Just four simple things from around the house and garden that have made me smile this week.........
1. Blossom - at last some blossom on the plum tree at the top of the garden, there isn't as much as in previous years but at least it is there. Next to it the bridal wreath has come into flower and nearby the wild garlic growing under the hazel tree is bright and green and will surely flower soon. I will take more photos for a garden post later.
2. Tadpoles - they seem to have survived that second lot of cold weather, the pond is heaving with them and the local cats are fascinated with the wriggling and twitching in the water. On the other hand our cats aren't in the least interested - they've seen it all before!
3. Jam Buns - from a recipe in an old BeRo book. No raspberry jam so I used apple and strawberry instead. They look a bit 'rough and ready' but they tasted fine. Half of them went to my neighbour and we finished the last two as part of our picnic on our day out yesterday to a place I first visited thirty-seven years ago, again a post will follow. I always think of my Mum when I use the BeRo book as it was her baking book of choice and I can see her in the kitchen of my childhood in her flowery, big skirted frock covered with a frilly apron as she baked a cake for Sunday tea.
4. Sparrows - with bits of pampas grass from a neighbour's plant which they have almost stripped bare in their quest for soft nesting material. They have been very amusing to watch struggling to take off with the long, soft fronds dangling from their beaks. They looked like some exotic foreign bird with flowing beards - and for a short while they were 'bearded' sparrows.
Link to Little Birdie where '52 weeks of Happy' started. Each week you find just four things that have made you happy to share.
A lovely post, Rosie. I remember making buns like that in cookery at school (many, many years ago!!). Blossom is so lovely, isn't it? I love your exotic sparrows! Our tadpoles seem to have survived too - but I must get some oxygenating weed today - it's only a tiny pond, but it's got rather murky. Have a good BH weekend. Abby x
ReplyDeleteThanks, Abby - our pond is slightly murky too and needs sorting out but the frogs, tadpoles and newts seem to have got through the winter and harsh spring. Happy weekend:)
DeleteLovely photos. I remember making those buns at school too - I can't remember what they were called but I'm sure I still have the recipe somewhere in an old book. Wild garlic seems to be the food 'du jour' at the moment - I've seen a nice recipe for wild garlic pesto (sounds lovely - could taste revolting!) Looking forward to hearing about your visit x Jane (P.S. Hope you've got some sunshine - it's grey and miserable here :( )
ReplyDeleteI must look up some recipes for wild garlic as we have quite a lot - it spreads quite a bit but is a good ground cover under the trees. It has been a bit grey here too with sunshine now and again I expect as you are only a few miles away your weather has been almost the same. They do say it is going to be warm and sunny tomorrow:)
DeleteOur cherry tree has some blossom now too but I don't think it will fully blossom this year. I love the bearded sparrows! The ones in our garden have been extra-noisy this week, I think they may be arguing in the bushes, there are so many of them!
ReplyDeleteThe birds have been twittering and singing quite a bit - especially the sparrows and blackbirds. We haven't had much blossom or fruit on the plum tree for the last couple of years now - just enough for a crumble or two:)
DeleteThat sparrow does look like it is struggling! They have to work hard at this time of year.
ReplyDeleteAll the birds are buzzing around at the moment, the little wrens I mentioned a couple of weeks ago have worked so hard to establish their nest in the bird box:)
DeleteMy mum had that old BeRo book, I well remember it. I picked up a modern reprint of it a few years ago and use it lots.
ReplyDeleteMy Mum had an old brown BeRo book - I don't know what happened to that one I think mine is a later one but I also have a larger one that was published for some celebration or other - I'll have to check what it was for:)
DeleteI love the sparrow; they obviously know exactly what they want for their nest. The jam buns look delicious, it's lovely that you make them with such fond memories. And although the blossom is late, it is good to see it after the trees were bare for so long.
ReplyDeleteIt is good to see the blossom at last although lots of trees are still struggling and many still look bare. I expect the pampas grass is probably the last soft layer in the nest before the eggs are laid:)
DeleteIt's good to see the birds flitting about. Your sparrow looks very busy. A robin has started to come into our garden especially when my husband digs over the flower beds. The jam buns look delicious. It's a picnic day for us as we are making the most of the sunshine. I've packed pizza, oranges and some little Italian cakes bought at the continental market that's arrived in town.
ReplyDeleteMmm - that sounds like a nice picnic. I hope you have a lovely day, the weather here is wonderful:)
DeleteI have a recipe for "Raspberry Buns" that we made at school like those. I love the BeRo books.xxxx
ReplyDeleteI never made them at school, just at home! I always use the Bero book for cakes sometimes I don't even use it as I have the recipes and quantities in my head. Although I have used others occasionally - Nigel Slater's marmalade cake is one of the non BeRo reciopes I use:)
DeleteInteresting to see the sparrows with the pampas grass. A lady I know puts out her white cats fur for the birds and they love to use it for nest building. They must have very luxurious nests! x
ReplyDeleteCat fur lined nests do sound very luxurious! We've never noticed the sparrows take the grass before but they have obviously taken to it this year:)
DeleteMums and bero books....I remember that! It is quite funny to watch the birds gathering what they can for the nests, that is a good capture. Your buns look bloomin' marvellous to me, rustic cooking, my kind of cooking! x
ReplyDeleteThanks, Suzy - the buns were tasty. The birds around the garden are doing some very silly things at the moment - they keep us amused:)
DeleteWe have sparrows here nesting in our roof space. I recently read up about sparrows - apparently they are messy nest builders and that's why they prefer to be in roof spaces. If they have to build in hedges they have to put more effort into it! Those buns look delicious.
ReplyDeleteJune
Thanks, June. We have quite a lot of hedge around the garden and they do seem to be nesting in it so I guess they are using everything they can to make their nests stable. Unfortunatley we've noticed a magpie around - I know they pinch the egss from nests if they can:)
DeleteWhat lovely springtime shots, I have a pond I pass when I bike or walk and it's positively boiling with tadpoles, every day there's more blossom, leaves or activity happening around it.
ReplyDeleteEverything does seem to be blooming at last doesn't it? Spring has taken so long this year to get started and now it's all happening at the same time:)
DeleteLovely happy post x
ReplyDeleteHello,welcome to my blog and thanks for your kind comment:)
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