A fine late winter's day

Today's weather was memorable - a bit misty & cold until midday with just a promise of sun, and then the sun came out in all it's glory. Through the misty sun I walked with the large dog & looked for patches of blue violets & buttery primroses under the trees. Patches of white violets have been in flowers for about a week as they all seem to be growing on sunny banks & verges. The blue violets are less abundant perhaps because they grow in the fields & get trampled by the horses. Down by the brook that runs along the bottom of the field I spotted some coltsfoot - how apt for a field with about 25 horses & ponies in it. I heard a woodpecker in a stand of old trees that grow by one of the deep pools along the brook.

The mild bright weather & lengthening days are suiting the hens. They are laying well, which is very good as today there are no fresh eggs left to sell as we have sold the lot! Word spreads about a good egg! As it is now light quite early (around 6:50am) we are leaving the pop-hole open & the electric fencing on. The fencing has served us & the hens well for about 6 months now so I guess it's time to trust it at night to. Even so Mr PoppyM has gone to sleep tonight dreaming up schemes to keep the hen's safe.

Talking of keeping things safe, one of the 4 geese on this site has been killed. Today we found the geese's nest - 2 of the girls seem to be laying in the nest - there are 20 eggs. All 3 geese came hot legging it over to us when we were checking the nest - it is in fairly safe place & well camouflaged & it good to see them so alert. It's a sad fact that there is very little we can do to keep the eggs & any goslings safe, the geese will have to do it all themselves even in this very human environment.

Caring for young things seems to be a feature at the moment - the place is over-flowing with pots & tray of seeds in varying stages of germination & growth. When they are ready I'll be moving some to the outdoor plastic mini-greenhouse & set another lot of seeds. Mr PoppyM, aided by the hens has prepared a bed for the early potatoes. If the weather holds up tomorrow, I plan to plant out the sweet peas I sowed in the autumn - they are healthy vigorous plants now that need more space. I have just the situation for them, right outside the kitchen window. I'll be able to check that the peacocks don't get to them & more importantly, I'll be able to see & smell them for most of the day. I have grown a mix of varieties for flower colour & shape & scent & one just for it's name "Gwendoline"! I'm really looking forward to having bunches of sweet peas in the house throughout the summer.
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