Sunshine


The gorse is in flower, its warm cocunut sweet scent blows up from the valley as I walk down to the river.


The wood anemones are opening everywhere under the still bare trees.  I love these. I love their delicacy, the way they shiver in the slightest breeze, the way they turn their open faces to the sun.  Soon the leaves will be on the trees and the track down to the river will become a cool green tunnel.  I know I will like that when it comes but just now the track is clean and clear, full of sunshine and with open views into the fields.


My son and daughter in law's dog runs ahead but always pausing and checking where I am when the gap between us gets too wide.


Down by the river in the damper ground the strappy leaves of the wild garlic are pushing up.  There are no flowers yet so the smell of garlic is only released when I crush the leaves between my fingers.  I must remember to come down again very soon and do some foraging.


There are all sorts of things going on the garden, from little granddaughter, with a muddy smudge on her nose, loving being raced round in the wheelbarrow


to scratching hens,


the pompons of primulas,


and the singing red of the first of the tiny tulips.  What a lovely Easter it has been.

Comments

  1. Isn't wonderful to have some glorious sunshine, I like your views over the hills, I miss my views which were 365 , we are in a valley surrounded by trees now, though it much more sheltered for gardening, win some lose some :)

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    1. Yes, the views are fabulous although it is quite hard for the garden to compete! Also you are quite right about shelter although it is not too bad here. Our house was built in 1610 and they seem to have known all about shelter from the prevailing wind!

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  2. Elizabeth, I loved seeing these views of how your garden is so far ahead of any of our NYC spring signs. The little grandchild is a beauty, even with her smudge. Those hens get a thumbs up from me, as I consider their fine feathers, and their potential for adding delicious fresh eggs to your breakfasts.

    And those flowers! Both delicate and brilliant in their colorful blooming. It's gone cold again here after a mild Easter, but tomorrow's forecase not only includes rain but also temps around 20 C. Surely some more flowers are about to join the crocus blooms over in Central Park very soon.

    xo

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    1. The hens are great in the garden Frances and once you have got used to your own eggs it is quite difficult to go back to even the best of free range in the shops!

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  3. Beautiful - I can almost smell the fresh air and flowers and like you I am hoping to harvest some wild garlic from the woods near me too! Those chickens are cute - how did you do that?!

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    1. I was just hoping to get that scratching that hens do which is so soothing to watch and managed, accidentally if I am honest, to get a tiny video!

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  4. Isn't it wonderful to see some colour coming back into the landscape? The weather over the past few days has really brought things on. The vegetable beds are still very brown though - and I think they'll stay that way for a bit longer. I've resisted temptation to sow anything out side yet. But, hurrah - I have counted 20 spears of asparagus putting their noses above the soil! Nowhere big enough to eat but showing promise.

    Hope you're keeping well - must catch up soon. Do the Derwen / Dingle beckon?

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    1. Would so love to have asparagus. I planted a bed up a coup,e if years ago but it didn't want to play. And yes, catch up would be wonderful. Will email you.

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  5. What a lovely day in your neck of the woods. So green! I love the photo of the tulips although I must admit they are not a favorite flower of mine. Hard to believe I am saying this :-), I am Dutch!

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    1. I love tulips but it does depend on the flower. They need to be elegant rather than chunky and I love the colours of fire: yellow, orange and red.

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  6. Your photos are gorgeous and oh so spring! The grand daughter in the wheelbarrow is darling!

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    1. She would have stayed in the wheelbarrow all day Gwen!

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  7. What a magical post -- I'm so happy you included those scratching chickens; they put a big smile on my face. Our grandkids all love riding in the wheelbarrow as well. Nola's first summer here, pre-walking, before we'd picked up a secondhand wading pool, we filled the barrow and let her splash happily away in the sunshine. Your grandchildren are so lucky to have that wonderful space to roam -- and chickens to feed!

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    1. It is lovely to be able to share the space with our children and grandchildren. All dogs and children seem to love it here.

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  8. The smell of wild garlic is so wonderful and evocative of spring. Lovely photos, looks like you had a great Easter! x

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    1. It went by so quickly and was so warm. Got a bit chillier up here right now!

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  9. A lovely post, full of the sights and smells of Spring.

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    1. Thanks Chloris. I do love spring. I am working on loving all seasons but somehow spring always sneaks into first place.

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  10. I'm looking forward to my wild garlic flowering. It's just a little clump in my woodland area and was given to me by the owners of an NGS garden we visited a couple of years ago. Lovely blog :)

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    1. If wild garlic is happy with you it will spread really quickly. I tried to establish a bit up here but my soil is not really moist enough and it never settled in. I have so much so near to hand in the wild there is not much point in making it struggle!

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