(Snowdrops in a quiet corner of Clyro churchyard).
After about a 500 mile round trip up North, I can honestly say my heart was SO gladdened by the drifts of snowdrops planted along roadsides, hedgerows, banks and woodland. Never has their appearance been so welcome. I even saw Crocuses just coming into flower, the first leaflets on a few shrubs and when I got back to around Leominster, I saw the first Daffodils in bloom! In fact, I stopped at Clyro (more of that later) to stretch my legs, and someone had left a bunch of just-picked Daffodils in a vase in the church porch.
The journey to Sheffield was to deliver the first car-full of our daughter's belongings as she and her partner have relocated. She is thinking of doing an MA, so fingers crossed she gets funding. Meanwhile she is going to get back to her old volunteer jobs with two local charities. Her sister is travelling up next week with the 2nd load . . .
I am not a city person by any means, but living where we do, I really DID appreciate being able just to have all the shops I needed within a walk of just 100 yards. What a novelty!
Before leaving, I crossed the road to the local newsagents for a newspaper, and there on the shelf was a good selection of craft magazines (a more varied one than we can get in Carmarthen anyway), including Just Cross-Stitch, which is an American publication. I can remember subscribing to this over 20 years ago, using Christmas money to pay for my subscription. How I looked forward to this arriving every couple of months, and I still have every copy. I didn't buy this copy, as there were no designs I particularly wanted to stitch, but I shall ask my daughter to buy any future copy I want once I've checked out the contents of on-line.
Later on I shall post about our visit to Birmingham Art Gallery to visit the Pre-Raphaelite exhibition of drawings . . .
My snowdrops are out and cheer me so, they always appear just when we need them don't they? My daffs are peeking out and tulips, well the greenery of them anyway. We are always behind here. I long to go out and take photos to blog but I am full of cold, not feeling up to it.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed oop North as they say BB. Love your snowdrops in Clyro churchyard. Isn't it funny that they always seem to do well in churchyards? Ronald Blythe in one of his books says if you plant snowdrops and they like you, they will walk all over your garden.
ReplyDeleteAnother friend says they are called Bride's footsteps after St Bridget.
It's lovely seeing all the snowdrops isn't it? Interesting to see Weaver's comment - my snowdrops must like me because most of the ones I have are self seeded from a few original bulbs of various varieties.
ReplyDeleteI'm ashamed to say that I've never actually read Francis Kilvert's diaries, I don't know quite why that is and I shall do something about it soon. I've just Googled Clyro and it sounds a really interesting place and not only for its Kilvert connection.
Rowan - you will love him and his writing.
ReplyDeleteWeaver - mine grow for me, but don't spread muchly . . .
Cait - looking in my garden yesterday I noticed I had tulip leaves optimistically poking through the soil.
I love the first signs of Spring in the beauty of snowdrops and crocuses...reminds me that winter will end. Sounds like you enjoyed a nice long trip but glad to be home now no doubt...
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Dianne
p.s. I'm having a Valentines Day giveaway of two wonderful cookbooks on my blog ( www.mysouthernheart.com ) so please stop by and enter...
I only have a few clumps in a wild corner of the garden, but I do love to see them and keep promising myself to plant more.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear that your long drive went well and that you enjoyed a brief snatch of city life. Like you, I am always glad to get home to green fields.
So glad to hear about the snowdrops -- and to see your photos of them. No snowdrops where I live and I miss them. I can buy daffodils in the store but not snowdrops.
ReplyDeleteThe snowdrops were one of the things that made my Mum buy this farm in the Preselis - the banks by the roads are carpeted with the little beauties at this time of year. Are there many in Sheffield? I do love all the flowery roundabouts in the summer.
ReplyDelete(I gave Itsy a big hug on your behalf this afternoon. She came over to watch me in the garden.)