Gransnet forums

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

bagitha Sat 21-Apr-12 18:04:50

butty smile. I love oaks. I have two baby ones in my garden that I am protecting from the deer. The big oaks (pedunculate) around here are bursting into leaf, but my babies are a bit slow.

Butternut Sat 21-Apr-12 17:54:38

Thanks supersoop and carol. It was a wonderful and thought provoking walk.

soop Sat 21-Apr-12 17:53:49

yoga If only I'd been told some time ago...never mind, all's well that ends well smile
I like nighingales. Not too sure about cuckoos.

yogagran Sat 21-Apr-12 17:45:38

I think that it's better soop now you don't shout at us!

We have had a cuckoo around for a couple of weeks now here in the South East, the rhyme I remember from hundreds of years ago is:

The Cuckoo comes in April,
it sings its song in May,
in the middle of June it changes its tune
and in July it flies away.

And a pair of swallows have just arrived, this time last year I remember listening to the very first nightingale I have ever heard but I haven't heard it yet - just hope that it comes back sad

Carol Sat 21-Apr-12 17:38:02

butter that conjours up sights, sounds and smells of a lovely walk smile

soop Sat 21-Apr-12 17:33:34

Butter For sure, you are a poetess...flowers

Butternut Sat 21-Apr-12 17:32:16

This afternoon I walked
And walked
In a landscape made alive
With tousled winter wheat,
Which glistened from rain and wind and sun
Shot through with rape
Vibrant with acid yellow
Which held in it's midst
A solitary oak,
Old
Unmoving
And deeply rooted.

I like to think this oak had seen it all before
And will see it all for many years to come.

soop Sat 21-Apr-12 17:27:47

Carol Hushhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh wink

Carol Sat 21-Apr-12 17:21:01

Soop I just meant quiet because your letter have gone lower case! grin

soop Sat 21-Apr-12 16:35:06

Carol...I'm out of my bed all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Isn't it a glorious day sunshine smile

Carol Sat 21-Apr-12 14:14:10

soop you've gone all quiet! grin

jeni Sat 21-Apr-12 14:13:21

The last time I heard a cuckoo was about12years ago, it was on the Venetian island of torcello.
Never heard one since!

soop Sat 21-Apr-12 13:53:57

It most certainly was dear bagitha...smile

bagitha Sat 21-Apr-12 13:52:34

Of course! smile Was it me (I? ... nah) who put it in capitals to begin with? You're a capital lady!

soop Sat 21-Apr-12 13:42:12

bagitha Do you approve of my new name? grin

SOOP Sat 21-Apr-12 13:32:41

bagitha Correction...J tells me that it was a reed warbler. The martins have arrived at the home of friends living nearby. J also informs me that he was greeted by a chorus of chiffchaffs when he fed the birds this morning.sunshine

bagitha Sat 21-Apr-12 13:28:46

soop, do I gather you have willow warblers already? Lucky blighter! Ours haven't arrived yet, nor the chiffchaffs which usually come first.

Listening hard......

SOOP Sat 21-Apr-12 12:29:10

Another day of amazing cloud formations and a shimmering mirror-calm sea. sunshine

imjingl Sat 21-Apr-12 10:41:48

grin

bagitha Sat 21-Apr-12 10:27:16

There are always rule-breakers!

imjingl Sat 21-Apr-12 10:25:21

He's supposed to sing his song in May. Another ten days!

bagitha Sat 21-Apr-12 09:25:01

It isn't too early. It's perfect timing. Haven't heard one here yet, but we will.

imjingl Sat 21-Apr-12 09:22:17

DH just heard a cuckoo! That's far too early! (and where was I? on this flippin' puter again! hmm! so I missed it)

Butternut Fri 20-Apr-12 19:22:55

Supersoop - smile

She is (or was) the Polish Poet Laureate.

SOOP Fri 20-Apr-12 13:01:54

Butter - thank you for the poem. It is special. sunshine