Today we woke up to the first official day of British Summertime. I don’t mind losing an hour of sleep as it feels so positive: the run up to long warm Summer evenings spent in the garden or sauntering along the lane after an evening meal. Have you ever noticed how many more people you meet as friends and neighbours come out of Winter hibernation, drawn by gentle warmth and longer hours of daylight?
The birds definitely know it’s Spring; the dawn chorus is wonderful and there is song and activity throughout the day. The bird feeders in the oak tree are a delight to watch as lots of small birds avail themselves of an easy meal – I’d rather the jackdaws stayed away however, we call them the ‘football hooligans’ as they descend in gangs, raid the feeders and even manage to fling them to the ground. The small birds return immediately the vandals have flown off and seem unhassled by the whole performance.
Rabbits are also much in evidence, with some small ones already running around the lawns. They save us a lot of fuel for the lawn mower by keeping the grass short but, unfortunately, they won’t eat weeds! I wasn’t happy last Summer however when one of their number ate every single fruit from my little fig tree – I had no idea they could reach it – I’d been watching them ripening with much anticipation but I obviously wasn’t alone because one day every fig was gone! I hope the guilty little perisher had a tummy ache!
Up on the ‘daffodil lawn’, just above the Cottage, the flowers are in full bloom now – it’s a picture every year, with all those sunny yellow heads nodding gently in the breeze – and the hyacinths and camellia are looking so lovely around the garden. It won’t be long before our woods are carpeted with bluebells again.
I really love the arrival of Spring here at Coed y Berclas but I must start making plans to protect my figs this year!
Dorothy