Spring Has Sprung

Camellias

                                              Grape Hyacinth and tiny Daffodil

Climbing Hydrangea

Lonely Daffodil

16th March  

My back garden is now  cleared of  rubble  from the demolition of the greenhouse . It.s nearly  20years since the greenhouse was put up, so seeing the original space  again, I must admit  the garden does  look better. A change is as good as a rest, so they say and I am going to enjoy my  little oasis..

People say the British are always discussing the weather, well it seems we do. Its warm and sunny for this time of year and believe this we are in the middle of a drought. Threats of a hose pipe ban and many other water restrictions are mainly down in the south east  where unfortunately  most of UK crops are grown .

Seen some  pink and white blossom  on trees and lots of greenery. We will soon be cutting the grass and pottering about in the gardens again, hope we don’t get a hose pipe ban up North.    What always gives me a lift at this  time of year time, is the sight of ….
   
    `a  host of golden daffodils beside the lake beneath the trees, fluttering and dancing in the breeze`.

www.online-literature.com/wordsworth/514

But Horticulturalists are saying we have a shortage of daffodils this year especially for Mothers Day, due to the extensive cold weather which has delayed their growth..  Today I only have  a single daffodil in my garden lots of shoots but no  bright yellow heads.  No crocus  or snowdrops either this year, where I usually have a fair display. Still there is life returning to the garden my camellia has blossoms and there are a few other welcome changes that tell me Spring has Sprung.

 I went to the movies last month with some firends to see Woman in Black, featuring Daniel Radcliffe, a  very scary film.  It was good, I enjoyed it because I didn’t know the story, but some in our party had seen the play and  were disappointed with the film. I don’t think you should be  too judgemental  after seeing a play or even reading the book on any movie, as they are all different interpretations of a story and stories often  lead to individual representation.  I thought Daniel played the part well, its odd to see him so grown up after so many  years as Harry Potter.




Received a welcome phone call from our holiday representative that we now  will be flying direct  Manchester  to Nice in July, instead of via  Heathrow. This is great news because  last year due to bad weather over the Atlantic I missed my connections in Philadelphia  and I was re-routed via  LAX. Consequently  I was  hours late arriving in Bakersfield, fortunately I have wonderful friends who where prepared to sit and wait for me, David and Leslie you are stars.


 This week my youngest son has moved house and now resides back in Harrogate. They are now in walking distance of the Hospital where they both work, plus the school and the town centre, so all in all a good move. Drove up on Mothering Sunday in warm sunshine, I really enjoy the drive through Skipton and over the North Yorkshire Moors especially in sunshine to  spend  time with my family again.  My eldest grandson had an accident last weekend playing football, poor boy broke his nose.  I didn’t get to see him this visit, but  I was glad really as  I did not want see him injured, two black eyes and swollen nose. I  can imagine  it though, boy it  must  hurt…


www.skiptonweb.co.uk/tourist

Bye for now.

Marching into Spring

Daffodils -Forsythia

Carmelia  

Its not been a good start to 2011  with the  Middle East  in turmoil, financial crisis throughout Europe and the   earthquakes in  New Zealand and  Japan, horrendous . I was watching the BBC when the tidal wave was shown rolling over the  Japanese shore, it was surreal, unbelievable, 10,000  people missing such unimaginable  horror. Then the Nuclear Reactors, three  exploded releasing  toxic  fallout that is increasing every day and  travelling over seas which will  affect  us all eventually. It was like the worst disaster movie ever.  There are so many questions that need to be answered as to why  they built Nuclear Plants on an island prone to earthquakes, I just don’t understand....  probably it's financial !  There has been one natural disaster after another, Mother Nature say’s, “ It's pay back time.”
But its amazing how the human spirit lives on in spite of all adversity. It’s true we are a global village and with today’s incredible fast internet connections our communication system is instant.
TV News travels fast, scenes of events around the world are transported into  our homes daily. I remember the Twin Towers  vividly, it was lunch time and I was watching  TV, at first I thought they were advertising a film drama but soon realised it was news. I was shocked, in tears most of the day. And again seeing that tidal wave hit  Japan … I was in tears again..
 Now to less mundane news, my wonderful  new cooker is now installed, I love it and it fits perfect after all that dithering . It really makes the  kitchen so much brighter as the old cooker was brown and  this one is a sparkly bright white and certainly makes a difference.
Managed to get to see  “The Kings Speech” and yes Colin Firth  deserves his Oscar he was very good as King George, even though some are critical about what was left out regarding the Kings alleged allegiance to Germany during his reign.
Its been wonderful weather recently, very warm sunny days that have brought out lots of colour to the gardens. Some are complaining that the bulbs are flowering to early and will suffer if we have frost. The daffodils, forsythia are out and my camellia coming into bud. I cut the grass on Saturday, last year I intended to change to  a   hover mower as they are much easier to use, but for whatever reason didn’t.  So I will be looking into that pretty soon as my present mower is knackered.   Spoke to Cathi  and the kids, they are missing Sam, since he got  back, he managed to find a job until he starts Uni in September.I must go up and see him soon..  Its been a strange few weeks now that Andy has moved on, I miss his presence more that I thought I would.    Haven’t been to Poetry, spent too much time on my own this month, will have to get motivated and  sally forth again. Still going to the Library, but the Council’s financial cuts have sadly stopped the Community Project work I was involved in.
I thought I would cheer myself up with  a shopping trip, had a good spend. Bought a nice red jacket, red floral skirt and  top, I don’t know why  red I have every little in red , it just  felt right.  I  tend to wear safe colours in the winter, lots of black navy and brown. So, as the clocks  have sprung forward  into  Spring , bring on the colours..  hope I have the nerve to wear them…

Bye for now, love you all XXXX

Primroses hidden amongst the Rhubarb

Every thing is springing into life in my garden

Spring Carpet

This is my favourite Picture

A carpet of Snowdrops

A sailors resting place

St James Church Belingham Worcestershire

Well both Computers have now found good homes so I am happy, it makes me feel so righteous after I have recycled stuff. The weather has been sunny and warm so it was a joy to work in the garden again. I managed to prune all my bushes, some quite heavily but then I was a wee bit concerned because we where threatened with frost, but thankfully they look ok and some buds are evident . The bulbs are not doing well, I only have three daffodils showing colour and many many green shoots that I fear will not. The snowdrops are very brave, they have been out even under the snow, I suppose that’s why they are called Snowdrops. On the 6th of March I drove down to Worcestershire to visit with my brother and sister in-law and catch upmy niece and her girls. I enjoyed the drive down even though I was reduced to driving 50miles per hour 50% of the way,due to road works, but I didn’t mind, it was quite calming as apposed to frantic. The weather continued sunny and warm all weekend much warmer than home . Sunday I went swimming and then had the Sauna and Jacuzzi all to myself, really felt special and I have never been as clean for ages. There where quite a few visiters dropping by over the weekend so there was plenty going on. On the Monday mt brother and I took a long long walk around Pershore. It was good to spend time with him, I don’t think we have talked as much in years and even though he had a heavy cold and I feel sure he was feeling rough, he soldiered on. But that’s what he is good at, soldiering, having been in the Army until he retired. It was good to see their girls again too,it`s amazing how fast they grow up these days.
After my swim and relaxation we took me to see the bulb display at a local church yard A Spring Carpet of Snowdrops and Croci, it was breathtaking ,up north everything is so behind because of the cold winds.

Go see more photos:-

Spring Carpet

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=198705&id=577402844&l=5c3bf20d9b

Pershore

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=198727&id=577402844&l=752709ac67

During the week I attended a local gig “Eclectricity” run by my friend Scott, a good mixture of poetry and music, featuring HoneyFeet a Manchester Jazz group., I couldn’t help but dance around to their music, it`s so foot tapping brilliant yet mellow and addictive. Loved it. By Friday I was starting the mother of all colds it really took my by surprise I can`t remember when I last had a cold so bad. Four days in bed , medicated to oblivion, coughing and sneezing almost continually . It was soooooo good when I stopped coughing. Unfortunately I missed out on the WI Spring Council Meeting at Southport .I was looking forward to hearing Sandi Torsvig speak, plus it`s an occasion when you meet up with friends from all the WI`s in the North. Today I had my hair cut, took a short brisk walk until it started to rain. I felt so sad at the state of the gardens there is just no colour at all. Spring has not yet sprung in Bolton!

Trip to Harrogate

On Saturday I enjoyed the drive over to Harrogate to see my son and family. The fields around Skipton where flooded, another few days of rain and the roads will be under water again. They say we need the rain to keep England green and our complexions fair! It was a bright sunny day, so after lunch we took the dog out for walk, but boy was it windy. Our walk took us through the woods around Swinsty Reservoir it was beautiful,there were many trees down , due to the gales force winds over the past week. In a few weeks time the woods will be filled with gorgeous bluebells. So I am planning to return to see the carpets of crocus that cover the Stray in Harrogate,the miles of daffodils that line the roads and now the bluebells in Swinsty woods. The reservoir was very full and in places encroaching on pathways. The overflows from Fewston was quite spectacular and the waves on the surface of the water reminded me of the sea, large waves mounted by white spray came hurling over top of the overflows. It was a brilliant walk and the smell of the pine trees will remain with me for days.