Tuesday 27 April 2010

Mist and Magic.



This morning I woke to a secret garden, one shrouded and ethereal in its cloak of swirling mist. This was no gothic landscape though as even through the dense shifting blanket swathes of blue forget-me-nots and cherry blossom umbels sweeping on laden branches over the pond gave far too cheery a feel to the atmosphere to suggest mystery and chill. Now the mist is lifting and I wonder if I imagined the secret land outside the kitchen window as it returns once more to scenes such as these...



Something shifts at the end of the garden, its sleek black head searching for prey (or more likely a place to sleep).



A panther stalks deep in the grasses beneath the little orchard, the scarlet tulips blowing lazily in the breeze under the twisted branches of an old gnarled apple tree. The blossoms are beginning to break and the panther collapses in a patch of warm sunlight to rest his weary bones - and I am being ironic here as Fatty Arbuckle is far too lazy to ever stalk anything.



All around the fruit trees are wreathing themselves with confetti blossom, the contrast with bright new leaves giving the impression of light even when the skies are dull.



I so love this time of year and all the different blossoms it produces. Our fruiting cherry tree is huge and old. This year it is flowering profusely after a few years where it needed a break it seems.



Just so very, very beautiful and it fills the view from our kitchen window almost making the washing up less of a chore than a pleasure...almost



The ducks - the very naughty ducks, but more of that in a moment - have made a nest of woven beauty and I discovered several large eggs once Biscuit waddled off for a drink. I took them inside and left her three to sit on, but already she is bored and has abandoned them in that way of ducks. Not the best of sitters really and eggs are better hatched with a broody hen if need be.



And why naughty? Well, they were busily ambling through the garden when I looked out just now. Hmmm...



Not for long I might add!



The beds are beginning to fill with peonies and chives, oregano and poppies, muscari and yet more tulips, the myriad colours pleasing me in a way I used to dislike. It's strange how we change our ideas of things isn't it?

.

So much colour



and this one only planted at the end of February.



As a change of scene, the river this morning was just wonderful with boats emerging from the mist on milky water.



Still, quiet, magical.



Little Dennis peeped its turrets out of the shroud further along the river at the mouth to the estuary



and lime greens stood out in the strange light.



Altogether a pretty day.

Bye for now x

Monday 19 April 2010

Spring Unfolds.




So much is happening in the garden now, the promise of more to come while pretty blossoms break out all around. The Merryweather damson is frothing away in the little woodland bed.



Tulips in all shades of orange and red and pink are opening, more by the day and yellow ones still only beginning to show colour.



The sloe is in full flow, pretty bright white blooms against dark, brittle stems. It will scatter its confetti onto the campfire below.




All around scarlet tulips vie with blue, blue muscari, the gooseberry bush forming a spiky contrast.



Snow white magnolia stellata is covered in cup-shaped blooms in the duck pen. The shape is so much prettier than is usual as they have 'pruned' the lower shoots over the years to form an elegant posy of the branches. Good things from bad maybe?



These are some of the tulips I planted at the end of February proving that anything in horticulture is worth a try if you don't mind the odd failure. All the ones I planted this late are covered in buds and seem none the worse for it....this time.



A hazy-ish view through part of the garden to the old, battered greenhouse behind.



On another note, Elias makes amazing pasta and he and Dave made this wonderful ravioli filled with homemade pesto. So delicious.



This morning Isabella and I went to Swanpool beach and saw these beauties sailing serenely past on the calm ocean waters.



So beautiful



I could have stayed there for ages with the hot sun beating down even this early in the day.



And on they swam oblivious to anything but themselves.



Last post update: it was Belgium - we mostly stayed in the pretty town of Ghent which I loved for its very chilled out Cornish feel, but there are also one or two pics of Brussels in there. Well done to those who guessed and I truly will catch up on blogs soon!

That's all for today. Have fun x

Tuesday 13 April 2010

Guess Where!



Guess where I've been!



There were hat shops



and cake shops



and medieval architecture



by the riverside.



I was lucky enough to spend time alone with my pretty girl walking around the lanes



and travelling on trains to new places



where we walked... and walked ...and walked.



Though we did manage to fit in a little lazing too (on a manmade beach - a tiny clue maybe?)



Such fun, but lovely to be back in sunny Cornwall too.



So, any ideas where we went?



P.s. Thank you to everyone who emailed to check I am ok. I will get back to you all shortly you lovely people x

Thursday 1 April 2010

Beachy Days.



Rain and cold and cloudy, but with breaks in-between. Spring then? April is here and Easter lurks just around the corner, my favourite time of year (well, along with autumn that is). Bright, breezy walks in dazzling light...



A very low tide allowing wellies to squelch into the sand.



In the hedgerows swirls of golden lichen hug the branches



and form intricate patterns to follow on their journey.



We play follow my leader through fields and lanes down to the sea once more



and splash through puddles on the way home.



Another day, a brighter sky.



A dog who loves to play in the sea



A beautiful growing-up-girl already tanned from the Cornish winds.



Isabella lookink a little like Lawrence of Arabia thanks to a weird combination of hats to protect her ears after a recent infection.



Razor shells and limpets and...



deep dark pools



and pretty seaweeds



of all kinds



Just lovely



don't you think?



Bye for now x