Thursday 31 March 2016

Easter Happenings

  
 





 
 



 

Some stuff from our holiday at home so far. Minus the bit where I tell you that I am recovering from St Ives flu (it's a real thing), because you all already know how stoic I am when it comes to a viral infection.....

Sunshine

I know! After the most appalling weather over the bank holiday weekend, and the promise of more to come, the far west of Cornwall did it's thing of proving the weather forecaster wrong. It's been flipping glorious. We have been making the most of it; in the garden, on the hill, along the beaches, up the lanes. There has been lined dried washing, and the seeds are going crazy in the greenhouse. I've never known Cosmos to germinate so quickly.

Nature Nerd

She's back. Because so it would seem are the pollinators. We have some rather gorgeous garden bumbles careering around the garden. They are enjoying the anemones, dandelions and bluebells very much. A hover fly has taken up residence by one of my flower trugs. He makes it his business to harass anyone going too near. Ladybirds have been spotted too. The frog spawn turned tadpole for about five minutes, then disappeared. It's the newts, I'm afraid. We pond dipped, and found five of them looking very pleased (and very full). I have seen my first flutters; Peacocks and small tortoiseshells along a walk around Bussow Lake. I became rather over-excited about it all.

Planning

A butterfly garden. Following CT's advice in her penultimate post, I have decided that this year I will try and create a space in the garden for butterflies to be able to feed, lay their eggs and hopefully hatch into caterpillars. I have so enjoyed encouraging the pollinators into my garden over these past few years, but gave scant thought to providing a suitable habitat for their whole life cycle. I have ear-marked a space at the bottom of the garden. It's near the bug house that Olly and I made a couple of years ago. I shall be naming it after CT, who has been a total inspiration for me, and whose blog I will miss terribly. I have ordered some seeds; cuckoo flower (for the orange tips), red campion, michlemass daisies and others. There are already nettles there, and some wild flowers too. I hope to write a more detailed post about it when it is more of a thing, but I am very excited about all.

Worrying

A little. About Honey. I've booked her in to see the vet tomorrow. It would appear that she is struggling a little with her breathing. Especially on our longer walks. She's a Cavalier, and they can have heart problems. Plus, she's ten this year, and I think I need to have a chat with the vet about our walks. I'm used to going for miles, and she's always, always trotted along happily by my side (actually to the left and just a little behind me). Lately, she seems more tired after her constitutional and I'm concerned. She is my constant, my little canine friend, my beautiful big eyed girl. I don't know what I'd do without her. She's the only member of the family not to have called me fat.

Inspecting

It's that time of year where every day yields little changes in and around the garden. As the ground slowly warms up, and especially now that the clocks have gone forward, there is new growth everywhere. The trees are starting to bud. My plum tree is about to burst into blossom at any moment. New shoots are rising up and out of the ground, from all the perennials that I always forget are there. The bulbs are growing apace. There are tulips flowering, and the plants that I bought for the pond at the beginning of the year are putting on growth. The clematis Montana has thousands of flower buds all along its' length and breadth, and the echium are a whisper away from shooting their flower spire up high into the sky. I have been enjoying my first cup of tea while wandering around and noticing these daily changes. It's good for the soul. Gardens are happy places indeed.

Making

Okay not quite making yet. But about to. Olly and I have to design and build a time machine. Not a real one, I hasten to add. His project at school for the next half term is time travel. It has been suggested - on a slip of paper thrust into my hand at the end of term - that this may be a nice project to do during the school holiday. Olly has very grand ideas about it all. I have been collecting enough suitable junk modelling materials to do it justice. I have PVA glue. I have paint, glitter, stickers, foil. I have the omnipresent image of the Dr's Tardis in my mind. I actually think that it's a rather marvellous project for a load of six years old to do. I guess it will be about going back or forward in time, history and a bit of science perhaps. All good fun anyway. I know that there is a trip to Truro museum in the offing, and I shall do my very best to be invited along. I am CRB checked, never fear. I'm quite well behaved and I rarely wander off.

Writing

Sam said to me the other day 'Why don't you write more than just your blog?' I explained that I'm really rather busy, and haven't got all that much free time. 'So? Start with short stories, or just a jumble of words and ideas. Just write for five minutes a day,' he replied. 'You should be writing more. You always wanted to be a writer, Mum.' At the time I smiled wryly to myself, thinking, as if!  As if I have the time, energy or inclination to write more than the words here. For what purpose would I do it anyway? And why? As it turns out, Sam is right. You don't have to write a grand opus, or become an over night JK Rowling in order to write. You can just do it for the pleasure thereof. He writes all the time; fan fiction, alternate histories, plays, short stories and a long running series that he admits he posts online but won't tell me where. I really admire Sam for this. He's not seeking fame or fortune through his writing. He is writing for the pleasure it gives him, and it a necessary creative outlet for him too. So I've taken my son's advice. I've bypassed the notebook, and gone straight to the word document. I'm really enjoying myself. Anyway I was never going to crochet that blanket. Who was I kidding about that kind of creative outlet?



Anyhoo lovely people near and far. It's 9pm, my pjs are calling, as is the kettle. I'm off to bed with my book. And quite possibly a mini twix bar.

Have a good one.

Leanne xx












 
 

 
 
 

23 comments:

  1. I so love your posts Leanne and feel really uplifted by your optimism. I've been loving the garden as well getting outside most days even on the rainy ones, I just like to see what's changed. Those tulips!! (did you hear the swoon from St Ives?)
    I do hope Honey is OK...it must be such a worry for you. Good luck with the time machine! I wonder where it'll take you?? I've done my project and it's not the hols yet! Our brief was to make something out of an egg box but BigR thought it needed to be egg related too so some chickens and chicks happened. We take in our entry tomorrow - I deserve a prize! Who knows what excitement I'll be instructed with over the Easter holidays!Hoping you enjoyed your mini twix!xxx

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    1. I thought my garden was rather behind on the tulip front. The house up the road is festooned with them. I shall keep my fingers crossed for your well deserved prize.
      L xx

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  2. A mini Twix bar you say, this is very well deserved I think. So very pleased that you are doing some writing, I always thought you have an absolutely magical way with words. If you have the habit of writing who knows where it will go. I'm contemplating a short story. I only really write non-fiction at the moment but I'd like to try a little fiction as well. Sam sounds amazing, all that writing, it's so very impressive. Love your bee cushion and I'm glad to hear all your nature news. We have frogspawn now and I saw a ladybird and some bees at the allotment today as well as two brimstone butterflies (or maybe the same one twice). Love the idea of your butterfly patch. Providing food for the caterpillars wasn't something I'd given much thought to until I saw CT's post. I shall miss her blog terribly too, I knew you'd feel the same. Wishing Honey all the best. CJ xx

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    1. You are too kind, my dear CJ. No brimestones sightings yet, although I don't tend to have much luck with them. I shall investigate their preferred food and habitat. I suspect it will be long grass. And yes, totally gutted about CT, but understanding her choice to say goodbye. People like her don't come along very often do they?
      L xx

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  3. I hope the Twix bar was nice. I just ate a little (ok not so little) chocolate bunny that I had forgotten to give to the kids.... How wonderful that you writing just because. I know in my heart that you are a writer. I can crochet the blanket for you. I hope wee Honey is ok, keeping my fingers crossed for you both. Have a wonderful weekend. xx

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    1. I forgot to say that when your time machine is ready, we should travel back to the 80s to have a bit of a laugh together. I am going to get my hair permed if we do, I promise. x

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    2. Oh Christina, how fun that would be! I did have a perm in the mid eighties; it was called a corkscrew..... I'd love the chance to dance with gay abandon to Bananarama again!
      L xx

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  4. You definitely sound like a writer to me and I'm sure that Sam must get it from somewhere! I can't wait to see your butterfly garden - I bought a little butterfly feeder last year, filled it with sugar solution and hung it by the buddleia as instructed..... All I got were lots of little black flies! I shall enjoy looking at photos of yours though. Like CJ, I love your bee cushion. Hope Honey is OK too; she looks adorable. Good luck with the Time Machine but watch out for Morlocks! xx

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    1. Well Sam has written as soon as he could put letters together. I have stacks and stacks of his scribbles in the loft. Now it's all online, or hidden on his computer I don't get to see it. I think the vet might tell me to take her on several shorter walks, so I may have to re-think my own daily constitutional too.
      L xx

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  5. I think of you as one of my favorite writers, I always look forward to reading your blog. If Sam is a writer I'd say he comes by it naturally.
    Hope Honey is ok, it worries me to death when Miss Kitty isn't feeling well.
    Love the idea of a time machine, where does Ollie want to take it?

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    1. Oh thank you for that. How kind! I haven't asked Olly where he'd like to go in time. I know I'd like to visit the court of Elizabeth the First. I love to be privy to her conversations with others. Actually maybe not entirely privy; that had a whole different meaning in Tudor times I think ;)
      L xx

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  6. Oh newts and their voracious appetites. Every year I have frogs mating in the pond and toads mating in discreet corners and usually the day after the spawn is laid it is all gone. I love watching my newts though and caught a very large-bellied one the other day. I have had brimstone butterflies in my garden this spring and seen peacock butterflies on walks. I love this time of year in the garden and further afield - the woodland is waking up and already I've seen the odd sheet of bluebells. Do encourage your nettles - you can make tea with them to feed your plants in pots. And nettle soup is very good too, garnished with a sprinkling of chives. Hope your allotment is doing ok. It's been too cold and wet to sow direct at mine so far but today may be the day I sow short rows of rocket, spinach, beetroot, salad leaves and radish.

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  7. Leanne,

    You are a wonderful writer, and Sam has given you the best advice you could ever get. If you want to be a writer you need to write. It's both as simple and as complicated as that. Don't be so quick to give up on the crocheted blanket. It could provide lots of material for you to write about. :-)

    I hope you get a good report from the vet. Hopefully there is some kind of medication that will work, and Honey has many more years of walking by your side.

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  8. Your bee is a buff tailed (in case you didn't know) and brimstones like buckthorn as a larval food plant. I've just checked their distribution map and they do breed in Cornwall. So thrilled about your flutter garden and also about your writing. You have a wonderful easy style - you should send some off for publication consideration. As we tell our children - you never know unless you try - I sometimes think we're guilty of not following that advice ourselves. Sending love to honey and hoping it is nothing more than gentle older age settling in. We've seen a huge difference in ted's energy since changing his food though so that might be worth bearing in mind? xxx

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  9. When ever I am having a flat moment I always know that reading your blog will lighten my mood and make me smile. I hope all went well with the vet visit. I have four Cavies as you know from my blog and instagram accounts when they are either mentioned or pop up in a photograph usually languishing on my bed whilst I have a cuppa and read my book. My old boy is 8 now and although he's not showing any signs in slowing down anytime soon his age is starting to catch up with him. He is slightly deaf although sometimes I think this is selective on his part and he's not quite as nimble as he used to be. Recently gave us a fright when it trip off the last three stairs and gave himself concussion. He had to have some of his teeth removed last week which meant an anaesthetic always a bit of moment for me and at the same time they discovered the startings of a heart murmur but as the vet said most get a murmur at around 3 years old he's got to 8 so we should think he's done well especially as two of the other's have had a murmur in the last 12 months and they were only 4 at the time. I don't think it will matter how many we have we will miss each and every one when their time comes. Glad that your son has convinced you to take up writing if your blog is anything to go by you'll be onto a winner.

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  10. It sounds as though things are going pretty well - always good! (Illness apart...hope you've perked up now) Great photos, too: your hand must be so steady to capture these shots. Fingers crossed that Honey will be okay and that your rambles can continue - so worrying when spouse/pets/off-spring are poorly. And as to the writing! An excellent idea from Sam of five or ten minutes a day - all writing is good, whether others read your words or they are just for your own eyes: enjoy!
    And have another Twix xx

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  11. I wish I could write, I wish I could sing too, but I can't, I can do other stuff so I guess that's ok. I hope your wee dog is ok, it's so hard to watch them get older. Wow a time machine, where to go? So much choice. Have a great weekend x

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  12. Best advice ever from your son. You were born to write so stop procrastinating woman! I've been so busy thinking how to keep my bees happy I had totally forgotten about the butterflies. Just one problem if I attract the butterflies to stay there will be more for my daft cat to catch..butterfly brain and butterfly appetite. I'd love a time machine My first port of call would be to chat to William the conquerer in 1066 to sort out the battle of Hastings so Harold could win. Wonder what England would have been like if Harold had won? Hope Honey is ok. B xx

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  13. Such a lovely post, Leanne. Spring optimism is just bursting off the page. Screen, whatever. Yes Sam is right, you must write as you've got a genuine talent for it! Truly.

    I love the idea of you inspecting your garden with a brew each morning. I really noticed today how everything had suddenly grown just over the last week. Except my tulips which remain stubbornly unfurled, dammit. Xx

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  15. What a lovely idea for a butterfly garden. You have inspired me :-) (I'll miss CT too). However, I'll leave the writing to you as you clearly have a natural affinity :-x

    And that is clearly why I shouldn't be a writer.....can't even post a comment without a typo!!

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