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Gardening

Joys of Spring

(541 Posts)
bagitha Mon 09-Jan-12 16:52:36

Tramping up the hill
In the deep dusk
To shut the henhouse for the night,
I saw, even in the dim light,
Light buds on the apple tree
And, with the light of my torch,
A budding fresh greenness
At the ends of the flowering currant.
The bird cherry tree buds
Are swelling with new life
And the gorse looks sturdily leaved,
Ready to flower before too long.
If the bees have survived the winter in the chimney,
(the honey has stopped dripping),
They might come out for that.
smile

Butternut Fri 06-Apr-12 18:16:27

www.google.fr/search?q=hoopoe+bird+pictures&hl=en&safe=off&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=pyR_T86WF4WIhQeon8i_Bw&ved=0CCIQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=633

Butternut Fri 06-Apr-12 18:19:07

I am getting ideas.......for when soop is feeling better!

Butternut Fri 06-Apr-12 18:20:37

Captured perfectly. smile

Annobel Fri 06-Apr-12 18:22:54

What a bright, cheerful wee boy that is. And super's portrait is just excellent.

supernana Fri 06-Apr-12 18:26:25

Lovely wee lad. This was attempt number nine. I loved the challenge. Will do better next time. Should I change my name to soop? I like it. Is it a difficult task to perform? I'm inclined to get into a right tarrididdle...

supernana Fri 06-Apr-12 18:27:51

Butter What a BRILLIANT bird. Can I have one for my garden - please.

supernana Fri 06-Apr-12 18:32:20

Last night's capers have left me limpish. I'm about to take a sit-down shower, slip into some cool cotton jimjams and put my feet up. Can't stop giggling when I recall that party...hilarious grin

Annobel Fri 06-Apr-12 18:34:56

We used to hear hoopoes in Kenya. They went: hoo poo pooo. Do they do that in France, Butter?

Annobel Fri 06-Apr-12 18:46:34

super, I read that as 'impish'! So thought, 'no change there!' However, now I've read it correctly, I hope you feel a lot more like yourself tomorrow - in other words, 'impish'. smile

Butternut Fri 06-Apr-12 18:47:36

Hoo poo pooo! Yes Annobel. grin

Annobel Fri 06-Apr-12 19:01:25

Ah, then I can look forward to hearing that very evocative call in just over a week!

bagitha Fri 06-Apr-12 19:35:47

soop, the Mysterious Beings at GNHQ will help you. just ask them. smile

yogagran Fri 06-Apr-12 19:58:54

Annobel I read soop's post as "impish" too, we must be pre guessing what she's thinking!
Butter's birds are absolutely fantastic, how exciting to have those in your garden, beats blue tits and chaffinches any day

bagitha Fri 06-Apr-12 20:08:49

There's a wonderful hoopoe in Salman Rushdie's children's story ^Haroun and the Sea of Stories*. Great story too.

jeni Fri 06-Apr-12 20:17:09

soop capers what a good idea! I will make caper sauce to go with my slow roasted lamb shoulder! smile

yogagran Fri 06-Apr-12 20:24:55

We've got roast lamb for Sunday too - caper sauce would be a good addition, thanks jeni I usually only do caper sauce with boiled ham so it'll be a nice change

Butternut Sat 07-Apr-12 11:21:29

Spring birthdays for my grandchildren sunshine. (Photos/Screen captures on profile)

supernana Sat 07-Apr-12 12:48:31

Butter BEAUTIFUL grandchildren. Happy easter weekend smile

jeni Sat 07-Apr-12 13:17:25

butter they are lovely!

bagitha Sat 07-Apr-12 14:22:08

Two gorgeous sweetiepies, butty! smile

bagitha Sat 07-Apr-12 15:11:13

Lungwort and violets flowering in my garden now
And two primroses on the front terrace
(Where there was one last year)
Which is supposed to be cinder gravel
But a lot of years of moss and earthworm work
Mean that it is grassed over.
I have to mow it and scythe back the periwinkles.
A bank vole came out of the dry stone dyke at the edge
And nibbled some grass and daisy leaves.
DD and I stood dead still.

supernana Sat 07-Apr-12 16:58:42

Yes!
Violets and primroses
And periwinkles by the score.
Ginko Biloba in bud
Willow in fresh green robe
Huge marsh marigolds
Pale and dark heather
Cushions nestling between the rocks.
We have a resident vole
Neat-eared and bristly-whiskered
Goldfinch
Bullfinch
Chaffinch
Thrush
Blackbird
Robin
Wren
Happy garden sights and sounds
To gladden the heart.

Annobel Sat 07-Apr-12 17:07:51

Lovely pictures of spring from both of you, bags and super

bagitha Sat 07-Apr-12 17:32:58

I'm certain we have more primroses every year. For the record and for a pre-dinner breath of fresh air, I went out and counted them: 685, including buds that haven't opened yet. Amazing! I think this must be my flower-counting year. I don't usually. grin

supernana Sat 07-Apr-12 17:40:34

bagitha Impressed! What a high score. Ours are in plump clumps, just over the fence where we meet the woodland.