In the garden...

Looking out into the garden yesterday morning this is what I could see. 

Our gorgeous Maple tree - the almost luminescent green against the stunning blue sky.

Looking down the garden - the patch of bare earth awaiting grass seeds.

Blues in the garden:

Forget-Me-Nots.  We don't have as many last year as I had to dismantle the raised bed they were in, but there are still some popping up and they are oh so pretty. 

Grape Hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum) - I love these little flowers as well.  We have them popping up in a few different places.

Bluebells - delighted some of these are starting to pop up.  

Astounded to overhear our neighbour's mother telling her daughter to pull them up!

But then I shouldn't be surprised really...

I can't remember what this is called, but it comes up everywhere in our front garden and now grows a bit like a weed so I have to keep it in check, but it is lovely to see its pretty flowers.

The last of the daffodils.

Gorgeous Tulips.

This one is going to look spectacular!

The following day...

Just look at this red tulip - isn't it just amazing.

Opened right up!

We have a few of these poppies 'popping' up around the garden.

The promise of rose buds.

Plus the promise of Rhododendrons soon about to bloom.

Lovely to see this vibrant chaffinch in the garden late yesterday afternoon.

Singing his little heart out!

Hoping to start embarking on some real progress in the house and garden next week.  I have had a bad few weeks with pain issues, but need to get on if we are hoping to get the house on the market in the next few months.

Wi

A Beautiful Day

We managed to get out for a couple of hours today and as the sun was shining we thought we would go over to the Bluebell Woods at Ashridge Estate.  They have done quite a bit of work blocking off the woods with felled timber to stop people traipsing all over the bluebells and through them, and it has quite obviously made a difference as they really were spectacular. The Bluebells are a bit earlier this year than last year so I am glad we didn't wait. We will take the Sailor's fiancee over to see them next week as they both arrive home on Sunday and she hasn't seen anything like this before. 

Just look at that wonderful carpet of blue.

The dogs enjoyed their outing in the woods as well.

It was VERY cold though...I was glad for my two coats and hat!

Making Memories.

A wise friend said to me just before I left for New Zealand to 'make memories' in light of the difficult times I would be facing while there, and so I have in a form of Scrap or Smash booking.  I thought at first it would be a bit 'boring' as I knew I wouldn't really be going many places, but it is surprising just how you can fill up a book if you put all sorts of little 'memories' in it.

I took my scrap/smash book and while there got some lovely bits and pieces from The Warehouse to stick in.

A few of the pages: 

The opening page.  

A few shops in Waipu and Whangarei where I bought a things.

Our hike.

Taxidermy & feathers.

Food eaten with others.

I recorded my visits with my Dear Mum.

Birds and Beasties seen.

My birthday

Looking at the Bright Side.

My tulips are looking lovely.  In hindsight I probably should have planted them more in groups, rather than singularly, but they are still a delight to look at.

Quite an array of colours.

The 'bleeding heart' plant is also putting on a good show.  I have been really pleased with this plant which keeps on flowering year after year.

I'm not sure what this plant is, possibly a 'mock orange' someone told me once...either way it always looks lovely.

The sun shining on the garden first thing this morning

The first promising rose buds.

Pretty yellow primrose making an appearance.

Plus the gorgeous pink on the cherry tree, in which a family of blackbirds seem to be living.

My days are going slowly at the moment, without achieving much, although I have big plans, I just need to ride the current storm of pain that seems to be riding over me at the moment.  

Rocky & Syvester

My cheeky Rocky giving me a look he specialises in!

Sylvester just looks slightly annoyed he has been interrupted while eating.

The two together, great friends.