Sunny March Day

A lovely day here in South Wales. Out in the garden looking for signs of Spring. 

 Poppy is enjoying the sun too.

Last week the first batch of spawn appeared in the pond. I had seen quite a few frogs around for a few days but only one batch.  Not a very good picture I'm afraid. 

Yesterday there were several frogs in there but couldn't see them very well as they didn't surface. Managed one picture of a pair that I thought were going to surface but changed their mind. Perhaps I scared them off. 

Still no more spawn today.  Last year there were 10 or 11 batches.  Time yet I suppose. I have also seen 2 newts in there on several occasions over the last week. 

Spring flowers are starting to open and the first bees are taking advantage of the heather and getting their first nectar of the season.  Difficult to see but there is a bee there in the centre of the photo. 

Crocuses are open in the sunshine around my little cherry tree.

Other flowers

Muscari (grape hyacinths) 

Daffodils and primroses

Celandine

This is my plum tree. Don't know what the name of it is but it has very small sweet yellow plums. It doesn't produce fruit every year and I think it might be because it flowers so early.  If it is cold there will be no insects around to pollinate it so I think that is why it fails.  As I saw quite a few bees around today so it might be a successful year. 

Close up of plum blossom

It is starting to look like snow underneath the tree as the petals fall. 

Several birds around on my feeder this past week.  Great tits, bluetits, greenfinches, robins and chaffinches. Also feeding on the ground I have seen blackbirds, dunnocks, starlings, jackdaws and wood pigeons, to name but a few. 

Crocheted blanket.

Been busy using up odd balls of yarn.  An easy crocheted blanket made of "granny" squares.  Don't know who it is for but maybe good to keep this granny's knees warm in the winter.

Up-cycled cushion

The latest in my home made cushions. The idea for this cushion came from the book Patch by Cath Kidston.  In fact it looks very like hers as I used similar colours and also backed it with pink gingham.  I used patches from old embroidered table clothes and table mats which were brought into the charity shop but were too stained to sell. Also some of my own old embroidery in there.  Hers had piping round the edge but I used bias binding (home made).

That time of year again

Yes it's the time of year when I start looking for signs of spring. We are having such a miserable wet and windy winter. We are fortunate to be in an area that is very unlikely to flood but parts of the country are have a really bad time.  I do worry about the wind blowing my rather large trees down but so far the only problem has been a large amount of very small branches which blow off my silver birch tree.  These are always blowing off but maybe more so this year.

So far it hasn't really been very cold this winter and like last year my potted geraniums haven't been killed off by frost. There is still time though.  I also have a potted chrysanthemum which has been outdoors and is showing signs of new growth

The earliest I have seen frogs in the pond is 14th February. That date is approaching so I am keeping watch every day for signs of them arriving.  It was later last year and I missed it.  I missed checking one weekend and on the Monday the pond was home to 11 batches of spawn. 

I had my bird boxes put back up a few weeks ago by a very nice man called Richard who runs a project called Project Nest Box.  I happened to mention on a local group on facebook that my gardener hadn't put them back up for me yet after he had them taken down for me to clean them.  A couple of days later Richard arrived and fixed them for me.  So far I have seen several bluetits visit them but not sure if they have started nesting yet.  I also saw a cheeky robin peeping into one when a bluetit popped out and chased him off.  I will keep you updated when there is any action there.  I have also bought a new feeding station for the birds and it is proving very popular already.  A few weeks ago when I was doing the Big Garden Bird Watch I saw hardly any birds.  The last couple of days I have seen bluetits, great tits,robins, greenfinches, chaffinches, starlings, jackdaws, collared doves, wood pigeons and feral pigeons.

A bluetit enjoying the peanuts. 

As usual the first flowers to brave the cold are the delicate snowdrops.

There are a couple of crocuses in flower. I used to have quite a lot but they have gradually disappeared. Just yellow ones left.

The only other colour is the primroses and not many of them just yet 

The daffodils are growing fast,  Wonder if I will see some on St David's Day

Birthday Flowers

Yet another birthday has passed this week and I had some lovely flowers.  

 First a lovely arrangement from hubby

Sunflowers from my daughter Sophie

Chrysanths from my friend Rita 

I was also treated to a lovely birthday tea, at the Raspberry Tea Rooms at Llanyravon Manor, by my friend Edwina.

New quilted patchwork cushion.

For Christmas I requested a rotary cutter and board and ruler so I could do some patchwork and quilting. I had done a bit before but thought the job would be easier with the correct tools.  My first attempt is a quilted patchwork cushion which I found on one of the many craft blogs that I like to look at which is called Sew Mama Sew.  Eventually managed the cutting with a little trial and error but I am pleased with the outcome even though some of my corners don't match very well.  I made my own continuous bias binding for the first time too.  Now to try one a little different, maybe arrange the triangles in a different pattern. 

Grandchildren

I have not posted again for quite a long while so must start Thinking about it!  Made a start today with a new blog heading photo.  This was taken in November at Jakob's 10th birthday party.  From left to right they are Jasmine age 6 who is Jakob's sister and is the artist who did the face painting, Me holding Safeya who will be 2 in April, her brother the scary spiderman Zachariah who is 4, Smiley Stuart who is 11 today and Jakob the birthday boy who was distracted as usual.