Aaaaggghhh! Missed another day... but I just ran out of minutes! Life is too busy!

However, I will download the joy of spring in this little bit of the world. The garden is a sea of colours, yellows, purples, even the odd hint of red here and there. All the hardy perennials are bursting into life - they grow so quickly you could almost sit and watch them! And to greet my return on Friday night were two delicate fritillary's, their heads nodding ever so gently in the breeze. Stunning!

Yesterday we finished staining the fences round the garden. We started last summer but then winter came and it just wasn't the right time to continue. Pete did the vast majority of it by I managed a small panel. As I was carefully applying the stain I could hear the goldfinches chattering away with what I am sure was definite indignation - how dare she be in the garden! We're hungry and need to eat! Wonderful...

Then this morning walking to and from our little parish church I was just plain spoilt by the abundance of natures rich beauty! Buds of every shape and colour exploding on the bare branches. I particulary love larch, hence the photo today. Its buds are tiny expolsions of bright green with the most gorgeous red flowers. I also saw great clumps of daffodils and shy primroses clinging to steep, shady banks.

But what joy to see and hear the birds. A jay flew in front of me, alighted in a bush and squawked noisily. However, the most exciting bird I sighted was a heron as it spiralled in to land by the balancing pond near my home. I stood absolutely still almost hidden in the dry reeds. They are so perfectly, elegant. So sleek... yet so deadly!