On Friday

 A miscellany of things for Friday.

1.  Growing in both garden and conservatory.   

Outside in the little Spring flower 'garden' under the kitchen window the Snowdrops, Grape Hyacinths and Primroses are in flower.  The Winter Aconites aren't.  We had a plant about three years ago but last year it didn't appear so late last year we bought bulbs and planted them.  They were protected by the old oven shelf you see to the left of the photo with all the tent pegs which held it down and still the squirrels managed to get to the bulbs.  We noticed one morning that the shelf had been moved and that the squirrels or perhaps just one of them had somehow got underneath.  You have to admire their ingenuity and dexterity but as you can imagine I'm quite miffed about it.   I just hope they enjoyed munching on them.  You can see one little leaf which is perhaps from the original plant just showing through.

In the conservatory there are little green shoots, Tomatoes, Radishes, Chard and Cress.  

2.  Year of the Tiger

We visited Biddulph Grange Gardens on Monday and found in the Chinese Garden the lovely red lanterns hanging from the trees.  It's the year of the Tiger and I was born in a Tiger year.

We had the place to ourselves for ages.  Obviously a  Monday morning in February is a quiet time to visit.  The weather was okay but by the time we left there was damp and drizzle in the air.

3.  Fossils in Mr Bateman's Geology Gallery at Biddulph Grange.

I just love these - the shapes, the textures, the sheer age of them.  A great deal of work has been done over the last few years to conserve and/or replace many of the fossils in the wall of the long gallery.  I know I've blogged about this space before but I can't find the links to those posts at the moment.  If I find them I'll add them here.

4.  Water birds at Westport Lake.

On the main lake there were Geese, Swans, Black Headed gulls, Coots and Moorhens.

Along the paths in the wooded area by the stream, where we always go to see if we can spot a Kingfisher, there were loads of Scarlet Elf Cups.  Elves lead me on to....

5. Fairies - there are three new ones at Trentham Gardens.  They were installed earlier this week and are called 'The Fledglings.'  When the sun came out this morning we decided that, as a wet weekend has been forecast, another walk would be just the thing. 

The new fairies were a bonus spotted right at the end of our walk.

All for now.  Take Care. 

Snowdrops, Lapwings and other things

Earlier this week we decided to visit and walk by the waterside at Tittesworth Reservoir.  It was a beautiful, Spring like day.

Tittesworth Reservoir is run by Severn Trent Water and is close to the beautiful Roaches and the village of Meerbrook.  Apparently some of the village cottages and a mill disappeared when the reservoir was built. 

 We wandered across the road to the bird hides spotting cormorants on the way.

 On the island we saw a few lapwings 

 After a while we went further along the road and found the second hide. 

 This gave a different angle on the island and the lapwings. Sorry not great photos of the birds because of a combination of the sun and my eyesight.

Reed Bunting

Willow Tit

Reed Bunting and Sparrow

From the hides we walked down into the village of Meerbrook in search of snowdrops.  I thought we might find them in the churchyard.  We wandered past The Lazy Trout Inn

and by the old cottages towards the church.

The parish church is dedicated to St Matthew and was built in the 1870s.  There are records of an earlier church in the village which is in the parish of Leekfrith and also of a nearby abbey called Dieulacres in the south of the parish.  More information here - link.

There were snowdrops lining the path towards the entrance of the church which unfortunately was locked so we couldn't peep inside.

There were many interesting grave stones and lots of local family names

A view of the Roaches from the churchyard.  What  a wonderful view that cottage must have.  How lovely to wake up to that every morning.

There were many Spring flowers in the hedgerows, near the walls and amongst the grave stones.

Snowdrops - so beautiful.

Are these colchicums rather than crocus?  Perhaps someone can help identify them.

Winter Aconite a lovely burst of colour and contrast with the delicate snowdrops.