April in pictures

bluebell wood

in the garden

sun through leaves

'bridal wreath'

lamb in grass

tadpoles in pond - still going strong!

It's been a while since I posted photos for the sake of it...there are lots more but compressing and watermarking takes time...here's a taster.

spring in my step

Andy and I are having a weekend off - which is utterly blissful.  Even more delightful today is the glorious spring sunshine.  We were wandering along underneath an overwhelmingly blue sky, a breeze ruffling around us and I was ranting about the joy of spring.

'I just want to drink it in,' I raved, throwing my head back before casting a sidelong glance at Andy.  'You think I'm a nutcase,' I said.
'Oh, I know you're a nutcase.'  He replied.


Seriously, spring does this to me - freshness, potential, life billowing through the the dormancy of winter.

Pure delight.

spring potential

There's something about the first hints of spring.  Reminders that winter does not last forever.  Life sprouting from the seemingly empty and barren.  Potential in its purest form - a promise of beginnings.  Of a whole new season lying ahead, holding life and hope within it.

a hint of the coming season

This morning, I heard spring.  I was placing a book on a shelf and heard the cheep of sparrows.  At the same time, a shaft of sunlight touched my cheek.  I don't what it was - the timbre of the sound, the softness of the air, but I felt a thrill of recognition.  Birds sing and cheep all through winter in our garden, but it felt different.  The bathroom window was wide open as I'd been cleaning; the breeze that drifted through held the promise of a whole new season.  It's only February, but today I heard spring.  I remembered what it felt like - the balm of the sunshine, the joy of the birds, the gentleness of the breeze.  I remembered that over the next few weeks, a change will take place.

On a somewhat more trivial level, it's still mucus manor in my neck of the woods, but I'm now on antibiotics.  Hopefully it will start clearing up in the next few days.  The congestion I can cope with, irritating as it is; it's that awful stinging pain that makes it so difficult.  Bending over to clean the bath this morning was excruciating.

I'm working on various bits of writing, at least as much as I can with my aching head and stinging face; this coming weekend I'm also leading the evening service (Communion & Healing) at church.  It's been a little while but I'm praying God will use my weakness (and weary sinuses!!) to be a blessing.

Yes I know it says 2009 on the photograph...the 2010 crocuses are yet to come!

purple

in bloom this week

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Breathe in spring...

pictures of March

Some photos taken during the past month, which have not previously been posted. Click on the 'photos' label to see older posts containing pictures.

beyond

the fence

hillside

shining through

trees

funky fungi

from below

magnolia blossom


"kiss me"
(anenome de caen in bud)

Was cleaning out rabbit hutch this morning, quite a time consuming task now Charlie has such a large hutch, and was very aware of being quietly observed. Well, not so quietly at all in fact. The blue tits scolding from the bushes, great tits hollering from the roof, and the goldfinches flying round and round, landing in the tree, considering me, and then flying back and forth again. So delightful to have them as regulars - something that has happened just in the past month, since the new Niger feeder was introduced. Two long tailed tits also passed through. Everything pairing up. Great tits are gathering nest materials...

Today: 4/10, medium - high

spring Sunday

According to my Dairy Diary (which my mum gets from the milkman each year!), spring officially starts on Friday (20th). But it's already here in our garden:




Thought I would share some of the photos I took in the garden during the week:


Chionodoxa flowering happily

Crocus peeping out the side of the strawberry pot (which I've never used for strawberries!)
First aubretia of the year to open out its little petals

and of course, the golden daffodil glowing in the sunshine

Am going to the evening service today as we had a church quiz last night and I don't cope well with an evening event followed by an event next morning. Spent most of yesterday afternoon agonising over whether to go or not. Was rather low yesterday (thanks for the encouraging comments on my last post, guys - much appreciated) and very tired, but in the end I did go. Was the right thing to do - despite physical exhaustion, I needed somewhere to go and be instead of being left at home feeling as I was.

Our team actually won. I'm not great at general knowledge and completely phased out during the sports section (miraculously, I did know one) and concentrated on the dingbats we'd been given. (Did get rather over-excited during the movie quotes, however!) Andy is very good at retaining facts and accessing them quickly. I learn things well but if I don't use the knowledge enough, it slips away.

Talking of facts, I'll try and post the answers to true or false? tomorrow or Tuesday. In the meantime, you can still join in!

In this stretch of Lent before Easter, I hope to post some more serious thoughts I've been having at this time. I should get a wriggle on; it's less than a month away...

Have a blessed Sunday.

"...the LORD, my God, lights up my darkness." ~ Psalm 18:28

Today: 4/10, medium

the springtime effect

There's something about opening your eyes in the morning and knowing from the colour of your world that the sun is out. It was a wet and windy night, so the sunlight feels even more precious. It lights me up on the inside, not just the outside. I find it soothes my weariness and any anxieties, causing a certain relaxation to flood through me; even as I go about my day working on this and that, I feel a kind of release.

The snowdrops are going over now. February is over and March has arrived! I made it through winter and here comes spring! The daffodils are budding in the front garden, brimming with promise, and the crocuses stretch gleefully towards the sun (like me!)

I was rather pleased with the crocus picture I posted on Monday; apart from the watermark and compressing the file size what you see is what was taken, the same with the images in this post - no later changes or tweaking to the images. I love the sight of these tiny flowers peppering the dull ground with the vibrant colour of hope; they awaken the tiny flowers of hope in my heart's garden, inspiring me to thankfulness and expectation of joy.

Mmm mmm (said appreciatively). Oh yes, spring is beginning and however I physically feel, my heart always rises to meet it...

Today: 4/10, medium