A good week

The week started well with sunny skies and on Easter Monday we walked into the woods with the visiting family.

It's beautiful at this time of year with patches of wood anemones carpeting the ground

and wild daffodils beside the woodland tracks.

Once our visitors had returned to London I got to work in the garden. It has had no attention for months. My damaged wrist had put paid to work in the autumn and biting weather stopped any action in early spring.

In spite of neglect things are looking well. I like the way that the 'St Patrick' daffodils fade to a paler colour as they age.

Just for a change the squirrels haven't eaten all my tulip bulbs and I've got quite a good display!

The camellias are weathering the cold night temperatures quite well with only a little burning on some of the blooms. I always marvel at how exotic they look.

This Japanese peony is in a pot in the greenhouse, it will be put outside when summer comes.

The greenhouse is crammed with stuff. 

Some pots have been put outside, others go out in the day and get popped back in for overnight protection when the temperature drops. 

But I need to clear the decks to have room for potting on my seedlings.

The auriculas are starting to flower and repaying my efforts of replanting and dealing with the vine weevil grubs that can't seem to resist them.

No such trouble with the common primrose - they flower with gay abandon all over the place!

Friday skywatch

We've had a week of glorious weather, sunshine and no harsh winds. On Easter Monday half a dozen balloons came floating by, the first one quite low over the house. There were about a dozen people in the basket waving and calling out 'Happy Easter!' I went to get my camera for the other balloons but they drifted some distance away towards the sunset.

For Friday Skywatch.

Easter Sunday

We have enjoyed such a lovely Easter. The weather was kind, still and dry -  and almost warm!
On Sunday morning, along with hordes of other folk, we browsed amongst the bric-a-brac of Frome's 'reclaim the streets' event, held on the first Sunday of every month.

It's always a cheerful occasion, the town full of makers, collectors and enthusiastic browsers.

The bakemonger's cakes are a work of art.

And some of the stall holders are just as colourful!

Frome is famous for it's vintage clothing shops so it can seem a bit of a time warp experience.

We walked along the quiet back streets on our way back to the car. The town has many beautiful old houses such as this one with it's magnolia tree just coming into bloom.

We were on our way to 'The Talbot' in Mells for a family Sunday lunch. They'd put the bunting out. Not for us, as it happened, but for the daffodil festival taking place on Easter Monday.

The meal was delicious. With a 'proper' Yorkshire pud!

After which a walk around the village.

The walled garden house has a pigeon loft and is just one of many attractive houses in Mells.

Good Friday Skywatch

No matter where I point my camera at the sky for today's Skywatch Friday it's the same story - grey! Even this pink blossom has taken on the overwhelming greyness.
But at ground level there's plenty of colour to be seen.

Branches are sprouting

and the 'St Patrick's Day' daffodils are flowering, albeit rather late for their particular party.

Bulbs are starting to put on a bit of a show although the weather is too cold for any scent to be enjoyed. 

A week of extreme wind has given the camellia bushes a hard time, scorching the flowers and leaves.

It's best to bring a few blooms into the house to appreciate their beauty.

I've decorated the house a little for Easter with small eggs that dangle from branches.

In the kitchen there are more dangly eggs in paler colours. They are made of thin plastic and feel just like real, blown eggs. (But of course the best ones are made of chocolate!)

Wishing you a very happy Easter.