're in for a bumper crop of fruit this autumn. More than the thin branches of my young trees can take, probably, so I'll have to thin them out.
I have wild garlic! Okay, so it's in a tub outside my back door, but it is flowering beautifully. I've already made a wild garlic soda bread with the leaves and this week I'm going to make a pesto. I'm going to transplant it, once the flowers have finished, down the field under the trees. I'm looking forward to seeing it come up in a natural setting next year.
I've seen the swallows darting in and out of the stable. Not seen any signs of a nest yet but have seen lots of activity. I've also seen four goldfinches feeding on the dandelion seeds and a male and female wild duck sitting on the pond island asleep. The buzzards are busy; even now as I write I can hear their shrill call. And a few days ago I heard a loud tapping right next to me. It was the woodpecker furiously tapping away up the large ash tree.
I'm sure I've seen and heard many other birds but I'm still learning their calls.
One thing I haven't seen is the fox. Long may it stay that way.
