Joys of Spring

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

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

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

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

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

Hoo poo pooo! Yes Annobel.

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'.

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

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

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

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...

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

Captured perfectly.

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

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

As a tiny baby he looked very much as his mum had at the same age. Have just put up three photos, including the one soop did the painting from. Isn't she clever? Thank you again, soop. I love it.

Here it is - the wacky Hoopoe!

[http://www.google.fr/search?q=hoopoe+bird+pictures&hl=en&safe=off&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ByR_T9H1Io6DhQej4PzFBw&ved=0CCIQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=633]

I suspect the spelling is wrong - but I'll link a photo for you.

Just seen your fab. painting of bagitha's happy grandson. Now I wonder where he gets his twinkle from?

butter what on earth is a hoopo?

Adore wild garlic. I make a pesto out of it which is great with pasta. Almost free food. Reminds me I must go woodland shopping again.

Saw our first hoopo yesterday - such a comic bird.

Here's to Spring!

The smell of wild garlic is marvellous. We pick the leaves and toss them on just about anything. We also have two pairs of courting bullfinches in the garden. Mr ans Mrs oystercatcher are back on their rock. Lots of activity brewing. I believe we have what is called a wild orchid in the garden. Will photo it when up and out. About to add image of bagitha's delightful grandson in my photos. He really is a charmer...

Isn't Spring lovely? Last weekend we even saw wood anemones on the tops of hills (the smaller Ochils NE of Stirling). Seems they don't just grow in woodland.

Had a lovely walk through local woods today - swathes of wood anemones, celandines, wild garlic and just-coming-into-flower bluebells; kingcups in the marsh. Woodpeckers, chiffchaffs and courting bullfinches! Spring is sprung!

Sounds wonderful, granj.

Here in the Swiss Jura, our garden still had snow until a couple of weeks ago. But since then - it has truly sprung into life. Snowdrops are practically finished, but we have tulips, daffoldils, pulmonaria, scillas, wood anemones, and so many more. Our field around the house is full of wild crocuses, both white and purple. Must go and see if the Daphné is in flower up in the woods behind.