Welcome Alana

What could be more delightful than welcoming the latest member of the family into the world? Arriving early, lying with her hand near her head, and sleeping like a log: just as her mother did so many years ago.

I have six years to build her first boat. Then she will be able to have races with her big cousin.

Is this spring I see before me?

Spring does not burst into life, certainly not after the cold spell we have had this year, but there comes a time when one can feel that spring will come: when the first flowers appear. Snowdrops are evident in hidden corners and yesterday we saw the first wild daffodil near Greatwood.

As always, our garden is a bit behind others in the neighbourhood and the daffodils are little more than green stalks. However, the camelias are all in bud and one has had the bravery of opening up to greet the longer days and some bright sun. A quick inspection suggests that winter has not wreaked the havoc it did last year when we lost many different plants to the cold. Almost everything looks as if it may have made it through.

There will be more cold before we can finally wave goodbye to winter but it will be a minor irritant. Once the camelias are in flower it is downhill all the way. Damn! It also means we have to start weeding.

Gardening has started

A new apple chree arrived as a birthday present: a Cornish Aromatic. Here it is being lovingly planted at the bottom of the garden by the resident labourer. It will eventually grow to six metres or so.