Daisies! (two) - Spring!

Down by the brook there is a carpet of celandines and violets have colonised some of the beds in the garden. There was what we Scots call a wee smirr of rain a few minutes ago, but the sun has come out again so I will leave the washing on the line and hope it's dry enough for ironing.

Is it wild garlic?
I have some in spot and used some of the leaves in my salad last night.

My spring flowers are now out! The fritillaries are wonderful. Last year I dug up my original bunch, separated and replanted them. They seem to have appreciated that. I suddenly have about 15 of them across the Alpines bed. The Pulsatilla are also out. Plus a very pretty small white flower from an oniony smelling bulb. I don't know what it is called, but it cheers me up every year.

We do need some rain though, its been trying over the last hour but not even hard enough to make much of a difference to the soil.

Having used my binoculars to look at the bottom of the garden (it's not that big, but I can't get down the steps to get in it on my own) I could see that I have a couple of fritillaries out!

Our frogspawn seems to appear by magic. The pond used to be a mass of cavorting froggies but now we only occasionally see one.
We do have newts so all is not lost.

It's definitely warmer here but blowing a gale.

Galen Hurrah!

Ah Galen but you're not in the cold NE are you! I heard Mr Frog croaking on Saturday, on Sunday Mrs Frog had answered his call and today there is frogspawn with Mr Frog standing guard!

I have tadpoles!

Frogspawn at long last in our pond! For the last couple of years we've had lots of taddies which have never gone on to develop properly despite our best efforts, hope for froglets this year

Tee shirt and trainers for my walk here in Switzerland today - it was such a relief to get out of my knee high fur-lined boots! Lots of catkins and that lovely subtle green glow that tells you the branches are about to burst into leaf.

I live in the very South and temperatures here haven't risen over 11C. Lots of promises from the weather people but no results here yet!!

So I won't need my thermals?

I hope so too - the forecast is good!

How lovely, the wild flowers should be at their best in three weeks' time, I hope!

In spite of there being plenty of snow still around, I know Spring has arrived because I saw lots of white and purple wild crocus on my walk yesterday.

butty and glass

Wonderful glass. That's says it all.

Love that butty I wish I could do the same and tell you all about my weekend, but I cant!

I have been up to the house this weekend the first time since November, and couldnt have picked a better weekend, it was sunny, warm at times and like heaven on earth.

I have spent the weekend listening to a pair of curlew who have called to each other all weekend. Four buzzards have given me the most fantastic air display right above the house calling and calling, on the surrounding fields the newly born lambs scamper around... nothing could have topped my weekend.

Beach and seaweed
Friends that natter
Rockpools disturbed
By kids' pitter-patter
Of hands and toes and happy finds
While ripples chase
In angled lines.

There are Greater Spotted Woodpeckers here. I hear them nearly every day drilling into trees up the hill. Saw a pair the other day so am guessing there will be younguns again later this year.

Thanks, bags, I enjoyed that.
Bright sunshine here in Switzerland and 20C is forecast, so I am off for a very long walk.
Juragran feeds the birds all Winter and it is lovely to watch them through the window - she even gets a woodpecker sometimes.

Lovely Bags. I can 'see' them

Pair of starlings frantically gathering,
Zipping strands of grass
Up to their nest in a roof valley gap.
Teamwork.
Pair of sparrows thus:
Female collecting, collecting,
This bit, that bit,
Can I carry another
To the nest under the eaves?
(They are squatters, these sparrows,
Occupying a house martin's nest).
Male picking up one piece,
Checking it,
Nah.
Another piece,
Check it,
Nah.
This one? That one?
Just can't seem to find a good one.
Female zips up and down
With several loads meanwhile.

So, Bags thinks, if horses had menopauses, it'd be her menopausal baby. Bags does think odd things sometimes.