Joys of Spring

JessM Are you havin' a laff ?

We are though down here on the edge of east anglia. ALthough not last night. Nice words.
We now do have a chilly northwesterly. Should have gone trotting earlier. But done now.

Saw the first daffodils out today on my way to see dd!

Well Meteo France is promising us "quelques flocons" here in Normandy next week which normally means we will be knee deep in snow and cut off for at least four days.

Oh! Mamie - I think by the time it reaches me it'll just be raw rain. Would quite like a bit of snow, just a bit......

I would like a little snow too, just a little,but unlikely,as I live in London.

bagitha - I would love to join the naturescalendar - such a pity I can't.

The thinnest, most beautiful crescent of moon this evening, surrounded by big gunmetal clouds.

I wonder if they have something similar in France, butty? If not, perhaps you could pester for one, you know, as you do for new emoticons.

Spotted that moon just over the crest of our hill earlier this evening.

It's been a long, long winter's day, and rather short on joy, so I have decided to decamp to Joys of Spring instead. February is still mid-winter, yet buds of snowdrops, an open crocus and a beautiful dusk have all lifted my spirit.

And the freezing cold has dampened mine!

It must be the increasing light
Telling the song thrush
Through the dank and the dreich
That Spring is on its way
Because he's chirruping away out there.
I wouldn't call it singing, as such:
That's more the blackbird's sound.
Thrushes just shout.
But it's a lovely morning sound
Through the dank and the dreich,
And it reminds me that even Scotch Mist
Has its beauty.
It could be, too, that he has counted
The snowdrops.

I noticed some very frisky great tits when i was out for a walk yesterday. Weather of not, they know the days are getting longer.

Same here: chaffinches and dunnocks are behaving in very spring-like ways these days.

Wonder how the cuckoos in Norfolk are doing?

www.bto.org/science/migration/tracking-studies/cuckoo-tracking?dm_i=IG4%2COEMN%2C39HC

The snow is still lying on the garden, but the patio is just about clear. DH is out there fixing things - not his forte but the snow sliding off the conservatory roof has brought a gutter down. He has, bless him, restocked the bird trays and feeders too.

Bagitha lovely word picture.

Rory the cat from Kintyre, is alas still "entire"...uncooperative and steadfastly refusing to play silly b's. He is reclining in his day bed. Round one - he won.

That's a man for you

Small flock of redwings in the garden. They are feeding on the small dark red fruits left on my two malus trees.

Nice. We have a few fieldfare's around. Hope you are feeling more joyful today Butternut

supernana I was wondering what had happened. What a cat!

Seventimesfive Rory is reclining on his day-bed on the front door step, oblivious to all the torment he has put us through. He is such a character. The trap, decked out to look like a cosy hideaway, doesn't appeal to him in the least. The trap isn't primed at the moment. Rory's wifelt and kits do venture into it...he remains on the outside with a lofty look on his face. Maybe, just maybe, we'll agree to leave him "entire" as we believe he is getting on in years. The nice man is most concerned re the females. Sometime soon, we'll need to bite the bullet and try to capture the girls. It won't easy because they are truly wild at heart. They are bound to be distressed and the vet is a 22 mile drive away. If only we could talk to them and explain that it's for their own good. I'll keep you informed.

How good a shot are you with a dart gun?

After eights days of fog and mist and drizzle, we have !

The hills across the loch are a beautiful copper and gold in the late afternoon sunshine. So lucky to live here.

Which loch?