It's Friday so I'm joining in with Amy
at Love Made my Home for this week's Five on Friday. Click on the link at
the bottom of this post to find others who are joining in too.
Finding joy in small things, here are five random moments that have made me smile this week.
1. Siskins - we had some different visitors to our feeders this week. We were visited by a male and two female siskins. The second female was sitting in the hedge nearby. They aren't seen around here very often. Now why couldn't they have visited during the Big Garden Bird Watch? (see my last post for details of what we saw)
2. Squirrels - there are always three running around the garden looking very plump and very sleek. One on a stone, one on the back of a bench and the third at the top of the juniper tree. They all have cream markings behind their ears and I believe that they are males but I'm not sure. I must try to find out more about whether just the males or both male and female squirrels have cream behind their ears at this time of year.
Finding joy in small things, here are five random moments that have made me smile this week.
3. Spring Flowers - Snowdrops and daffodils at the Wolseley Centre, Headquarters of the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and the hyacinths at home now fully in flower and smelling wonderful.
4. Seeds - we bought the first seeds for the greenhouse and garden at the Wolseley Garden Centre, which is next door to the Wildlife Trust headquarters, during the week. They were on offer 'buy a packet get a packet free', the foxglove seeds were free with a magazine.
5. Dipping - we had some Spanish Rosemary and Olive crackers left from a selection of goodies given us for Christmas (doesn't it seem so long ago now?) and we decided to buy a creamy stilton cheese dip to dip them into, with a few sweet grapes this was a lovely lunch.
Thank you all for your comments on my last post.
Have a great weekend everyone.
The squirrels look very well fed! I have never heard of siskins. They look very pretty. x
ReplyDeleteThe siskins have visited our feeders every day this week. I wonder if they will nest in this area?:)
DeleteLovely squirrel pictures. When we were in London we saw a few grey squirrels. Over here in Jersey we have only red squirrels. They can only be seen in a few places so it's a real treat to spot them. Have a lovely weekend. Barbara X
ReplyDeleteRed Squirrels are my favourite squirrels, I've seen them in the wild in Lancashire and Scotland and in captivity as a breeding programme in Norfolk. They are so pretty:)
DeleteHow lovely that you have had siskins visiting your garden, beautiful birds which we don't see very often. xx
ReplyDeleteThey have been back every day this week to feed, I wonder if they will settle for a while?:)
DeleteNice to get some Siskins - and to realise what they are! Nothing ever appears on Birdwatch weekend. You're welcome to the hyacinths though; they make me sneeze!
ReplyDeleteI remember once having to man a stall for our museum at a flower show and there were banks of hyacinths around our stand and they made us all sneeze and gave us headaches by the end of the day. We did check the bird book to make sure they were siskins, I'd only seen them once at the Longshaw Estate in Derbyshire:)
DeleteLovely photos! I've never seen a siskin in the garden here, but my elderly friend who lives just a couple of miles away gets quite a few!
ReplyDeleteA rare sighting here too but they have been back evey day since we fist saw them, I wonder if they will stay around here?:)
DeleteI am so ready for Spring! Flower and getting outside sounds so good right now on this cold snowy morning! I Hope you can stop by:
ReplyDeletehttp://collettaskitchensink.blogspot.com/2016/02/tea-time-birthdays-and-tea-parties-2516.html
Colletta
The constant rain here has stopped a lot of the outside activities like walking and working in the garden is impossible as it is so wet but it is lovely to see the spring flowers, so cheering:)
DeleteLovely selection, as usual. I never get siskins round here. Lucky thing!
ReplyDeleteIt is lovely to see them and they have started to visit the feeders regularly:)
DeleteNice selection, I don't believe I've ever heard of a siskin before. My husband would love a creamy stilton. Almost impossible to find here. I know squirrels can be a pain, but I find them adorable.
ReplyDeleteThe squirrels are very funny to watch even though they do pinch the bird food. The creamy stilton dip was very tasty bought from a local farm shop:)
DeleteYou have some lovely wildlife in your garden, I have never heard of a siskin before, your lunch looks yummy, have a great weekend. :)
ReplyDeleteIt is unusual to have siskins in an urban garden, but we are quite close to woodland so perhaps they have started to live there:)
DeleteI have never come across a siskin before. We are in the process of sorting out seeds and planning the garden.
ReplyDeleteOur garden is so wet at the moment it is impossible to do anything in therre at the moment but it is good to plan for the spring:)
DeleteHow lovely for you to have Siskin's visit your garden, they are quite similar to the Greenfinch. But how very unobliging of them to stay away for the Big Garden Bird Watch, much like the Woodpecker and Goldfinch in my garden who refused to make an appearance.
ReplyDeleteAngela - Garden Tea Cakes and Me
I think the birds know it is bird watch weekend and stay away just to thwart us - it must be wonderful to have woodpeckers in your garden:)
DeleteI don't think we have ever had sis kind in the garden.We had long tailed tits this week.
ReplyDeleteI love long tailed tits - one of my favourite birds. How lucky you are to have them visit your garden:)
DeleteThose siskins are pretty. The squirrels are having a good time in your garden. Looks like a good week with a visit to the Wolseley Centre and the garden centre and enjoying snowdrops and your hyacinths in bloom. Nothing left of Christmas goodies in our house except some chestnuts that need roasting!
ReplyDeleteStill a couple of Christmas items left in jars but most of it haas gone now. We have been out and about this week quite a bit when the weather has been good enough. The squirrels around herre are very plump and sleek becvause they are well fed from the bird feeders and the monkey nuts people put out for them:)
DeleteFive definite lots of lovely this week! Things to see, eat, watch and enjoy! Thank you for joining Five On Friday, happy weekend! xx
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amy - Happy weekend to you too:)
DeleteI loved seeing those little birds at the feeder and the squirrel. I'm sure the stilton and crackers were delicious! Have a fabulous weekend. Pat xx
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pat hope you have a fab weekend too:)
DeleteIt looks like a splendid lunch Rosie. We have so many squirrels all over the place stealing things like roots of plants and Jack's breakfast ha! The birds are lovely though and it is great to see the first flowers poking through. Have a lovely weekend xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa, hope you have a lovely weekend too. Our squirrels have taken to pinching stones from the path and burying them, I've no idea why:)
DeleteThis post has filled me full of hope. Love the fact that adoring us young the corner and seed sowing are only days away.
ReplyDeleteThanks, glad you liked the post:)
DeleteLovely spring in your photos. We have 2 squirrels in the garden and they are really fun to watch.
ReplyDeleteThe squirrels are fun to watch aren't they? Especially when they chase each other up trees and along the branches:)
DeleteI think snowdrops are magical. I just love them. Have a great weekend. x
ReplyDeleteSnowdrops are one of my favourite flowers, too - magical at this time of year:)
DeleteA very nice set of five...perfect I'd say.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Susie glad you enjoyed them:)
DeleteSome sweet, joyful things! Loved them all. And that lunch...yum!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Marie the lunch was very tasty:)
DeleteThe Siskins are cute little birds. Isn't it wonderful to see the snowdrops blooming? I'm glad you clarified that the hyacinths were indoors! Your lunch/snack looks yummy!
ReplyDeleteYes, I've featured the growth of the hyacinths over my last two or three Five on Friday posts as I thought they would never flower but they have and are gorgeous:)
DeleteWe don't very often see Siskins in the garden so it was nice to see your photograph. Love the snowdrops too mine haven't opened yet they seem to be a bit behind everyone else's. I have only bought tomato seeds so far I really do need to get my seed box out to see what else I need - trouble is, with this horrible weather, I don't seem to have much motivation.
ReplyDeleteWe'd love to get out in the garden but it is so wet and in places under water, we can plant a few seeds indoor though until it is better weather to put them in the greenhouse. Usually just a few tomatoes to start:)
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