Spring Definitely Has Sprung!

What a glorious day it's been today, sunshine, blue skies, birds chattering in the trees. I love days like this when it's clear spring has arrived and we shake off winter's cloak and emerge from the enforced semi-hibernation into an awakening world.

I spent hours in the garden today, mowed the lawns, pruned back some bushes, did some weeding and clearing up autumn's leaves. My tame wood pigeon arrived, along with a girlfriend, so I put food out for them. It's amazing how a bit of good weather rejuvenates and inspires. Looking forward to lots of lovely long walks with the dogs soon and, hopefully, a good summer!

First Signs of Spring

Well it may not be the most amazing of floral displays  but it lifted my heart to see these two winter pansies in bloom in my garden today. I always love to see the first signs of Spring. My snowdrops will be open soon and the daffodils are well on their way. Crows are pairing up in the tall trees, buds are getting fat and, of course, the days are getting longer. I'm not a winter person and I find January and February tedious months to say the least!  We've a little way to go, but Spring is starting to creep in. Every year it thrills me to see nature wake up like this.

It always amuses me, but even our shops seem to wake up, suddenly brighter coloured clothes appear on the rails, I wish we had them year round, why can't we? Holiday ads are on the TV and Easter eggs sitting there to tempt. I'm thinking ahead to my travels, though unfortunately I won't be doing as much as I would like this year as I've a big household outlay to fund. But I do have a trip to Ireland later in the year to celebrate a "special" birthday I have this year!

Crocuses, Starlings and Weather

We've been having some nice, bright and sunny days recently and Spring is bursting out everywhere. There are great swathes of crocuses across my city, our council planted them years ago.  I did a work visit today and the large patch of grass outside my client's house was full of thousands of blue and white crocuses, beautiful.  On the way home I noticed starlings starting to roost.  Once home I watched as the groups of birds joined together to form a huge cloud of thousands that swooped, weaved and turned as one. The movement of the flock reminded me of the undulations of the Northern Lights. They came so low as to almost skim the roofs of the houses, I could hear their wings flapping but there was no other sound from the birds.  How do they know which way to turn so suddenly?  Eventually the moved into the distance and settled for the night, but what an amazing show they had put on.

At this time of year nature comes alive again, the buds fatten up, birds sing more, even after the icy winter we had nothing stops the rebirth.  But people seem to come alive again too. The DIY stores are full of enthusiastic folk raring to get decorating or improving their home.  You see more of your neighbours as people re-discover their gardens, tidying away the winter debris, planting bedding plants, sighing at the thought of having to mow the lawn again.

Bright colours, tee-shirts, summer dresses, swimwear and sandals appear in the shops, the winter woolies are in the sales.  Holidays plans are made, I've got a holiday in Canada to look forward to.  Hopes for a hot summer abound, definitely not a guarantee in the UK, "We've had three crap summers, surely we'll have a good one this year!" People say, me included.  Our weather is never boring and we are obsessed with talking about it.

It's a good time of year, almost like coming out of hibernation, and I love the buzz and energy that is always around at this time.  Now, where's that paintbrush.........

Spring

Glorious Spring!

First Day of Spring!

Today is the first day of Spring, so I thought I'd change the colour scheme of my blog to something a bit brighter to celebrate that! Unfortunately the weather isn't very spring-like here to day - we have a storm forecast for later today with snow on higher ground! Hopefully the last parting shot of Winter.