Is it?

Thursday: I woke up three nights ago in a terrible state, moaning and crying  with a severe pain in my arm. In the dark I established I was probably not dying but what was it? Well, I must have rolled onto a cat who probably also woke up rather squashed and surprised and a bit angry and who must have  proceeded to defend herself by scratching my inside forearm, leaving a 5 inch sore and bleeding mark. Then yesterday I developed a cold sore  as big as a plate in spite of Cold-fx, aycyclovir, and polysporin, and to make number three injury I have just stabbed myself with the sharp end of a pencil as I was organising myself to write some seed labels. Hopefully that is it for the week as far as injuries go.




On the plus side: the temperature has soared above zero for the past few days so the  snow is melting; the WIGs are totally exposed; and the additional excitement is that  the geese have arrived early,  I always get  a cold sore as the seasons change from Winter to Spring and Summer to Autumn so it's a sign and another sign was Suzanna finding a baby pansy growing in the driveway. It's +9 degrees C outside and I have just heard and seen the first honey bee.

The Canada Geese announced their arrival very loudly and we gave them a rousing cheer and a chorus of Welcome Home. I will spare you the photo of the one straggler I managed to photograph as it takes skill and imagination to actually see the bird. It's not characteristic to see just one. They tend to come over in groups of 30-50 flying in what I like to call a "V" but they are far too busy chatting and telling each other the "goss" to keep a perfect flying formation but, they are obviously quite good at the flying thing as I haven't noticed many of them plummeting to the ground after bumping into each other.

Saturday: And now its already two days later and the thaw is continuing......we had breakfast on the deck this morning and we are out for  the first BBQ of the year in an hour or so. The little flower bed (The Eye) above the big flower bed (BFB) is slowly melting revealing shrubs a bit battered and bent by the snow and wind, but full of buds.It would be so nice if the snow just melted away leaving lovely cleanness and fresh green grass and little budlets bursting into the glory of crocuses and daffodils and tulips but alas the melting snow reveals loads of last years oak leaves and plant stems and stuff we didn't get to clear before the frosts and snows came and above all the stuff that has accumulated over the past four months of winter that used to belong to dogs and of course as the snow melts all is revealed, almost as fresh as the day it was deposited. Poopy patrols have to be carried out.


The BBQ was fun but anxiety provoking. Conversation with two proper gardeners revealed they already have started seeds which are spouting and I/we am/are falling way behind and will never catch up, and they will have growing rooms full of wonderful plants to plant out any minute now, and by the time we get going the first frosts will be back. I have planted broad beans (They call them fava beans here)  in egg shell pots. They don't seem to do broad beans much  but I like them so grow a few each year. These are "Broad Windsor" which is about the only variety commonly available here. We use the egg shells as it's a happy way of recycling and a good source of calcium for the beans and for the soil in general and may prevent blossom end rot in our tomatoes and their rellies. (Relatives!)

Sunday: It has been hotter here than in most of the UK. We had 18 deg C for a while and a warm strong wind. Lots more of the snow has gone but there is still a bit of a mountain behind the deck and in the veg patch. We have to keep telling ourselves this probably is a false start to Spring and the forecast for this week is back to about zero temperatures and snow flurries and freezing rain so I would hate to get too excited about the end of winter yet.

By the way.....we turned the sweet potato upside down in the water and there is one rootlet visible.
The flower rocket seems to be stalling but there are a few seeds germinating.
More daffs are on the way.

Monday 8 am and my goodness it's snowing.....................Bah! Spring is probably over.If you look closely the WIGs now have a slightly startled expression as they experience an unexpected sprinkle of the white stuff.