Summer has arrived at last

It's SUMMER

* Yesterday I heard the first cuckoo of the year - a lot later than last year.

* Today I saw the first dragonfly of the year

* And the first swan family to - cob, penn & 5 cygnets.

• I passed another apple orchard - lots of blossom so that's a good sign for the grower
  
• The hops are well on their way up the poles and
  
• The OAK is definitely out before the ASH - it confirms my feeling that we are in for a hot dry summer.

* At last our injured chicken is out in her new pen with a nice quiet companion

* The dog has her pen back

* And the horse is finally living out 24/7 0 hurrah - no more mucking out till the Autumn.

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Happy May Day.

Hello Blog Land- doesn't time fly.

It's now the start of May & nature is approaching one of it's best displays of the year.

Yesterday I took the small dog for a walk along country lanes- a very traditional thing to do on a sunny Bank Holiday Sunday. I passed a pretty little church that had dedicated one part of the church yard to wild flowers. Against a back drop of the old brick church with stained glass windows all around, a wisteria just coming into flower, was a small "meadow" of buttery yellow cowslips. The bench in the church yard looked very inviting in the sunshine but it was cold & the small dog impatient so I carried on with the walk. In the hedgerows I found another yellow flower (I think of April & May as the "yellow flower" time of year) - Mr PoppyM had talked of this plant a lot, but not coming from around here I wasn't quite sure I knew what the plant looked like. Well I do now, a nettle-type plant with hooded yellow flowers that produce seed pods that rattle - which gives it it's common name "rattle". Later on it the walk we came to one of the main reasons for picking that route - an apple orchard. It wasn't in full blossom but still quite a sight & scent - epecially so as it contrasted vividly with a flourescent yellow field of oil seed.

There is a little wood near here that is a delight. At the moment it is sporting a display of bluebells - they are not yet at their best - I reckon they will be in a day or two- then I shall visit it at dusk to look for that unique, etheral bluebell haze. It is a wood that for me sums up much of what is England - a small wood (less than an acre) with abundant wild flowers - snowdrops, primroses, cowslips, lesser celandine & now bluebells (the English ones). Up above is a noisy rookery. And in true idiosyncratic fashion, come summer there will be Long Horn cattle sheltering from the sun - they are quite a sight - huge animals peering over the fence with handbar horns!

Onto things traditional - once again I didn't manage to see the May Day Morris Dancers...one day...

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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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Amazing seeds

I've started my seed planting in earnest. A few days ago I planted some Morning Glory, put them above the fire with a cover & like magic they have sprouted & are already substantial shoots.

Last year I squirreled away lots of seeds from the Butternut Squashes I brought. I was unsure if they would be viable so I put 2 batches on some wet kitchen towel, covered them with a plastic bag & put them somewhere warm. Hey presto, 3 days later they have lovely long shoots just calling out to be planted - how amazing is that. I have many batches & don't really need hundreds of plants so I'll grow on a few from each batch & give the remainder to the hens - no waste & all seeds appreciated.

It was a mildish sunny day today so I was pottering outside tiding-up pots & straggly over-winterers. While I was planting out the larkspur & pulling up some dead stuff I noticed some nasturtium shoots. It was down to -9C this winter for days on end, those seedlings have come from last years plants -I decided to let the seeds fall where they would. So here are some tender plants that have survived the rigors of a British winter- incredible.

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Earlier in the week I spent a happy few hours in a garden centre selecting seeds - my belated birthday present. This was followed by frothy cappuccino & cake - what a blissful few hours. And of course the pleasure continues with all the planting, the growing, the admiring, the harvesting & more collecting - perfect.

All images from Flickr

Surprising Things Come in Orange

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Well I never thought I'd say it - but I actually like swedes - and all because of a recipe from VegBox Give it a go. http://www.vegbox-recipes.co.uk/recipes/recipes-index.php

Swede Soup
Ingredients
Serves 6
1 swede
2 parsnips
2-3 medium carrots
1 litre vegetable stock
1 onion

Method
Peel the swede with a potato peeler. Chop it into 1/2 in cubes.
Scrub the carrots and chop.
Peel the onion and chop.
Scrub the parsnip and chop.
Bring the stock to the boil and add the vegetables. Simmer for 20 minutes until the swede chunks are soft.
Add any herbs and spices of your choice.
Liquidise (if desired) and serve with crusty bread.

For a more filling version, top each bowl with about 30g grated hard cheese (such as Cheddar) and some toasted seeds and nuts.

And I've tried for the first time - Pumpkin Pie (actually Butternut Squash) - so give it a try .

Pumpkin Pie
ingredients

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin (or butternut squash)
1 cup brown sugar (I used 1 tablespoon as there is a diabetic in the house)
2 beaten eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp each of ginger, ground cloves and nutmeg
1 1/2 cups cream (I used milk)
1 8 inch pre-prepared pastry case or 250g shortcrust pastry lining an 8 inch pie tin

Method
Cook the pumpkin
Cut the pumpkin into quarters
Remove the seeds
Cut the flesh from the skin
Cut the flesh into chunks
Steam (or boil in a little water in a covered pan) for about 10 minutes until soft
Allow to cool slightly
Mash the pumpkin and mix together pumpkin, sugar, eggs, salt and spices.
Gradually stir in milk or cream.
Pour into prepared pie shell.
Bake in preheated 210 C oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 190 C and continue baking for about 40 minutes.
Serve warm or cold with cream/yoghurt


And in a bright orange book I've rediscovered a very very funny poem by Wendy Cope;

Strugnel's Haiku- here's the 1st haiku of the 3:


The cherry blossom
In my neighbour's garden - Oh!
It looks really nice.


Go get the book out of the library or buy a copy & read all her wonderful poems: "Making Cocoa For Kingsley Amis" Faber & Faber ISBN 0-571-13747-4

Non-Orange things

It's wild & blowy out there - a real March Day. Finally the daffodils are opening & I've seen lambs in the field - bleating & gamboling - aah.

Spring Cleaning must be "in the air". In the last 10 days the chicken house has been scrubbed & disinfected. The horse's stable has been completely emptied of bedding & disinfected. The kitchen has been blitzed twice - due to a blockage - fixed this morning. And because it has been too cold to work out doors for long spells, today Mr PoppyM "mucked-out" the sitting room, hoovered it AND washed the kitchen floor. He has retired to bed early complaining of feeling ill - let that be a warning -too much cleaning is bad for you!

It's been a busy few days with the chickens. We now have our own egg-boxes - sourced from a great place selling all manner of things for a small-holding. I have designed & printed off labels for the boxes. Mr PoppyM has made a "Eggs for Sale" sign - which has already generated a sale. The hens are laying really well considering it is a cold March & Alfie has settled in & is being a cockerel! The aim is to sell our surplus eggs to cover the cost of feed etc - the hens are our pets who happen to generate a few pounds a week. It would be lovely to have chicks but we are not set-up for them & don't have a broody hen - but who knows what the future will bring!

Today is the 1st day of my planting season - hurrah!

Have a Laugh

This made me laugh! It's from the excellent blog of illustrator/artist/writer Keri Smith. Go visit the site & be entertained & inspired - apparently there are 10,000 people who do!

March has ARRIVED. Following the wind & rain yesterday, all the plants & flowers look washed & refreshed. I have a long tub (actually an old horse storage box) filled with approx 100 small crocuses in 2 colours & a gnome buried in the middle. A majority of the simple white crocuses are open &, looking down on them, they look like tiny lilies.

Walking up the hill I stopped to watch as a flock of rooks & jackdaws rose together up out of a stubble field. As I watched I saw why- a very large bird of prey was flying through the flock. There are several resident large birds here, buzzards & I am 95% sure 1 or more goshawk. The rookery is in occupation now, and I see numerous birds with twigs in their bills. I guess there are eggs in the nests & eggs will soon mean chicks & chicks mean food for raptors.

The bird table is being well visited, there was a surprise visitor yesterday, a jackdaw.

Still on a bird theme, we have finally collected the Light Sussex cockerel. What a magnificent specimen he is & very nice natured. We have named him Alfred - Alfie. It's taken a few days for him to settle but he now has the measure of the place & yesterday managed to "bags" for hi self a big piece of boiled potato - those hens are no respecter of status!

I've finished reading "The Little White Horse", a book of such simplicity & innocence - a world that I don't think ever really existed & certainly does not exist now. In total contrast I read straight afterward the last in the Malorie Blackman Noughts & Crosses series "Double Cross". What a fabulous book & sadly a much truer depiction of life today for children & young adults. There are common themes i both books - the redemptive power of love & kindness, choice of good & bad, the young being a match for the older. I love children's books, they are frequently full of a vigour, creativity & clarity that sometimes gets lost in the "cleverness" that adult authors sometimes strive for.

The week the sun came out

What a busy & wonderfully clement week

The Hens
At long last the weather has allowed us to move the hens to their new site. They have an upgraded hen-house & a big run with lots of greenery. It wont be long before they have scratched-up & eaten everything possible within the run but NO PROBLEM. We have masses of expansion room now - bliss!
Ages ago we were offered a Light Sussex cockerel - he is still available but Mr PoppyM is wavering about having him. We have now also been offered 2 Guinea Fowl from the same source. Of course I want the cockerel & the GF - I love GF. I wonder how this will all turn out - tune in & see!

Spring

• The snowdrops are open & it is quite clear that they are not all the same variety.
• In my troughs & pots are hosts of exciting shoot: the 3 rhubarb seedlings I grew last year have fiery red, tough-looking shoots that gave me a huge thrill when I found them quite unexpectedly: the delphiniums have frondy green shoot - I saw the roving peacocks eyeing them up; and there are shoots & shoots of bulbs I had forgotten planting - so many pleasant surprises waiting to reveal themselves.
• Talking of peacocks - the local long-standing pair are still together & the tail, along with the rattling, was on display yesterday.
• In the hedgerows I have seen a few early celandines open - little bursts of sunshine laying on the ground.
• So many birds busy & singing & pairing-up. Spring is well & truly on it's way.

BOOKS
It was my birthday this week & I have had some great presents from friends. One I am particulary enjoying reading is a children's book that has somehow escaped me. Go out & buy it now ..... "The Little White Horse" by Elizabeth Goudge - such an innocent magical story.