Blossom

Glorious pink Blossom and blue skies, you'd be forgiven for thinking all is well with the world.  It's so wonderful to see.  I look forward to this display each year along the bank the River Trent by the Trentham Garden Centre.

The Magnolias across the river in the gardens are looking lovely too.

Although still chilly in the mornings the days have been glorious.  Walks have been taken.  Gardening done, washing has dried outside.  Days are filled with ordinary things and routine tasks, I'm trying to savour these days as they pass by so quickly.  

All for now.

Sunday's Walk

In the local park.  It was quiet first thing on an Easter Sunday morning.  Just a few hardy dog walkers out for some fresh air.

Pink blossom everywhere, along each path 

and dotted here and there amongst the newly greening trees.

In the wilder, less formal  side of the park there was bird song and a few wild flowers.

Snake's Head Fritillary

Primroses

Bluebells 

White bells.  Apparently, native ones are very rare so I guess this is a white Spanish bluebell as some of the bluebells in the park were non-native ones. Can anyone identify them?

Five Around Trentham Lake and Gardens

After three days of almost constant rain it was good to get out for a walk this morning around the lake and gardens at Trentham.

There were lots of lovely things to see along the way.

1. Water birds - mostly in pairs

Mallards

Black Swans

Mute Swans

Female Shelduck

Greylag Geese

 

A pair of Mandarin ducks  

 

2. A Willow Arch

With a willow Peacock

3.  Spring Blossoms and Flowers

 

Cherry Blossom

Hyacinths

Narcissi

Magnolia

 

Crown Imperial (fritillaria imperialis)

4. A New Fairy

This one is in thanks and honour of 'The Gift of Life' given by donors and their families through organ donations.

 

5.  A Trail through Wonderland

 

In search of the White Rabbit

As you can imagine there were a few excited children following the trail.  I expect there will be far more next week when the schools break up for the Easter holidays.

 

Take Care.
 
 

 

Blossom

 Yesterday's walk took us down through the local recreation ground at the bottom of which is the fairly new, colourful building belonging to the Clarice Cliff Primary School - which is now an Academy sponsored by the Co-op.  The recreation ground which is maintaianed by the City Council houses a football pitch, a netball court and a children's play area with the usual swings, slides and bouncy chickens.  It is also very popular with local dog walkers. In the centre with paths either side is an area of trees mostly pear and crab apple.

The pear trees were in blossom and looking wonderful. 

At home in the conservatory the sweet pea seedlings I showed you in my last post have grown enough to be planted in a larger pot using the twine or 'twool' that was included in the seed pack.

Eight out of ten of the seeds have germinated and there are five in this pot.  The other three are taking a little longer to grow.

March is nearly at an end.  Did it come in like a lion or a lamb?  I can't remember.  It has gone by so quickly.  From the weather reports it looks as if it is going to depart in lamb like fashion so perhaps it did roar as it came in. The clocks spring forward this weekend and next weekend is Easter.  Time is racing on.  I have the ingredients to make a Simnel cake and when I was searching the cupboards for something else I came across the Easter decorations.

 

I need to find a suitable twig from the garden to hang them on. 

Yesterday it rained for most of the day.  There was frost this morning and although the sun is bright at the moment it is bitterly cold with a harsh wind.  I think the day needs to warm up a little before we venture out for today's walk.

We put the wildlife camera out a couple of times this week.  It has captured visits to the food bowl from three different foxes one with a limp - holding up it's front left leg - three different badgers including the pale, female one, crows, magpies, blackbirds and of course a few of the local cats, some of them in the collage below.

We know them all by sight and all but one by name - Dolly, Mabel, Sox, Peanut and Pip.  I wonder what the white and black cat by the pond is called? It visits most days to sit there.

 

Blossom Time

Walking round Trentham Lake this morning in the warm Spring sunshine we came across this wonderful sight:-

Just thought I'd share them with you. That's all for now.