Welcome to March and White Rabbits

Did you remember to say 'white rabbits' this morning? As children we always used to try and remember to say 'white rabbits' which had to be the first words you spoke as you woke up on the morning of 1st March.   Some people also say 'white rabbits' or 'rabbits, rabbits, rabbits' on the first of any month throughout the year. Another saying is 'pinch, punch it's the first of the month' although I don't remember that one from my childhood, I've only come across it as an adult.

Anyway, whichever tradition you follow it's time to say 'Hello' to March and  share with you a few photos from yesterday's walk around the lake at Trentham. 

We didn't spot any white rabbits or any other rabbit but we did spot the black swans.

and these rather lovely carvings of rams, there were two but I only took a photo of one of them as there were people around the other one.

It was cold and there were still signs of winter around the lakeside

so I went into the garden centre to seek out some Spring flowers.

It is also time to think about sowing seeds and deciding what flowers we would like to grow in the garden as well as vegetables for the raised beds and salad stuff for the greenhouse.

As a final farewell to February and because it was also Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day we had pancakes for tea.

White Rabbits

Did you remember to say white rabbits first thing this morning? Where I grew up in North East Derbyshire we used to say white rabbits on the 1st of March each year, you had to say it before you said anything else and if you could do that it was supposed to bring good luck. Paul, who hails from Nottinghamshire says 'rabbits, rabbits, rabbits'. Does anyone else have any memories of this? Or of any other 1st March traditions?

After a busy day yesterday, shopping in the City Centre, visiting the Museum and then a walk around Trentham Lake in the afternoon, today was a pottering around at home day.

I managed to get quite a bit of tidying up started in the much neglected garden. As I cleared away the dead leaves and plant stems I could see all the new growth coming through, the frogs were active in the pond, the birds were singing their hearts out up in the trees and for a short while, the sun felt warm on my back as I clipped and swept. Meanwhile Paul was busy in the greenhouse with seeds and compost and later with giving the car a much needed wash.

It really did feel like Spring was finally on its way. I was tempted to cut the grass especially where we have taken the 'For Sale' sign down from the front lawn where the grass had grown around the bottom of the post but I decided it would be better to wait another couple of weeks just in case we have more bad weather. In the end I completely filled the garden wheelie bin and there is still a way to go with the 'spring cleaning'.

The White Rabbit, Sir John Tenniel, 1865

Red Squirrel Week

This week is Red Squirrel week. The photo below was taken at the National Trust's Formby site on the Lancashire coast last June, so the squirrel has his summer coat with wispy tail. The squirrels on the Lancashire coast are a nutty brown colour rather than the brighter red colour of the ones further north in Scotland. These little creatures were quite friendly and inquisitive and very used to human visitors but in general the red squirrel is shy and secretive. I think they are wonderful.



Pinch, punch it's the first of the month, although I forgot to say white rabbits this morning. Hope everyone has a great October. Things are looking up slightly here we've had two house viewings over the weekend and another booked for this evening so I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed that someone will want to live here.