Tuesday 21 January 2014

Four days in January

Despite the rain, we've been enjoying the odd bit of sun around here.


Saturday was a porridge kind of a day.  We needed oats to fortify us against the mud and the chill of morning football training.



As it happened, three out of the weekend's five football things were cancelled because of waterlogged pitches.  There was a bit of disappointment.  It wasn't mine.

On Sunday, the middle boy was unwell, so I took the other two to Slimbridge for some fresh air and birds.  The sun was out, and it was busy both with people and with lapwings.  They're such beautiful birds, with a lovely butterfly kind of flight.


Towards the end of the afternoon, the Bewick's swans fly in from wherever they have been grazing during the day for a feed at the Wetlands Trust.  They come here from Arctic Russia for the winter, and the staff at Slimbridge (and other WWT places) feed them with grain to build them up for the return trip and the subsequent breeding season.



We spent a while watching the little "garden" birds on the feeders.




As always, I was watching the sunset.  It's the most magical time of day for me.



It was freezing once the sun went down.  Time to go home for jacket potatoes and cranberry flapjacks.  We don't mess about when it comes to carb-loading in winter.   We're like Arctic swans in fact.

On Monday the middle boy stayed home from school and we played Monopoly ALL morning.  And we had hot chocolate.  And I ignored everything that needed doing.  Oh it was bliss.


He was off again today.  He had a little project on the go, which involved a letter and a painting.



I pottered round doing a few mundane chores, and I had a little wander in the garden.  On the way to Slimbridge at the weekend I stopped at a local farm for eggs and picked up this lovely plant while I was there.


It's a hebe, although I'm not sure which one.  The tops of the foliage are a beautiful deep red colour.  I'm not sure if it would normally flower in January, we shall see.  I also planted a little morello cherry tree in the front garden, which is basically a square of gravel at the moment.  I'm determined to add some plants this year, and this was the first.


The soil under the weed-proof membrane looked pretty dead, so it might need some work.  I added some manure and a granular soil improver.  I forgot to take a picture of the finished planting, but really, it's a stick poking out of the ground - nothing to see yet.  I'm hopeful for cherries in a year or two though, I haven't forgotten the ones that my neighbour gave me back in the summer.  I cooked them with sugar and poured them over Greek yoghurt, and honestly, it was divine.  The sharpness of the cherries made the yoghurt taste like cream.  The best thing I ate from the garden/allotment all season.

I can feel a little interest in the garden stirring at the moment.  I'm starting to make plans and think about seeds and wonder what I'll grow this year.  There's lots to be done, just as soon as there are some dry days.
The front garden will be a little project for the next couple of months I think.  It's north-facing, so I need to be a bit careful what I plant.  Morello cherries should be fine, but there's almost no sun, so I need to find some shade-lovers.  I'm thinking box, Christmas box, maybe bay, perhaps a hosta or two and ferns.  I've also got a little magnolia that might be nice.  Most of the plants are very small - they're cheaper to buy when they're small - so it might be a while before it starts looking nice.  And I'm not sure I'm really any good at making a garden look nice.  It might look kind of plonked together.  But I shall try and no doubt I shall learn.  I'm aiming for lots of green, and any suggestions you have will be gratefully received.

34 comments:

  1. Looks as though you had a lovely time on your visit to Slimbridge! xx

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  2. Your birds are so beautiful, especially the little painted one. Such a talent he has.

    We went to the bird sanctuary on Saturday, but the winter birds have not arrived yet. Surely with all the snow up north, they shall be here soon. Then I will have some pretty pictures too.

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  3. Ha! I was wondering how you managed a waterlogged football weekend, but it looks like you lucked out! The last tourney I was at, I had rainboots on the entire time. :) Here when they play in the rain we say, "Look, it's just like every premiere league match!" hehe. The bird photos are lovely, as is Middle Boy's painting. Very impressive. It's nice to have a quality day together. Much of that "stuff" will still be there, when things are "back to routine".

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  4. What a lovely post! The birds are gorgeous. Diffenately recommended Christmas box...ours looks so verant and the scent is intoxicating, be brave and buy the small ones in a few years rthey really do take shape xx

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  5. Oh you had me at shade friend! I am a lover of the shady spots of my garden and have a whole binder full of plants for you!!! I can surely email some to you if you would like?!?! I also have a great shade book under my books section of my blog...it has some really fantastic species for all different climates and various levels of shade. Your shots as always are gorgeous! I would frame that one of the swans flying in! SO glad you were able to take it slow with your son and his painting is precious! How exciting to have planted your tree! I have been up to my ears in garden plans! Cant wait! Take care you! Nicole

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  6. So interesting to see these places you visit. The photo of the swans is incredible. I can't believe how many of them there are. I hope your son is feeling better. Mine is staying home with me again tomorrow. His fever broke today but he's still under the weather and I don't want to push it. I would hate to see him feel poorly at school. His sister has preschool tomorrow and I will have to take him with me but I think he's ready for it as long as he stays away from the little ones. Your son's painting is beautiful, you could frame that one.

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  7. Gorgeous photos of the birds and middle boy's painting is really, really good. Can't beat a 'sick' day (as long as they don't feel too ill!) just spending time with one of your children now and again is a pleasure. Hope he is feeling better now. Julie x

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  8. Your sons painting is really, really good, you must be so proud.

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  9. Beautiful photos especially the sunset ones. You have a budding artist there with middle boy haven't you?

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  10. Nice post and terrific photos. I like the oystercatcher drawing. Flighty xx

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  11. I do love sunsets and sunrises! Your pictures are wonderful We also have lot of rains. I am not feeding the birds are the temperatures are so mild that they don't need it...
    My entire yard and garden are north oriented and I use this winter to do researches for plants that are shade tolerant. I have done researches in regards of the colors I am planning to use, so it is of course a limited list, here are some of them: Astilbe, Snowball Viburnum, hosta, phlox, bergenia, hellebore, chinese ground orchid, heuchera, dead nettle, solomon's seal, trillium, bunchberry, checkered lily, pulmonaria. Hope this help

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  12. The painting is fabulous, I think you may have an artist on your hands there. I hope he's feeling better today. We were at the local RSPB reserve on Sunday too, they're such wonderful places to visit.

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  13. A lovely post, CJ, with some superb photos. I especially loved the Slimbridge pics and seeing the beautiful Bewicks. I love the little garden birds, too - and those gorgeous sunsets. Your son's painting of the Oystercatcher is terrific.

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  14. Oh CJ! This post was very moving. There is always something magical about the stories you tell and the photos you post and this was no exception! The bird photos are marvelous and inspiring. I could feel my heart lifting up with to the sky with those swans! I also think that watercolor is quite beautiful! what loveliness!! xo

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  15. The bird photos are amazing CJ! I find it really difficult to take photographs of the little garden birds because the never sit still.
    I hope your middle boy is better today. It is this time of year, isn't it? I have my oldest at home just now but unfortunately he is too poorly to play today. Maybe tomorrow.

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  16. Sometimes when one of your children is ill it really makes you stop and just relax and be with them. I think that is so important to them, just being there helps them feel special. Glad he is feeling better. The painting is amazing, he is very talented.
    And so are you taking all those photos of the beautiful birds.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  17. Thanks for the bird pictures - they are great. I had never heard of a Bewick Swan before, so I learned something new today! I am impressed with your son's painting - way better than what I could do! This would be a good post to link on my friend Chrisy's blog. She does a Reconnecting with Nature link-up each week, and the fact that you went birding with your boys is wonderful. http://goodnorthcoastlife.blogspot.com/2014/01/reconnect-with-nature-one-photograph-at_22.html

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  18. Beautiful. beautiful. beautiful. photos. I'm still smiling that you weren't disappointed over some of the games cancelling. ;) blessings ~ tanna

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  19. That's a huge flock of lapwings. No Bewicks round here I'm afraid. I also see that you favour the same breakfast as we do!

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    Replies
    1. I've just noticed the spelling of 'porage' on the box of oats. I've been buying the stuff for ages and only just noticed!

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  20. Everything is so beautiful! And this painting! I can feel an artistic nature there! Good luck with your morello cherry tree, I love it so much!
    Have a nice evening!
    Olympia

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  21. Hey CJ,

    Your boy's watercolour of the Osytercatcher is fabulous. And I'm sure that your front garden will look wonderful. Hostas, Camellias, Hydrangeas will all do well in shade. In fact I'm sure that I read somewhere that Camellias don't enjoy morning sun. I like the idea of cherry tree, so I shall watch with interest. I would like a couple of dwarf fruit tress for the garden - it isn't big enough for anything else. And your own pictures of the birds at Slimbridge are lovely. I have happy memories of school trips there. Apart from the geese who ambushed you over the bridge.

    Have a good week,

    Leanne xx

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  22. Lovely photos, especially the ones from Slimbridge and nice to hear your garden plans, I'm struggling to find an interest in ours at the moment, but hopefully with a little more sun peeping through I'll find some energy to get out there and clear up all the slimy leaves :) Thanks for popping over to my blog and leaving a comment - so nice to discover yours in return. Beth

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  23. So envious every time you go to Slimbridge, I so love it there. This Spring I will make time to go. Great to see the swans flying in too. :)

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  24. Love that first photo of the teddy and his shadow! You must be a very creative family - your son's painting of the oystercatcher is just brilliant!

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  25. These are some of the most beautiful photographs I've seen from this season. That drawing from the middle boy is about as good as I could do. I love the looks of it :) Hope he is feeling better.

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  26. Beautiful birds! That’s too bad your son wasn’t feeling well, but how nice it must have been to just play games with him. Those are the best kinds of days. How wonderful you’re cultivating a garden! You have such an amazing green thumb that I know it will be beautiful and produce delicious things Hope you’re having another lovely and sunny day!

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  27. Your son's got real talent, I love his oyster catcher. We may not share his skills but we definitely share your carb loading instincts at the moment - getting through bucket loads of flapjacks. There's clearly something about this weather that calls out for them...

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  28. Your middle sons painting is wonderful, such talent. No plant advice I'm afraid not had to find any shade loving plants is yet.

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  29. How exciting to be planning your front garden, CJ. I remember having the same panic when I had to design a shaded courtyard garden for college but then found there are lots of plants that will survive shaded conditions. Just remember to vary the colour/texture/shape of the plant and keep mostly to evergreens so you're not staring at twigs all winter! I've got two morello cherry trees in the gardens here, they produced lots of fruit 18 months after planting so you might not have that long to wait! Echoing what's been said above, wonderful bird photos, I especially like the robin at sunset - gorgeous! And tell your boy that we all think he's very talented ('cos he is). C xx

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  30. Thanks for popping by my blog. I'm very envious of your photos of birds - I fail every time I try! Hope you are having a good weekend. I was hoping rugby would be cancelled for my son (I know it's wrong!) but no such luck! x

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  31. Wow what a fabulous contribution to the bird watch this weekend!! I was just watching all those geese on the wintersatch when Sophie Darlington went to film in Welney, it was quite spectacular. Enjoy your weekend xoxo

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  32. I popped back to this post, hoping there might be a photo of your son's oystercatcher drawing ... and wow, so glad I did! The drawing is indeed excellent - you must be very proud of his talent. And your bird photos are simply amazing.

    Winter is definitely carb-loading time. I just finished a bowl of porridge myself. :)

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