Into January

Well I did say in my last post that I hoped the wintery weather would stay away for a few more days, but of course, it didn't listen.  After a light dusting of snow on Sunday we woke up to more snow on Monday morning.  Bags were packed and we were ready to travel.

The garden always looks pretty covered in snow and the sunlight was a bonus.  Photos above and below taken from our bedroom window.

The sun in the trees in the school nature reserve behind our hedge was so beautiful.

I ventured outside to take the photo above.  It was time to leave home and see how far we could get along our journey.

The roads out of the city were very slowly passable.  As you can see it says -5°C on the dashboard. By the time we reached Ashbourne and beyond the roads were almost clear, it was a good job we decided to at least try to get out of the city. 

My cousin's funeral went well and her long life was celebrated with both laughter and tears.  When we visited her in hospital back in November she was proud of being ninety four and three quarters and was insistent the three quarters were important. We gathered afterwards at her favourite restaurant - link -where it was 'fish and chips' for all and a gift of flowers for her cousins and friends.  My cousin and her husband had their wedding reception at the restaurant way back in 1951.  Apparently I was there as a babe in arms, just a few months old.

We had to leave the flowers in the car overnight as I thought the hotel room might be too warm.  They survived well until we got home.

We stopped briefly at Carsington Water on the way home for a quick leg stretch but it was so very cold.  The robin above was happy to pose for a photo.

The water in the reservoir was still very low.

The paths were too icy to walk safely.  We decided to make for home and stock up on food on the way.   Thankfully, we don't have to venture out for a few days because another storm is expected.  Will there be more snow?

All for now.  Take care.

Willow Wildlife Trail

 For half term at Trentham Gardens there is a new Willow Wildlife trail on the East Lakeside path.  All are creatures found in and around the gardens and wider estate.

Each willow woven sculpture has an information panel about the animal or insect depicted.  There are also willow weaving sessions in the education tipi at certain times.

Deer

Butterfly

Beaver

Mole

Rabbit

Otter

Bee

Owl

It was actually Valentines Day when we visited and there were lots of signs dotted around the shopping village.  I've made a collage out of a few of them.

It was my next door neighbour's funeral yesterday.  In a small chapel we were met by the celebrant a gentle voiced Scot with pretty pink hair.  The coffin arrived to The Rose by Bette Midler and left to Always Look on the Bright side of Life by the Monty Python team.  So very typical, she will be missed.

Today the wind howls around the house, the wheelie bins have been overturned and the rain has never stopped.  I hope tomorrow is better as we both yearn to get out for a long walk.

Have a good weekend.

RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch

Oh dear, not many to count this year.  The weather was against it from the start.  The last few hours of storm Eowyn on Friday, followed by glorious sunshine on Saturday and the start of storm Herminia on Sunday. (When did we start to name storms?) The birds stayed away from the feeders in the bright sunshine just the same as they had in the wet and windy weather.  

Friday was busy with supermarket shopping, collecting medication from the hospital pharmacy and then dashing home in time to receive a pre-organised appointment call from the hospital we'd just visited.  Saturday was sunny so we ventured out for a walk in the morning. Glad of the warmth of the sun on our backs. In the afternoon we sat down with a cup of tea to start the bird count but none appeared so we gave up. We finally started a count around midday on Sunday.  The feeders were topped up with sunflower hearts and suet fat balls.

Unfortunately the woodpecker didn't make an appearance. 

Counted were 5 blackbirds, 2 Dunnocks, 8 Goldfinch, 4 Siskins and 1 Robin. 

We were below the national average in the number of birds we counted.  It will be interesting to see how others fared and also to see the final statistics in April.

Misty Morning

 Sunlight was struggling hard to break through the heavy mist which had enveloped the garden this morning.  More fog than mist as the bottom of our side of the Crescent wasn't visible.  Now the houses are bathed in bright sunshine.

Cobwebs hung from trees like velvet trip wires or skipping ropes.

Spiders had devised intricate lacy patterns between the leaves and flower heads of the verbenas.

Earlier in the week we had a stroll around Biddulph Grange Gardens as I wanted to do a spot of gift shopping there.  First things first on a cold morning was a warming hot chocolate in the cafe.

The garden was looking tidy and winter ready.  Lots of work was being done.

Mrs Bateman's Dahlia Walk had been cleared, the corms stored away ready for next year.  Below is a photo I took last month.

 

Mrs Bateman's Garden, October 5th 2024

Festive Christmas lights were being fitted along the walkways and amongst the trees.

I liked these lights on the path to the Geological Gallery.

They were switched on,  I expect everything will look spectacular on dark, winter evenings.

The gallery was open so we had a wander inside, it seems to be complete now after all the work of the last few years to recreate the orginal.  

Plenty of leaf gathering and pruning was still happening across the garden.

I remember a few years ago we visited and these berry bushes were full of Redwings, a little early this year for them although I have seen reports of them being about.  We only spotted Robins and Blackbirds around the garden and coots on the lake.

All for now.

 

Blossom

The blossom trees are flowering along the River Trent at Trentham Gardens so we thought we would take a few photos yesterday morning before all the blossom is dashed by rain and wind.  It has been very windy here over the last few days although we did manage a sunny if breezy walk on Sunday morning.

As I was typing this post there was a huge clap of thunder like a whip crack overhead, for a moment I thought the window had broken.  We are now being bombarded by hailstones the size of frozen peas.  A bit more than April showers I think.  I managed to rescue the towels from the line, just as wet as when I put them out this morning.

I'm so glad we photographed the blossom yesterday.

Between the Raindrops

Gosh, what a lot of rain we've had.  It hasn't been possible to get out into the garden although yesterday was dry until late afternoon so I was able to nip outside and sweep up leaves that had gathered on the paths and steps and take a few photos.  Everywhere is so wet.

At the top of the garden the Wild Garlic is in leaf and spreading everywhere.  There are several clumps like this.

The rhubarb is doing well.  A few days ago we used the final bag of rhubarb we'd frozen from last year to make a crumble.  There's just one bag of frozen plums from last summer's crop left.  Perhaps that will make a pudding for lunch when friends visit next week.

I seem to remember a song from my childhood about a lonely little Petunia in an onion patch.  Perhaps it used to be played on Uncle Mac's children's favourites along with songs like Tubby the Tuba, Sparky's Magic Piano and The Runaway Train.   We were talking the other day about radio shows from the 1950s and remembering things like Toytown and Larry the Lamb on the wireless and Patience and Prudence Kitten on the television.  Anyway we don't have a lonely Petunia but do have a Crocus amongst the Snowdrops.

The Snowdrops have been in a large tub close to the house for a few years now, I remember buying a couple of plants at Leek Market just before lockdown in 2020 and they have spread and will need splitting this year but there was never a Crocus amongst them until now.  Where did it come from? I hope it isn't lonely.

Also coming along are the Tulips we planted in the Autumn.  I think there are a couple of layers of them so they will flower at different times.

 

Indoors we have little seedlings of tomatoes

 

  and sweet peas.  

 

 Not many of these have germinated so we may have to sow some more seed or buy a few plants later.  I do like to have sweet peas in the garden.

 

It's windy and raining here today.  I know lots of you here in the UK are experiencing very wet weather and local flooding. How is the weather where you are?  

Wintry Days

 After all the wet weather the last few days have been sunny but oh so cold.  We have managed to get out and about for a couple of walks this week. Both yesterday and today the sky has been so blue.

Tuesday we woke up to a light dusting of snow and the car had to go into the garage for it annual service.  Wednesday, after a supermarket shop, we visited the Brampton Musem in Newcastle (under Lyme) for a mug of coffee and a shared slice of banana bread.  I liked the sign on the front of the counter in the tea room cafe.

After coffee we popped into the galleries to look at the latest exhibition.  Art work by the Society of Staffordshire Artists.

Yesterday we took a walk around Trentham Gardens the weather was so different from last week.

The fountain in the shopping area had frozen with some beautiful patterns in the ice.

Lots of blue sky, shadows and reflections.

Even though it was getting towards midday it was still very cold.

On the lake the Coots were marching across the ice, there were quite a few of them all together. Apparently the collective noun for Coots is a cover.

They were joined by two Little Grebes.  The Little Grebes or Dabchicks had found an un-iced over area to keep diving in.

Cormorants. 

Nuthatch

At home Snowdrops are peeping through the frost and snow, there is no sign of the Winter Aconites yet.

I'm looking forward to seeing them both again this year.