February 2015

February is not a very good month, we could still get snow but luck was in and we didn't in this part of Wales.   Spring bulbs continue to grow and sometimes we have frog spawn but the frogs were a bit late this year. 

Lovely sunset mid February.

Nothing happening in the pond but don't think it will be long now. 

This group of crocuses has been here since before we moved in 20 years ago.  They have not spread at all and form a circle round this little cherry tree which never grows either!  They look so lovely when they open wide as the sun shines on them 

January 2015 in the garden

Not been good at blogging just recently so will try to do better.  Will start with what is happening in the garden month by month.  It hasn't been a bad winter here with very little snow.

This is as much as we had, not very impressive. 

Flowers started appearing early with the mild weather. 

I seem to have primroses all year round.  Mine come in many colours but this is the colour of the wild ones.  Looks so delicate but very hardy to grow through the winter.

4th January and the snowdrops have pushed through the ground. Wonder if they were expecting snow?

Here they are on 30th January, almost open

I have jumped ahead to 25th February for this picture.  Lovely that the flowers last so long. 

The middle of January and the daffodil shoots also appear.  As the daffodil is the national flower of Wales I always hope to see them flowering for St David's Day, 1st March. We can only wait and see. 

The crocus also appears in January, the bright yellow flowers always shooting up ahead of the leaves. 

Christmas

I can't believe it is over 2 months again since my last post.  Trouble is this time of year nothing much happens, except for Christmas of course but I was far too busy then.  The week before Christmas my son Imran and family came for the weekend because they would not be here over Christmas as they were visiting Malaysia for his sister in law's wedding and flying out on Christmas day.

Because of childcare problems he asked if I could have the children for a couple of nights.  I agreed with a feeling of slight intrepidation as they have never stayed here without mum and dad before.  I needn't have worried, everything went smoothly.  They slept all night, no  tears or tantrums, and seemed to enjoy themselves.  First morning when two and a half year old Safeya woke up she was concerned that she couldn't find her daddy, but when I told her he was at work she happily accepted that.  No problem putting them to bed either. After a bedtime story they were happy to be left and soon dropped off to sleep.  A bit of musical beds though, they each slept in a different bed every night.

Auntie Sophie arrived for Christmas while they were still here so that was a great help.  Then enjoyed baking gingerbread men with her.  What a mess they made and when I told them so Zachariah told me that auntie Sophie told them grandma would clean it up!!!!

Didn't take many more photos over Christmas but it was rather hectic with 10 people here for lunch on Boxing Day.

I made my own wreath for the front door this year, a nice change from the artificial one I had before

My artifical Christmas tree had its 3rd outing. Not sure the rest of the family appreciate it as we have always had a real one. 

Visited the boating lake one day but Jasmine was only one of the grandchildren who wanted to go. She loves climbing on everything there.  A gymnastic display as she did the splits on top of the climbing frame.

She was reluctant to climb this one but eventually made it

Next we called at Llanyravon Manor to see the Christmas tree which is decorated with ornaments made by the ladies of the sewing group there. 

It started to rain as we were approaching the manor, there was also a rainbow but it doesn't show on the photo. 

It was very cold and Jasmine was shivering by this time so we decided it was time to go home.