Signs of Spring!?! (2)

Today is the Winter Solstice, viewed by some as the start of winter, by me as the turning of the year, with longer days to look forward to. It is NOT normally the date on which blackheaded gulls show off their newly moulted black heads to the girlies, but there was one such on the roof opposite this morning. Through the eyeglass it still looked a bit sparse, actually, but definitely all over his head, not just the usual winter spots.

New (to my garden) birds on the red jasmine this morning - either marsh tits or willow tits, I can't tell the difference. Two of them and I watched them for half an hour or so, exploring everywhere. Of course, it doesn't lose its leaves very much, so it's one of the bushiest bushes around at the moment. There are lots of sparrows, of course, up to a dozen at a time again, and they seem to be roosting in the escallonia where they have their nesting colony; I do hope they aren't planning on nesting already! Also this morning at the feeders I have had a coal tit (on seeds, not peanuts) two collared doves who landed on the feeder, had a look round and went away again, and Christmas Dinner, the crumb addicted wood pigeon. Tomorrow I shall substitute sage and onion stuffing mix for the breadcrumbs, and on Wednesday glue, ready for the pot!

One of things I wonder about is the fat balls. I have never seen any bird, of any species, eating them, although they are gradually going down, and there are little beak marks in evidence. I only put them up about three weeks ago, in a proper fat ball feeder cage. I did see sparrows vainly trying to hover and peck (not having the sense or the ability, perhaps, to cling on to the wire of the cage), so I have fixed a piece of twig across the bottom to make perches. This was about four days ago, but I've yet to see any evidence that they are being used. One sparrow likes peanuts and often goes to the peanut feeder, but sits on the perch at the bottom. Another odd thing is that when I look at varieties of bird seed not one is intended for sparrows, but that's what I've got, pretty well, so that's what I shall cater for.

Signs of Spring!?!

I saw my first celandine in flower today, down in the Coombe. There's euphorbia in flower down at the creek, as well, although in my garden it isn't quite ready yet.

Nature notes again

On Thursday last I took the dog to Latchbrook, where I noticed lots of snowdrops (plants, not flowers). Yesterday I saw some daffodil shoots in the garden (both front and back), so at least some of the 50 bulbs I put in are still alive so far. I was a bit worried, though, because I thought it was way too soon. This morning, however, I observe that there are also daffodil shoots in the coombe, and a few bluebell shoots coming through.

On our way to Churchtown yesterday afternoon we passed a field with some young cattle in it, about thirty or so not quite calves but not yet bullocks or heifers sized. The farmer had put down some feed for them and they were walking all over it. In among their legs an egret was prowling, quite unconcerned for the nearness of muddy hooves and tails, rooting for insects in the hay.

Interesting Times...

The last couple of days have been rather more full of incident than is usual for my quiet life.

On Thursday Ron, who has got into the habit of slobbing about in trackie bottoms, tried on every pair of trousers he possesses, even his suit, to find something to wear for his sister's 60th birthday dinner, and couldn't get in to any of them. So we decided that a trip into the Bill Tall shop in Plymouth was in order, and it was booked in for after yoga on Friday morning.

Before yoga on Friday morning I met the downstairs neighbours on the doorstep and was told about a problem with their gas fire. An engineer had been called for. Ty and I slithered our way through the woods for half an hour, then I went off to my class.

I was having a quick cup of coffee before leaving (about 11.45) when we had a call from the Eye Infirmary to say that Ron's lens and glasses were ready. The dispenser would be there until 1pm, so we decided to do that before the shopping. We had our coats on when the doorbell rang: Fred and Josie had had their gas cut off because it was so dangerous, he had been sent to the Doctor's and had a note for them both to go to Derriford A&E asap to be checked for carbon monoxide poisoning. So we dropped them there, then dashed to the Eye Infirmary. The glasses are great but when he tried the new lens it made his eye sore, so we put the old one back in left it to try again later.

Shopping was interesting. In very rapid succession he picked out a pair of black trousers, an extra long black shirt, a pair of black slip on shoes and a cream silk extra long tie. I can't remember the last time I actually made him go shopping as opposed to me doing it for him or getting stuff from catalogues. It's a bit too expensive to let it happen too often!

We had lunch in town - OAPs special cod and chips etc - and came home. My intention was to take Ty for a very long tiring walk so that he would be happy to be left at home while we were out, but it got very bleak with a biting wind and hard, solid, horizontal rain, so we had as much as I could stand and came back. When I turned back half way round skylark field, which is very exposed, he came along with me quite happily till we got to the gate, but then tried to take me off down to the woods instead of up the lane towards home. He obviously knew I was trying to cheat him!

By the time John and Steph came to pick us up at six the rain was torrential, and it didn't stop all night. It was a long drive to the Fox and Hounds (just over an hour and a half) and very unpleasant, but we had a lovely evening with good food and good company. On the way back the roads were flooded in places but just about passable - I read on the news this morning that there had been some places where people had had to be rescued.

That was Friday. Saturday dawned dry but soggy underfoot, and even more 'interesting', if that's possible. I'd hoped for a bit of a lie in, but Fred was ringing the doorbell very early, fully recovered from his scare of yesterday, wanting to borrow the chariot, which Ron had offered to him while his own car is being re-engined. So I got up and showed him how it worked. While I was doing that John next door came over to say his battery was dead, and could be take up Ron's kind offer of the loan of a spare one until he could get a new one (last week it was only the battery charger he needed). That sorted, I had a coffee before taking Ty down to the creek.

When we got back a young man was trying to start a people carrier which had been parked in a rather interesting manner outside the garages. He had apparently dropped some stuff off in his garage on Friday night and the vehicle had died on him in the pouring rain. He had walked round with one of those emergency power pack thingies, which of course was having no effect whatsoever, so I brought the monster truck round and gave him a jump start. I'm having a sign for the front door - 'Hazel's Auto Solutions'!

Away Day in the Frozen North (Midlands)

Today was the coldest dawn I can remember since we lived here, and it also happened to be the day we had to drive to Stafford and back to collect the new campervan 'im indoors has bought on eBay.

I walked out of the front door about 7.45am, took two steps and slid the rest of the way to the fence, in spite of wearing sensible walking boots. From there I held on very tight along the path and down the steps, from where I was in the woods and walking on non slippy stuff. A gentle rain was falling, which was freezing as it hit the ground, so by the time we got back half an hour later it was quite icy everywhere.

We spent ten minutes or so de-icing the monster truck before we could start off - and then, of course, we had extreme difficulty getting it to the top of the hill. Down the other side and over the bridge was easier, although I was glad I wasn't driving at that time. Once we got on to the main road it was quiet and peaceful, light traffic and easy driving, so we made pretty good time up the motorway, although Miss TomTom chose to take us the scenic route for the last bit, down the quiet country lanes which were still frozen and quite slidery.

The campervan was good, the deal was done, we came back in convoy (slowly) as far as Strensham, where Ron and I had sausages and mash and a cup of tea, then I took the monster truck and the dog home and left him to follow on at Transit van speed...

When I got home I expected the dog to want to go straight off for a walk, but he insisted on going into the house. Once there, he inspected all the rooms (looking for his Best Pal) then had a whimper and sat on the stairs, quite depressed. I had a cup of tea. Some three quarters of an hour later, he heard Ron arriving and jumped up and down until I let him out to meet him. THEN he wanted a walk, all excitement, so I took him past the Big Tree and up behind Cowdray until we heard a Transit manoeuvering, whereupon he stopped stock still, then turned round and ran home. I could have told him that the van we heard was up on St Stephens, but he wasn't risking losing his Best Pal again! Dogs is weird, is all I can say.

Other weird things today: Over the road there is a garden with a camellia in bloom (well it's got two flowers on). I saw a field full of sheep with lambs just this side of Exeter on the way up this morning. I saw a blackbird bathing in the stream when I took the dog down the creek this morning. And I saw a buzzard flying low across the motorway with a rat in its talons, also on the way up the motorway this morning.

Enough odd stuff. Time for bed!

Winter Wonderland...

This is what I consider to be perfect winter weather - a heavy frost followed by a clear, calm blue sky. Down at the creek this morning the water was completely still, although it wasn't possible to see all the way across for the steam rising off it.

The sandpiper has been joined by a curlew. I wonder sometimes why we only ever seem to have one each of this occasional bird varieties - one egret, one sandpiper, one curlew, one kingfisher.

'Wintry' Weather

After a couple of really cold days, yesterday morning appeared to be slightly warmer, wet underfoot instead of frosty as I set out to take the dog to the woods. So, of course, I was oblivious to the big patch of black ice halfway down the steps leading down to the coombe, and landed face down on the concrete. Luckily for me, my face was actually over the edge and I was wearing fleece lined waterproof trousers and jacket (and gloves) so I was mostly unhurt although a little shaken.

I should have known better, of course. The dog had actually slipped in exactly the same spot the day before, landing spreadeagled and looking very shocked. I wasn't holding on to the handrail because it was visibly wet. Ah, well, one lives and learns to be a bit more careful next time. And it gave me the opportunity to make use of the gritting sand the council kindly provided for the community about five years ago, and which has never been used because it hasn't been cold or icy enough since.

Today it was slightly warmer again, here, although the rest of the country is still, I understand, gripped with ice and snow. It was actually very bright, too bright for safety, when I was driving to the resource centre this morning, with the sun low down and the glare from the wet roads.