It is a glorious "Spring" February day here - bit chilly with it (sharp frost this morning) but a beautiful, unblemished blue sky. All the birds in the area are singing their beaks off and every single flower out in my garden is singing.
I couldn't resist a walk round the garden so I put on a topcoat and walked out onto the patio (in my slippers!). All the golden crocus were out - and the snowdrops, the winter primroses in all their bright finery and two tete-a-tete daffodil buds, sitting next to one another, are having a discussion about whether to open or not.
One clump of very large purple crocus had been decimated by the frost. Three of the flowers were laid flat on the soil, cut down by it. They were close to the edge and I could reach them - each had a long white 'stalk'- almost inviting me to pick them. My farmer loved purple crocus so I brought them in and put them in a specimen vase by his photograph in the sitting room and lo and behold within five minutes the flowers had opened wide - their bushy stamens are thick with golden pollen and they look superb. I don't expect they will last long. That is three that my solitary bumble bee will miss if he calls again today.
On a wider front I am reading again -dibbing into here and there - a book my son bought me years ago - 'BETTER THAN FICTION ' edited by Don George. It is 32 true travel tales from great fiction writers (Isabel Allende, Joyce Carol Oates, Jan Morris and many more). Over breakfast this morning I read 'A visit to San Quentin' by Joyce Carol Oates. Not jolly reading by any means but her standard of writing was so brilliant that I was there with her. If you like travel writing give it a whirl - I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
As I look out of the window nothing much is moving. A couple of hedge sparrows are hopping along the top of the wall and - as usual - Mr Blackbird is showing off in the hawthorn. Incidentally I asked about Hazel catkins and Derek kindly let me know that on the Reserve they are full out. If you are reading this Derek, the sun is really bright on the hazels I can see from my sitting room window and here too the catkins are waving in the breeze.
Yes - Spring is winning the battle. Enjoy your day.
*In case you are wondering B.B.B. in the title stands for "Big, Bright and Blowsy" - a good description of my three purple crocus.
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25 comments:
I don’t think much when I come to a fork in the road, I always seem to know the best way for me. It has always worked out for me. I have never regretted anything, just moved forward and have done some incredible things.. Now that I am getting old, I have wonderful memories of people and places. I sometimes worried about flitting here there and everywhere but now I know it was just right for me. I did hurt my first husband when I left him for my second husband but it was definitely the right thing to do for me. Even my children could see that it was best for all of us. Oh, my snowdrops appeared on February 22 a full month earlier than last year and now today the temperature has dropped to minus 12 degrees. Not sure what will happen to them. Gigi
Your beautiful morning sounds glorious,how well you described it all!Mary
Good Morning from sunny Georgia USA. My hyacinths are up and bursting open. What an incredible fragrance they have! I will look for the story by Joyce Carol Oats. I have read many of her books and quotes but not all. Thanks Jackie
I like the birds 'singing their beaks off'!
I enjoy going out and picking flowers that have fallen over. Floral windfalls. Their extended life indoors gives extra pleasure. Enjoy you crocus.
💐Pouring with rain still down in Cornwall ⛈️
Another wonderful post, dear Pat! I'm so glad your flowers and the birdsong are bringing you so much joy! Our purple crocus are in bloom, too.
Love ago and far away when I was a new nurse, I worked with Dr. Birdsong and just loved his last name. ;)
Hugs!
We had snow last night so my daffodil leaves are poking up through the whiteness. No blooms here yet. It will warm up tomorrow so hopefully the daffodils will survive to bloom in several weeks.
It is a cold gray day here, but your cheerful post was a touch of brightness to my day!
Reading about what's blooming in your garden made me long for spring, (more than usual.) Then I remembered my forsythia. When I was a child, my mother used to send me out this time of year to snip some forsythia boughs. Then she'd force them inside in a vase of water,(much to my amazement!) So, I'm heading out to snip some forsythia in the hopes of seeing my first yellow blooms in about a week.
You have brightened my Saturday morning dear Pat. Even though you can't post photos of your garden I can 'see' it so well from your description - and it's beautiful.
Lovely sunny morning here - Saturday sun is always special, draws one outside knowing it will be a bit quieter than the rush and noise of the weekdays.
Daffodils are marvelous, tall and healthy looking in their yellow and cream gowns. Tiny deep purple blooms are on the akebia vine climbing the potting shed.....which proudly displays its new roof put on last week when the house was also done.
We cleaned out the shed top to bottom on Wednesday afternoon.....then celebrated with a cup of Earl Grey and biscuits on the porch in lovely, hot sunshine - we were exhausted from a job well done together!
Enjoy your weekend dear.
Mary ~
This morning was special wasn't it. The glorious sunshine just after 7am kidded me that I had slept in much later. 🌞 It was wonderful to step outside and listen to the birds. Then back indoors sat with my coffee, I watched as the pair of fat pigeons strutted their stuff past the French doors over and over, teasing Ginger the cat trapped on the inside mercilessly.
Rain and snow here, altogether gloomy, but we are driving across the state anyway to see our oldest son, granddaughters, a great-grandson, and one of my sisters, so it will be a beautiful day anyway!
B.B.B is a good description of me!! Pollie
I love that you gave the purple crocus a chance and they opened up it seems for your farmer.
You describe it all so well. My day is better for reading your post.
Your bright day and demeanor are catching today. It’s a lovely sunny day here on the usually rainy CA northern coast. I’ve noticed many times that our weather mimics yours (except we rarely have snow except in the surrounding foothills). I like to think of that as a sign of camaraderie. This weekend I’ve caught my first glimpse of yellow blooms on my tulips in pots along my front door walkway. Spring is indeed coming and it’s my favorite season-so much hope. Have a good day.
I used to buy mixed crocus bulbs and was often disappointed when there were so few purple ones among them. The yellow ones were devoured by small birds but I begrudgingly let them get away with it. It's a joy to have a bright day after so much rain. We really do have to enjoy each good day while it lasts.
I haven't seen any catkins yet this year, but for more than 80 years have been excited by the sight of them and those delightful tiny red tufts on hazel twigs.
Spring is definitely on it's way, no matter what weather we get next week.
The wild prairie crocus is a favorite of my but I haven't seen one for many years.
We are still having a mixture of hail and rain showers and tempting sunshine.. don't believe it..it is freezing..or not so far off it!
It is lovely to see the flowers but sad to see them come out too early and be decimated by the weather
I'm so glad you are managing to get outside. Spring slowly coming here on the coast of British Columbia, we are little bit north so later than the cities of Vancouver and Victoria which are known for their early blooms. I do have a preponderance of slugs, wet and warm weather is perfect for them. I have picked almost 150 out of the garden this week.
Along with what gz is saying, we are also now experiencing over night frosts here in Norfolk. It is nice to see it not raining and to be able to plan possibly which route one is to take avoiding the floods though and my washing did dry in the sun today.
It is a cool and cloudy day today. All the buds on the Magnolia trees are very swelled. They know Spring is not far away. Your garden sounds lovely with Spring flowers. Purple crocus are a favorite and I'm glad you saved your crocus from the cold.
On Saturday I watched a Magpie building her nest. She simply broke off bits of small branches from the tree she was in, and constructed. Most birds import their materials, I was amused to see that this one didn't.
Pleasant beach weather here Pat. Have just returned from a coastal town. Enjoyed watching the greedy seagulls. Seems the losers in the chips battle take it all with a pinch of salt so to speak.
Amusing to watch the lively little sparrows hopping under and around the tables at the country bakery - a popular place to be for people and sparrows alike. - Pam, S Aust.
You did well going out and were rewarded with the beautiful crocuses to enjoy.
We had a good look at the palace grounds yesterday, where there is no denying that spring is well and truly here already - still chilly (almost frosty) overnight, but the birds and flowers say it loud and clear, as well as the longer daylight hours.
There might still be some snow in the wings for us, but that's just the way spring sometimes goes in my area.
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