The first Swallows arrived on 5th April (last Sunday). This is the earliest they have ever arrived, but obviously came here carried by the Southerly winds. 3 carried on Northwards, but this one stayed and is one of the many Swallows who live in the farm buildings next to us. Bless him/her for returning and lifting my spirits! I am now longing for "our" Swallows to return to the stables here.
Germander Speedwells in the paddock - or actually, looking closely at one of my Botany books, they could well be the Persian Speedwell, which will grow virtually everywhere, pretty well all year round. Pretty, anyway.
We have a sea of Celendines in the paddock too.
In my small paddock orchard, the tallest of the Pear trees is now in bloom. I hope it fruits as well again this year as it did last.
A fern unfurling up in the Faery Glen.
This is why we had to have those Ash trees felled - the rot had set in . . . a Polo mint branch . . .
We have spent the last two days erecting my birthday present - a small polytunnel. Not so much a polytunnel as an intelligence test - which we felt we were failing on day 1!!
We got plenty of exercise too - here Keith is having to drill the holes for the screws as they didn't quite meet up all along the ridge.
Yesterday evening - finished and weighted down as I'm damned if I'm going to dig the sides in! We will be growing small melons, and Okra in here, as well as other things which need some space - cucumbers and tomatoes.
It's coming up for Cowslip time here in the garden. I loved the sun shining through the centre of these red ones.
I made this Chocolate Apple Cake after breakfast yesterday. SCRUMMY!!
I hope these photos have got you away from your four walls if you are on lockdown. Stay safe my friends.
Isn't it strange - here cowslips have been going strong for several weeks and will soon be over yet there will be no swallows or housemartins until after the middle of the month.
ReplyDeleteWell done for getting the polytunnel up.
Spring comes at different times across the country I think Sue. We have some more Swallows (from the farm barns) which have arrived, and they bring such joy with them.
DeleteYes congratulations on the polytunnel,and hopefully the summer will be warm but not too hot. Love that red cowslip, is it cultivated or do the wild ones produce such variety?
ReplyDeleteIt's a cultivated one Thelma. I have yellow ones, pink, orange, red - they are a bit promiscuous! It's hot out today - just had a short walk down to the Larch wood to collect needle mulch for my Blueberry plant.
DeleteI think spring travels slowly up the country and coming west, we are about a week or 10 days behind Gloucestershire, say. We've noticed this in our travels when we go to auction at Wotton. My Cowslips (garden ones, not wild) are about on time and will get better in the next couple of weeks. Swallows have been here on my birthday before (tomorrow), but the Housemartins normally later.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to see the sea of celandines :) Lovely header photo too. Have fun with the polytunnel. The red cowslip is unusual and very pretty and the cake looks scrumptious.
ReplyDeleteCelendine Central round here RR. They looked so lovely in the photo and my river photo header wasn't very spring like - it needs to have the beech trees throwing out a bit of greenery first. The Cowslips are beautiful and coming into their own, with rich jewel-like colours.
DeleteI can't wait for spring as winter is still on our doorstep. Your pictures are lovely with beautiful flowers, the nice birthday present and such a tasty looking chocolate apple cake. Have a wonderful birthday!
ReplyDeleteI bet you can't wait to see the back of winter. Glad you like the flowers - they bring me such pleasure, be they wild or garden varieties. I had more seeds arrive in the post yesterday, so can start to enjoy my new birthday pressie soon!
DeleteThanks for writing! It does me good to see your pictures of flowers and other activities. I for one have made good use of your recipes - any chance of the recipe for your chocolate apple cake?
ReplyDeleteKJ
KJ - just putting up the post with the recipe for you. Enjoy. Glad you like my photos.
DeleteSo nice to see blossom on the pear tree. Impressive looking polytunnel, what an amazing birthday gift. The cake looked good too. Stay safe.
ReplyDeleteIt was a gift from all my family, and a good investment. We still have most of the "bones" and a spare cover for a 4m x 2m one we bought in January, but arrived with the no. 5 spacers all missing - got a refund, but now need to buy a 4 x 2 when they are available to use the spare cover (Tam and I can have one each then!!)
DeleteThe fruit blossom is a delight and my little orchard there is really looking good. Stay safe and Happy Birthday!!!
You have been nicely busy!
ReplyDeleteBtw, do bury the sides of the polytunnel...speaking from experience...we have a replacement cover for ours hopefully on the way.....
Swallows..a delight to see.. looking forward to them arriving here
Ah, another job to add to the list. Will do that a bit at a time and make it safe, as it doesn't have any guys on it like my plastic greenhouse (which we take down every winter).
DeleteI hope your Swallows arrive soon.
Oh, to see the green of spring.
ReplyDeleteGood job on getting the polytunnel together.
God bless.
I hope that spring is soon with you. This sunshine has cheered us up so much. We gave ourselves a pat on the back when it was all done.
DeleteThe celandines are beautiful at the moment aren't they, I haven't seen any cowslips yet but I am not sure they grow anywhere in my village, I may miss them this year. How lovely to have the swallows return, that does make it feel well and truly like Spring is sprung.
ReplyDeleteLove your little polytunnel, I do hope you don't have any high winds round your way. We dug ours in as we do! It has lasted 18 years so far......
We get the wild Cowslips along the A40 - where they widened the road and sowed the steepbanks with them. Here in my garden, they are the "tame" ones but they love it in the gravel edge to the path and have really spread. TWO Swallows next door now, and I saw more flying North today and yesterday.
DeleteWe do get high winds in the winter, so will have to dig it in!