Tuesday 26 March 2013

SPRING DISAPPEARED AND WINTER CAME BACK!




Winter has still got a grip on us here in the North West of the UK.   And in other parts too - out of the town there are snowdrifts and blocked roads.   The pictures on TV look horrendous.   Luckily we have gas and electricity, and all the roads are free, certainly in the town.   My Tesco (supermarket) order came early, as the delivery man said some orders had been cancelled as the roads to Buxton, across the moors, were blocked with snow.

But this time last year we were basking in hot sunshine, wondering if anything in our garden would grow if the hot weather continued.   But of course, it didn't and it was the wettest and coldest summer on record for I don't know how many years!   And now we have the coldest March and the coldest Easter for some years to make the record books.   Though I can remember, when my daughter was much younger, that we had snow at Easter, and we actually went sledging on Easter Monday.   That was very early April.

Those That Know tell us it is all due to global warming, and the loss of Arctic ice has somehow pushed the jet stream further south, which is why we are dragging cold air from Siberia down to here.   And global warming is also blamed for the hurricanes like Sandy, and the droughts/floods/cold in the USA.

I can't see any reason to doubt these Scientists.   I know there are those who say its all a natural cycle, and so it may be, but I am sure the human race has speeded it up a lot.   I try and do my bit towards all this, but its hard sometimes to know what is right - saving on one thing seems to involve using a lot of something else which is more dangerous!

But whatever the reason for the cold spell, I wish it would pack its bags and go away!   I am tired of negotiating slippery ice-covered paths in the Park, or having to walk on the grass.   (Did that yesterday and fell into a small snow drift!)   I want Spring back, with Summer on the way, so I can pack away all my winter woollies, most of which are now wearing out, and look several pounds thinner in lighter clothes!

Happy Easter to you all!

Monday 11 March 2013

SPRING !

I always think Spring is just around the corner when the crocuses come out. At the end of our garden, under an apple tree, we have a little group that come out, usually first - before the ones nearer the house.



The ones nearer the house are unfortunately under the bird feeders, and so tend to get trampled down by blackbirds and wood pigeons looking for bits that have been dropped. Also by big furry paws - our dog cannot tell a flower bed from a nice well-cut lawn!



I can never decide whether I prefer the white and purple striped ones........



.........or the big purple ones. So I make sure I have both.

Gardening-wise, I have done a bit of pruning, rescued some daffodils in danger of being dug up/trampled on as Mr.G did a bit of gardening work, and studied the bulbs in pots and troughs. Which are rather slow coming up. However, the daffodils I planted on Boxing Day are coming up nicely, though the 40 free ones Mr.G brought home from the Garden Centre, and which got planted at the right time, are rather dilatory in appearing!

I have some beautiful flowers indoors, which my daughter brought me for Mothering Sunday (I much prefer the old, and correct name, rather than Mother's Day!!) plus some daffodils from Church. The children, rather over enthusiastically sometimes, make sure every woman in the church has a bunch to take home. No enquiries made as to motherhood status! Which is really as it should be, I think. Nothing is more embarrassing for a single woman, apart from teenagers maybe, to have to stand whilst all around her clutch flowers!

I will be glad to get home this afternoon to enjoy my flowers - I have a dental appointment to look forward to first!

Spring will soon be here - and Easter as well! Then surely the year will turn the corner into some sun and warmth?