First cut.

The lawns have had their first (& early) cut of the year. I did them just before the heavens opened. At least we aren't under inches of snow as part of the UK is.

Wet and windy.

 This doorway in the Cornish town of Fowey is ready with it's sandbags for a high tide or a deluge of rain.

This island house in Newquay is high enough not to have this problem - it even has it's own bridge.

Whilst the beach looks inviting you will notice that there isn't a soul on it. The evidence for this desertion is  just behind me - a dripping pipe with the water drops turned to ice - caught mid air where the wind froze it as it fell. Boy, was it cold.

Sunshiny days.

 

Even though it's been ultra cold this week, we have managed to get out and about and enjoy the rare glimpses of sun (albeit without any warmth).This was mid week, down at the barrage in Cardiff Bay. And it wasn't only us enjoying the sunshine.

I'd love to be gardening....,

sadly though, it's too cold, too wet, too everything.
Too cold to plant our first earlies (Pentland Javelin, a potato that Luke has planted and enjoyed before) and too wet to dig the veg patch. Although it's tempting, after yesterday's hail and rain the soil will just stick to my boots and fork and I'll compress the ground by standing on it - much better to wait till it's dry and easy to turn over. It is frustrating though. We have a lovely sunny day so it looks like I should be out there. Luckily the over wintering garlic and few onions that I planted last year are looking good so it doesn't feel like a complete no no.

The bulbs pushing through the compost in the pots are doing very well but I think the chickens have trampled over the bulbs under the tree (they love to get underneath the bird feeders and wait for their free meal). We will soon be back to British Summer Time (hooray) and that ancient old Oak will titillate with the beginnings of green tips that suddenly burst forth and coat the branches with lush verdant growth.

 I can hardly wait.