Lunch in Derbyshire and our Garden in May

What good weather we're enjoying at the moment here in the UK!  Along with the sunny weather there's the need for watering the plants in pots so that they don't dry out.  This weekend I celebrated another birthday.  Lily-of-the valley is the flower that has been chosen for May and I'm pleased that my plant has flowered.  I keep it in a pot as it tends to spread.  

I was given lots of lovely birthday gifts, many of them flower related.  Our son came for a visit on Friday and we had lunch together and yesterday local daughter took us out for Sunday lunch in a country pub restaurant with heat-hazy views of the Derbyshire countryside. 

One of the gifts that Mr P and I can both enjoy is this bird table.  Mr P assembled it as it came in various pieces.  It was fun putting it together!  

One day last week I took another walk in the local walled garden and spotted lilies and an amaryllis in the glasshouse.

My own amaryllis called "Dancing Queen" that was given to us by a grandson in 2018 has produced flowers every year since.  We keep it in the covered yard and each year it gradually comes to life and produces several flowers.

There are red peonies in our garden, alliums, self-seeding poppies, lilies and much more blooming there.

It really is a beautiful time of year in the garden.  May is also Chelsea Flower Show time and we shall be watching the televised programmes that the BBC will put on this week.

Thank you for your visit.  I hope you're enjoying the sunshine where you live.  Have a good day and week!

Five on Friday: Spring Flowers

Our week has been a fairly quiet one.  It has been uplifting to see some sunshine and patches of blue sky although there have been the inevitable rain showers too.  

We've stayed local and, in fact, we're enjoying the sight of plants flourishing and growing on sunny window sills, in the covered yard and in the garden.  

We've phoned Mr P's widowed sister in Italy several times this week and have also spoken to her son who together with the rest of the family are looking after her.  He told us that he and his mother will travel over to the UK to stay for a while with him, his wife and family in Wales where they recently bought land, a house and stables as they keep horses. During the time of the funeral our nephew's wife stayed at home to look after the horses.  After the Easter period nephew G will accompany his mother back to her home in Italy where she'll be looked after by her family who live there.  Our local daughter may take us to Wales to see Mr P's sister and family as we've been invited to stay overnight.   Also flights and a hire car have been booked by our daughter for a time in Italy later in the year.  The time in Wales and Italy will be full of emotion, but we're grateful for these special times when we can spend them with Mr P's family.

Thank you for your visit.  I'll catch up with you soon.  Have a good day and weekend.

Snow Again

Snow started to fall here in the north.  It settled and froze overnight.  By mid morning yesterday the snow looked wet, but we didn't test the theory by going out on slippery pavements or use the car.  There are sure to be icy patches on the roads.  

More snow continues to fall, hasn't stopped and gets deeper and deeper by the day.  (It's now Friday).

I've shared snow photos before, but for the record here are the ones I've taken from windows in our house over the last few days.

The daffodils and irises are covered in a layer of snow.  The tulips that are just breaking through the earth in their pots will, no doubt, survive and give us pleasure as they bloom when the Spring finally arrives.

I rescued the daffodils, arranged them in a vase and placed them in the front bay window.

The covered yard is a useful place to over-winter our many pot plants. Tomato plants are stored on indoor window sills where they get warmth, light and a drink of water when necessary.

Neighbours have been out and about, but we stay put for now.  We're thankful for a roof over our heads, food in the store cupboard and hobbies that interest us. We think of those who are having to get to and from work and all who are not doing so well in difficult circumstances.  

Take care everyone.  

Thank you for coming by, Linda.

A Local Walk

The sun was out today and although there was a nip in the air it was just the weather to go for a walk up the hill to the Common.  

Clumps of miniature daffodils and a bank of crocuses planted by local residents were in bloom, dog walkers were making the most of the dry weather to take their dogs for a run.  Some of them were managing several dogs on leads and it was an opportunity to say a friendly "hello".

Nature notes and talks for different groups had been posted on the notice board.  The tree for the month of March is the hazel.

The bracken is dry and brown at this time of the year.  The white trunks of the birch trees stand out against the blue sky as does a distant village.

It was good to get out in the fresh air again.  It's not far to walk back home downhill passed houses large and small and the parish church.

These are the flowers in bloom in our garden today.  Various varieties of daffodil, miniature irises, snowdrops and scillas.

I heard the distinctive song of the robin and then saw it perched high up in the hawthorn tree where there are berries still clinging on to the branches.

I picked the snowdrops from the garden as they were in danger of being nibbled at by some small bug.  They look pretty arranged with sage leaves in a small vase.

 Thank you for your visit.  Have a good day!