The new season on its way

We’ve had a couple of days of sunshine, even some warmth. The prom has got busy, the pubs once more have fellow drinkers & some eaters. Summer is on its way.

On Monday I ventured out for a bit to tidy the front garden after its winter. No sooner had I sat down on my stool, secateurs in hand, than one of our neighbours came over to chat. It’s catch up time. As I rarely sit in the front or walk along the streets in winter, I think the neighbours must think I’ve gone into virtual hibernation. They see the quick flit from front door to car but that’s it - no chance for a chat. This now is the time to start the new season of socialising. Needless to say, not much gardening got done.

So yesterday, after Linda, our home help had gone, I tried again. I managed another bit of a garden, even planted some parsley after our trip to the garden centre last week. But once more I ended up stopping for a chat with a different set of neighbours.

I’m beginning to wonder when I’ll get around to the thinning out of some plants and the putting of the other herbs we bought for the front garden will get done. Today it’s big food shop day so this morning I need to preserve my energy for that. The Fox has cooked a Lamb Tagine overnight in Big Ears, our slow cooker, so that will just need warming up this evening – nice and easy.

While I was just in the kitchen my eyes happened to glance out of the window to the remaining overoccupied hedge. The blue tits were clearly busy & trying to get even busier. They’ve been regularly flitting into the bird box on the nearby wall for a while. I suspect they’ve already had one brood. From their antics in the hedge they are clearly hoping for another brood before so long.

Life is burgeoning all over the place. Blossoms in trees. Green leaves once more opening out. Bare patches of earth once more covered in green as new shoots appear. The colours of the lemon balm, all green & yellow, vibrant. Vital juices are speeding through all our veins. Spring is definitely here. There’s even some summery signs at times, though I wouldn’t say winter’s entirely gone – the below zero nights remind us of that!