Colour on my doorstep

It struck me today, just how much colour there is around at the moment.  But maybe I just need to look at little harder than usual at this time of year.  So here is a walk around the garden this morning......

 Aquilegia starting to flower

 I love that there are so many varieties

 They seem to cross pollinate and change each year!

 I love this Viburnum Snowball - bright little pom poms cover the plant

 Colour along the edge of the field

 Geraniums thriving there too

 Along with cow parsley.  Even on such a dull morning, the green is so vibrant.

 There are still a few daffodils in flower

 but the main splash of yellow is provided by buttercups.

 I've planted up my hanging baskets

 and tubs

 with osteospurnums

 I thought I'd have a change from the usual bedding plants which haven't done so well trying to cope with the weather the last couple of years.

 My little tree - (I've no idea what it is as it was in the garden before we moved here).  It's leaves are starting to unfurl - it looks so delicate.  A woodpecker has been sitting in it today.  I can see this tree whilst working in my office.

 This should be white!  It is, or at least was, Pulmonaria Sissinghurst White!

 A cornflower

 Yet more aquilegia - these are almost black.

 I let the comfrey grow as Dad likes to take some for his compost heap, but I think this needs a bit of a tidy at the weekend.  I don't want the nettles to get too settled here.

 A close up of the comfrey flowers.

 More new leaves

 A few more nice, warm days and the irises will be in flower.  They are usually in full flower when Chelsea Flower Show is on - but not this year.

 The cherry tree blossom is falling - but actually I love the carpet it creates, almost as much as when it's on the tree.

And I thought you'd like to meet Smudge, who joined me walking around my garden this morning looking for colour.  (Well, she was probably trying to work out if there were any mice around)

I hope you enjoyed your tour! :)

Sara x

A Better Day :)

It felt warmer today (although there was a mist) as soon as I went outside to feed the birds this morning.

Then I heard a cuckoo.  Really loudly and clearly.  Fantastic.  It made me smile.

This is my walk to school - yes, I walked today.  I wasn't grumpy!

It was misty, but the sun was burning through.

Cow parsley and bluebells in abundance.

A big fat caterpillar.  Although my phone camera thinks the leaves below are the interesting part of the photo! :(

Met by the robin as I returned home.  I think it's the sunflower seeds, not me, that he loves.  But he's always enthusiastic to see me.

By lunchtime the mist had burnt away and it was a wonderfully sunny for the rest of the day.

I'd never seen the pheasant and crow feeding together before - one at each tray.

The pheasants red seemed to glisten in the sunshine.

And my apple tree, so heavy with blossom

- photo shamelessly similar to Lucy's here, when I was so jealous she had seen the sun.

Today it was literally alive with bees, working away, under the intense blue sky.  It's a shame you can't hear the noise.

Every time I walked by, I stopped to listen - just fantastic.

They didn't stop until after 7pm.

Let's hope tomorrow and the weekend are similar.

Sara x

Grumpy

I'm afraid I started today a little grumpy.

The wind and rain kept me awake through the night.

When I went outside to feed the birds this morning, it was FREEZING.

I then declared that I wasn't walking to school today.  Most unlike me, as I walk in pretty much all weathers.  But I declared that walking to school in wind, and drizzle and being frozen is what you expect in October, but I wasn't doing it in May.

When I got back, after a quick tidy up, there was nothing for it, but a cup of hot chocolate and a piece of home-made cake.  :)

 That's better!

Then a lovely surprise - the yarn from Suze at Simply Seeking Serenity arrived - all the way from Australia.  

Maybe it wasn't such a bad day after all!

(Although I'd still like to see some sunshine for more than 2 minutes between showers)

I'm off to try and "catalogue" my crochet now.  Update to follow - although I originally thought it would be a 5 minute job, but have a feeling it may take a little longer!

Sara x

Waiting for Rain!

Last weekend we had lovely warm sunshine.  I took the sun cream with us when we were out.  Matt sweltered whilst playing cricket and rugby.  The ground was far to hard to play rugby.

This weekend was somewhat different.

The school cricket match was played in the rain (rain did not really stop play!)
Cricket photos lack a certain something when the main focus is raindrops!

Today started with bright sunshine, and has got more and more blustery and now the rain has arrived.  I decided that the garden chores needed to be done asap (obviously leaving me more time to craft this afternoon! )

My poor garden is trying so hard, but Mother Nature has a different plan at the moment.  It would be so nice to see some warm, gentle sunshine to nurture the plants and flowers.  Even some of my roses have been "burnt" by the harsh winds and late frosts.  I have gaps in the borders and at the moment am a bit reluctant to fill them.  I'm trying to work out what can survive these extremes of weather.  I know my garden is exposed, but this the South East of England!  Any ideas for something pink and early flowering?

After I'd cut the grass and tidied up a bit, the rain hadn't quite arrived, so I took a few photos.  I thought I'd sit and have a cup of tea and try and get some photos of the birds in the garden.  They are still so noisy and busy at the moment.  I love it.  However, it was pretty much silent and none were around.  

This was why!  He flew in and landed in the apple tree!

I've no idea - kestrel, sparrow hawk?  It's difficult to tell as I couldn't see his head, and obviously I couldn't move as that would have frightened him away.

This is him in flight.  Any ideas?

Back to my garden - 

 Clumps of thyme

 Apple blossom

 Fire - something Euphorbia.  This photo doesn't do the bright colour justice.

 Cow parsley and forget-me-nots.  I'm trying to keep parts of my garden more natural - without things like the cow parsley taking over!

 Loving these white tulips at the moment.  The green vein detailing is stunning.  I admire them every time I walk up the garden path.

 The bluebells are wonderful in the hedgerows - but I can't seem to take a photo which shows are stunning and bright they are.

 A delicate pulsatilla

Best get the washing in before the rain then!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Sara x

Tulips & Sunset

Today has been a good day.

The sun has shone.

I've watched Matt play cricket, and took some crochet with me.  I'm working on my Quite Contrary Wrap which is lovely.

The pitch was in a beautiful location.  Can you see the South Downs in the distance?

When we got home, I took my camera outside to take some photos of the garden.  It has changed so much in the last few days as there has been sun and warmth.

 The Ginny Gee azalea (I think that what it was called) is in full bloom

 Hostas - before the slugs find them!

 Tulips looking for the sun

 More tukips!

 Plum tree blossom

 The apple blossom is almost here

 Lots more tulips

 This one reminds me of a rose

 Aren't they beautiful?

 I was trying to capture a bee - but missed him, but I like the spots and stripes of the different leaves.

 The bee!!!

 There are still some daffodils

 Epimedium - I think?

 Cherry blossom

 Crab apple blossom

 And a beautiful sunset at the end of the day

Oh and exciting news - a friend and I booked Yarndale tickets.  I can't describe how excited we are.  A girly weekend - we live on the South coast so it is quite a way to go, a nice hotel, and yarn, and maybe a glass or two of wine!  What more could a girl ask for?!

Yes - indeed today has been a good day.

xx