You know it's spring in England when..........

a new crochet project with a hint of easter

 

 Credit must go to my friend Jody at gumbo-lily.blogspot.com who gave me this idea today

 

So when do we know it's spring in England?

"The daffy-down-dilly is come to town", still a bit shy but showing promise,

The crocus peeping up through the ground on the roundabouts in town,

Animals sunning themselves in corners of sunlight,

Thoughts of venturing out on the deck

or walking through fields that are dry.

White fluffy lambs in the green fields,

Lighter mornings and evenings too -

Birds singing louder-

Gardeners busier-

Soon I'll be out there ; cleaning and planting.

- Not just yet, as this is the month of March

 And a stormy March has come to stay- 

 

I'm thinking William Bryant's poem is very apt at the moment:

 

The stormy March has come at last

with wind, and cloud, and changing skies;

I hear the rushing of the blast

That through the snowy valley flies

 

I know climate change is a reality but it is interesting to read in Edith Holden's nature notes from 1906 ~

 

"Mar 25. Showers of snow and sleet.  Quite a heavy snow storm in the afternoon"

 

Very similar conditions with snowfalls and weather warnings for the Midlands tonight.  Not much has changed in 113 years!

Hopefully as March moves into April we won't get too many of those April showers, but will see more sunshine.

By then the pretty crocus will be long gone, but there pleasant appearance will get me through the days of gray and wet and mud ;) 

 

 Crocus of yellow, new and gay;

Mauve and purple, in brave array;

Crocus white Like a cup of light, -

Hundreds of them are smiling up,

Each with a flame in its shining cup,

By the touch of the warm and welcome sun

Opened suddenly Spring's begun!

Dance then, fairies, for joy, and sing

The song of the coming of Spring

                                               

                                     

The Changing Seasons..........

I seems like it was just yesterday that we discovered a new walk along the towpaths during the summer,and here we are well into autumn....that wonderful "season of mists and mellow fruitfulness....."

So I'll take a walk down memory lane of the past three months...........





And then there where blackberries beginning to form, I love this side of English countryside, where berries can be picked while out walking.



Puppy gets introduced to blackberries, and she doesn't need much pursuading to help herself to sweet morsels. She seems to know which are the ripe, sweet ones to eat :)

There were numerous flowers galore and one of my favourites,the little orange flower, is a scarlet pimpernel.

Soon there were more berries and then the wet weather brought on the mushrooms and toadstools. I've yet to master the art of mushroom identification which my sister and young niece are so good at.


I love this shot of the fallen oak leaves and enjoyed collecting fallen branches to decorate the entrance at home for the fall season.

The pumpkin idea is thanks to a friend who suggested them on her blog and gives a good tutorial here http://ohiofarmgirl.blogspot.com/

For everything under Heaven

There is a time and season

Given by God with a purpose

As well as a simple reason.