Days 135 to 137

Three more photos for my 365 photo project:-

Day 135 of 365

Do Not Disturb!  A close-up of Mo sleeping on the sofa.

Day 136 of 365

Vegetable, Lentil and Angel Hair Pasta Soup bubbling on the top of the stove.  I made some soda bread to go with it.

Day 137 of 365

An early morning snap, with my iPhone, of the view from my daughter's bedroom window.  The trees look so fresh in the sunlight dressed in their new leaves.

Introducing ...

May Lilac - my latest scarf.

I have called this square May Lilac because when my daughter was born, there was a row of lilac trees in bloom in the hospital grounds outside my window.  This square reminds me of the tiny lilac flowers.  Unfortunately my lilac tree hasn't got any buds on it this year.

 This is the first granny square that I have designed myself and I am quite pleased with how it has turned out.

 The 15 squares are crocheted in Debbie Bliss Andes on a 3.5mm hook.

It is so soft to wear.  I like to have lots of different scarves to wear, as where I work it can be quite chilly in winter.

I still have a pale pink and a silver grey in this yarn to turn into more scarves and I have been looking on-line for inspiration.

The Bird Garden?

I'm thinking I should have called my blog The Bird Garden, as the garden has been filled with the frenetic activity of birds feeding and collecting nest material - I took all of these photos yesterday.

Having previously said that we don't usually get Starlings in the garden, we now regularly have six of them squabbling over this feeder.

They are quite acrobatic birds, often hanging upside down on the coconut shell.

 The Blackbirds have been busy collecting worms from the lawn

and digging in the mud.

 The Nuthatch frequently swoops in for a meal.

The House Sparrows flock to the seed

 and collect aphids from my roses. :)

 The Blue Tits have been collecting nest material from our door mat,

 whilst the Great Tits seem to prefer the cobwebs on the fence for their nest.

They also check out the wisteria

 and pots for insects.

 We get a few Wood Pigeons too.

 The Robins are often on the feeders or picking up fallen seed on the driveway.

 New to the garden are the Goldfinches.  As yet I have only seen them each day in the front garden.

 Also new to the front garden are a pair of Blackcaps.

Here is one sharing a meal with a female Sparrow.

My Husband also saw a Greater Spotted Woodpecker on our fence the other morning!

 But on second thoughts, maybe I'll stick with The Snail Garden.

Luckily for this little Garden Snail there weren't any Song Thrushes around! ;)

Days 131 to 134

I'm trying to keep up-to-date with my 365 challenge.  Here are the next four photos:-

Day 131 of 365

It's raining again, but Ella is keeping warm and cosy curled up in her basket with her blankets. :)

Day 132 of 365

A sunny morning with the promise of rain later, so we went to the local allotment and planted lots and lots of beans.  Possibly not my best move, as now my back has seized up again! :(

Day 133 of 365

Admiring the tulips from indoors and hoping the rain doesn't spoil them.

Day 134 of 365

Last night I finished my May Lilac Scarf.  I still have some yarn leftover for another project ... next! :)

And now I'm up-to-date!  

Tulip Time

In recent weeks, the stars of the garden have undoubtedly been the tulips.  I planted lots of tulip bulbs last October, but I still want more!  Guess I will be planting bulbs again this coming autumn! :)

I have had Queen of the Night in my garden for many years.

This graceful white bluebell has made an unexpected appearance in the garden.  I have blue ones, but this is new.

The Tiarella is living up to its common name of Foam Flower

and producing masses of frothy flowers around the garden.

I wasn't expecting these tulips to be so yellow, but they have grown on me and the yellow seems to fade slightly.

These pink tulips look so pretty ...

... beside these pure white daffodils.

The hardy geraniums are beginning to bloom.  The bees really like these.

Some of my tulips are dwarf varieties.

The height difference works well in the borders.

I love the pale green of Tellima Grandiflora with its delicate white fringes.

Bergenia, also known as Elephant's Ears with its big, big leaves is another good contrast for foliage.

The Pheasant's Eye daffodil is a favourite of mine.

The white on this tulip almost looks like a lace edging.

This dainty clematis Oberon is so very fragrant by the patio door.

it almost equals the fragance of the wisteria.

 This gorgeous little Geum Rivale has a second bloom in the centre.

 The first flowers of London Pride Saxifraga are opening.  This has long been a favourite flower for me.  

And also just beginning to open are the Alliums that I planted last year.

 We just need some more sunshine to encourage them!