Monday 14 February 2011

Can't you feel it?.......




......the ground, stirring beneath your feet? Snowdrops in flower, crocus in flower, florists with trays of flowering primulas outside, winter jasmine in full bloom and tiny shoots of nettles, cow parsley, late tulips and the like - all pushing through, all eager to get going on growing.

Today I have heard the mistle thrush singing, the blackbird singing, the robin singing and all manner of little birds cheeping and calling to one another. A pair of blue tits have rented the box down the field and are busy doing repairs and a pair of blackbirds are definitely house-hunting in the clematis in the front garden.

Alexander Girault, my lovely pink climbing rose, is just beginning to show shoots. As he has been quite drastically cut back (he was stopping the weather vane from working) I can now see that last year there was a blackbird's nest there too. What a lovely place to build - surrounded by a froth of pink roses and lulled to sleep by the humming of bees. What could be better?

Our television gave up the ghost yesterday and this afternoon we drove to the little town of Bedale (in the photograph) and bought a new one. Coming back we saw that almost all the hedges are now cut. Farmers are asked to cut their hedges well before the end of February to give nesting birds a chance. Ours were cut about a month ago - we like to be early, particularly in one field, where we have nesting yellow hammers every year.

Oh isn't it exciting? Every year the coming of Spring makes me feel good. No wonder country people in the old days celebrated its arrival. Five weeks today will be the Spring Equinox - let the countdown begin.

18 comments:

jeanette from everton terrace said...

Yes, spring is such a promising and beautiful time of year. We have been having spring like temps here in Phoenix as of late. For me it's nice to be able to feel the sun on my skin without it burning like summer. Is that a nest in the last photo? So sweet.

mrsnesbitt said...

5, 4, 3, 2, 1! Taraaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Yes today was a lovely day here - but when I went to the library van a few minutes ago it was cold - will be wrapping up warm tonight for our meal out! New TV eh? Is it a flat screen? Oooooooooooh!

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

It's amazing,isn't it? Even in the cold... there is something stirring.

Hildred said...

Happy for you Pat, and you fill me with great anticipation. Things are not moving here yet, - still snow around from our last big snowy week-end - but our son Sid, just down the hill, did tell us the robins were back, although I haven't seen one here. I yearn for my garden.....

The Bug said...

Yes I can feel it - although February in Ohio is a little early to be anticipating spring. But the temperatures have been a little higher & the trees are showing new growth - so I plan to be excited!

angryparsnip said...

We are having warm weather too but the hope of rain later in the week has us all excited, we need it !

I can't tell you how happy and teary I feel to read that you are asked to cut your hedges by the end of February so the nesting birds have a chance to build their nests.
I also agree how lovely "to build a nest surrounded by a froth of pink roses and lulled to sleep by the humming of bees" beautifully written.

cheers, parsnip

Heather said...

It's my favourite time of year Pat and even if that nasty looking swathe of something cold on the weather map gets here this week, we know that spring will soon officialy arrive. How wonderful to have nesting yellowhammers - I haven't seen one since I was a child.

Reader Wil said...

We are all looking forward to the coming of spring.I saw some snowdrops in my backyard. The daffodils are showing their green leaves already and the other bulbs are trying to come out of the soil too.

Eryl said...

This is definitely a time for celebration, I've noticed the air smells different. And when I popped out for my last smoke of the night at about 4am yesterday I heard birdsong. I couldn't tell you what bird, sadly.

Helsie said...

We miss out on this excitement of the changing seasons in Brisbane where we think 16C is a freezingly cold day.
I love the way you look after your birds too. We have so many we become complacent about them and they don't really have bad weather to deal with - though civilization gradually creeping into their territory is becoming a bit of a worry but I guess open space is one thing we have plenty of!
Cheers
Helen

John Going Gently said...

one of my hens has gone broody
a sure sign of spring being within a hairsbreath

Pondside said...

Our hens are just starting to lay again, and the activity in the ponds leads me to believe that we'll have more than one clutch of duck eggs before too long.
It's a wonderful time of year.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Oh yes it is indeed nexciting, Weaver! I love Spring, and that slow emergence of the Spring presence over the weeks. We're holding our necks high like giraffodils!

steven said...

well weaver today the temperature went over zero but the windchill held the real temp below zero and tonight down to minus seventeen. however, i saw clouds that were close to summer clouds pass overhead at sunset. keep posting about the warmth and the flkowers and the little newborn lammikins!! steven

Crafty Green Poet said...

yes the birds are all singing here too, plenty of song thrushes alogn the Water of Leith, the blue tits are being very flirtatious too.

How exciting that you have nesting yellowhammers, a lovely little bird that needs all the help it can get.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Glad you are all noticing sings of Spring - sadly here it has now turned very cold again. But nothing can stop Spring getting here eventually, can it. Thank you for the comments.

maryelizabethroche said...

There's no sign of Spring here in Chicago...but I'm keeping a stiff upper lip!!

FireLight said...

Yes, Weaver, it is so refreshing to be able to open a window and allow some fresh air into my classroom! Even in the Deep South we have had a cold, dark, and icy winter. Today the temperature is in 60s with more to come this week. I know winter is not over...but I am watching every dark green cluster of my snowdrops with great anticipation. These little beauties are my favorite!